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Q - I am a Canadian registered nurse working in Texas, I have a TN visa.

I have been working here for 6 years, my Texas license was granted to me by endorsement, I was not required to take NCLEX and I did not have to be screened by CGFNS.  Here is the problem:

I trained in the UK in 1975, I sat the Canadian licensing exams in 1980 and passed. I have been actively practicing nursing in Canada and the United States since then. I am a Canadian Citizen.

The new visa screen requires that my training transcripts be reviewed from England even though I trained 29 years ago, the nursing school has closed and my personal transcripts have been destroyed or archived. The nursing board in England has an outline of the nursing course but not my personal records. This is not acceptable to the CGFNS.

Is there a grandfather clause in the visa screen process in view of the fact that I have been actively working here for 6 years and hold a valid Texas RN license?

Do you have any information on this issue?

A - The CGFNS web site has the following to say about this:

“What do I do if my educational institution has closed?

ICHP only accepts certain documentation from source agencies (such as transcripts and validations of registration/ licensure). If your school has closed or no longer operates, you will need to contact the organization or agency authorized to hold documentation for that institution (such as a ministry of health or the national, provincial or state licensing authority in your country of education). If you are uncertain about where to go, call the ICHP Customer Service Department.”