Any state board of nursing would have told you the same thing.

When you graduate from a US school of nursing, you can take the NCLEX anywhere there is a testing center.  But you have to apply for a license at the same time you apply to take the test, and you must apply in the state where you are currently a resident.  Since the Phillipines is a foreign country, there is no way you would have met a residency requirement in California or any other state.  Plus, your school is not a US school, and not eligible for NCLEX.

For example, when I took the NCLEX RN, I was living in Maryland.  But I didn't want to drive 2 1/2 hours to Baltimore to take the test when I could drive 1 hour to Dover DE and take it.  I applied for a Maryland license, since I was a Maryland resident at the time, but took the test in Delaware.

Since the Phillipines does regulate the practice of nursing and require licensure, you must submit proof of that in order to apply for licensure in the United States.  However, if there is a testing center in the Phillipines, you could have taken the NCLEX and the results would be on file for California to look up:  if your school is eligible for its graduates to take the NCLEX in the first place.

All 50 states, and US territories practice something called reciprocity.  You can move from say, Maryland to California (which I did).  But the Maryland license is no good in California, which has its own BON and regulations of nursing practice.  However, I don't have to take the NCLEX again.  I apply for a license, supply proof of my Maryland license and any other information California wants (criminal background check, etc).  They check with the Maryland board to verify my license.  If everything is hunky dorie, I get the California license.  

It sounds like you were never licensed as a nurse in the United States, or the Phillipines.  It also sounds like you never took the NCLEX, but practiced as a nurse without a license in your home country.  Therefore you can't move to a different area of residency (ie the Phillipines to California) without proof of licensure, and expect to get a California license.  However, had you taken NCLEX in the Phillipines, your scores would be on file, and California would have given you a license even tho you don't have one in the Phillipines:  because it's passing that test that is the really important part.  The BORN would have checked to make sure there weren't any problems with you practicing nursing in the Phillipines as well (no complaints, no criminal charges), and if everything was clear would have given you a license.

So in a nutshell, yes:  your reason for not holding a local license (and you don't say what that was) is NOT good enough to get you a license anywhere in the United States.  You MUST take and pass NCLEX to get a license, and to take the NCLEX you must either be a US citizen or have a valid work visa, AND a graduate of an approved school of nursing.  To prove you are a US citizen you must supply a birth certificate with the original seal from the locale where you were born, or naturalization papers if you were an immigrant, or a permanent residency card (aka "green card"), or a valid work visa meaning you are in the US legally and have permission to work from INS.  

EVERY state will want a copy of your license from your previous place of residence.  You must still take and pass NCLEX to get a license.  A foreign license (which you don't have) is not good enough.  Foreign born and trained nurses must first get a visa, show proof of a potential employer, and proof that their school of nursing is recognized and eligible for graduates to take the NCLEX.  

There is a non-profit organization that helps foreign nurses get licensed in the US.  Go to the website of the Commission on Graduated of Foreign Nursing Schools:  CGFNS International for more information.  You will also have to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

So the real question is, is your school of nursing recognized as eligible to take NCLEX.  Most non US schools are not, which is probably the hold up.  You have to contact CGFNS and get your school vetted so you can take the test.

hi..

the latest update is that Cali BON is now requiring a local license before you process your NCLEX papers to that state..

because that's what they did to me..

hope, in a way,,it helped you out with your concern..

- We will require proof of citizenship via Visa, Naturalization document, birth certificate if born here or Greencard. Your proof will be passed onto management for final decision regarding your eligibility for NCLEX.


If I am reading this correctly, you need to send them the required Naturalization document and the decision will be made from there.  You can always call the California Board of Registered Nursing and verifiy this.

So it is true.. I am a US citizen as well and studying in a foreign country.. So I have to take the local board and then the Nclex? or I wonder if I can just take the Nclex here because they do offer it and my school is accredited to take Nclex as well.. thanks!

Kat

hello! i am also an american citizen. i took the board exams last june 1 and 2, 2008 here in the philippines. should i wait for the results of the local boards then apply for a license in the philippines before applyig or submitting my requirements to Ca BON to take the NCLEX? or could i apply now and just send them a copy of my license in the philippines later on? thanks so much.

To all US citizen studying or graduated from a foreign country read carefully......................

-We will require proof of citizenship via Visa, Naturalization document, birth certificate if born here or Greencard. Your proof will be passed onto management for final decision regarding your eligibility for NCLEX.

meaning if you studied in a foreign country it is not a requirement of the BON that you should have a license from that country, just passed a letter stating your reason ( obviously one good reason  is  being a US citizen that prefers to work in the US of course!)       with that submit a proof that you are really a US CITZEN!

sana nakatulong....................

Hi. im greencard holder but im not a US citizen yet, i just graduated last march 2008 in the philippines, i would like to know if i can take NCLEX in bon even if i dont have a license in the philippines, any advice would be very appreciated,,,

Thank You!

hi y'all.. i just graduated last april 2008 in the philippines and have not yet taken its local board. i got here in cali through my H4 dependent visa which doesn't allow me to work. how d hell am i supposed to take the nclex here with my condition? i am not a citizen, a green card holder or whatsoever. if someone could answer my question as intellectually as possible i would be eternally grateful. thank you.

hello frustrated nurse:)

i knew a friend in california who graduated here in the philippines then also moved there a week after graduation... but he was able to apply and take the NCLEX.. why dont you try to apply there or contact the Ca BON? then if the requirements forces you to go back here in the philippines, never hesitate if you're really frustated for that....coz believe me, it took forever to accomplish everything..ha-ha

& to those filipino citizen or a foreign  graduate who wants to take nclex,

(Submit a copy of your license or diploma that allows you to practice professional nursing in the country where you were educated. If you do not hold a license, a written explanation is required. Also, provide copies of your certificates for midwifery and psychiatric nursing, if applicable.)

...you should'nt rely on those statements... because on my case, Cali BON required me to pass a local license before they process my NCLEX papers to that state eventhough i submitted a diploma  with a written explanation..... it really makes me crazy because as long as they were not satisfied with the requirements, they will require a lot especially on school matters.. dami ek-ek...huhu.....

just wanna give a small help ...tenx....

I've been doing some research, and it really does seem that more and more applicants are being sent the letter from the CA BRN requiring the local license before being considered for taking the NCLEX. I got off the phone with the CA BRN a few days ago and they said that for international graduates, the local license has always been a requirement and that you would need to send a copy of your nursing diploma and a letter of explanation if you did not have it for any reason. It really would be a case-to-case basis just as Suzanne said.


Now for those such as myself who were not able to take the Philippine NLE due to them not being a Filipino citizen, I was able to contact the PRC International Affairs Division regarding my problem. They said that they would issue a Certificate of Ineligibility to take the nursing licensure exam and mail it to any recipient (such as the CA BRN) that requires it, as well as to the applicant for his or her own records. All they would need is a copy of your passport, transcript of records (don't need to be mailed directly from your college, they may be copies provided by you), a letter of request, and the necessary processing fees, around 100 pesos.

I also clarified from them once and for all whether I could sit the exams or not being a US citizen. They gave me a straight "NO", and that you must be a Filipino citizen to take the board exams. I still don't know how that information about being able to sit the Philippine NLE as a foreign national but not receive a license came into existence. I wasn't able to clarify about the eligibility of former Filipino citizens who became foreign citizens through naturalization to take the local NLE though. So for those who became US citizens through naturalization, your best bet would be to contact the PRC yourselves and ask them. Just PM me if you need their telephone number. And for those who are only immigrant status, I guess since you still hold a Philippine Passport, it means you will still have to take the local NLE since you would still be considered eligible for the exam.


Hope this information proves useful for those who are in my situation, worried whether they would be granted an ATT or not. And for future nursing graduates planning to move to the US immediately after graduation and apply for nursing licensure, be sure to take the local boards if you ARE ELIGIBLE before you head out! It would definitely save you the trouble...and the worries.
 
People not having Filipino Citizenship has always not been allowed to take the NLE and has always been accepted by CA BRN as being a valid reason to not having it. That was not the issue at all.


The issue was that before Jan. 2008, applicants who are Filipino Citizens but chose not to practice in the Philippines were allowed to make a letter of explanation to why they did not take the NLE or could not furnish a copy of the local license and a simple general explanation of "having no intention to practice in the Philippines" was enough for CA BRN to waive that requirement, regardless if they are allowed to take the NLE or not by Philippine Law or if they took it but failed.

At present, that explanation is not currently being accepted anymore by the Boards and only those who are explicitly not allowed to take the NLE, or unable to such as not holding a Filipino Citizenship are the ones that are being waived of that requirement.


The ones being handed the "denial letters" by the Board starting at the start the year are the ones that still made an explanation letter citing other reasons other than not being eligible to take the Boards per Philippine Law as some still do choose to not take the NLE (or failed it) even though they are actually eligible to take it. 
 
*NOTE****** An American citizen means you have a blue passport and a social security card..An american tourist/ Immigrant means you have a green passport. There's a big difference between a green passport and a blue passport. don't call your self a citizen if you don't have a blue passport..If you do have a blue passport, make  a copy along with your naturalization or birth certificate so you can justify your claim. CABON won't believe you until they see paper evidence. ie: Thats like saying " I want to go to the U.S. not for the money but for the nursing shortage?"
Cmon who are you kidding. ??  About 60,000 took local boards in June, " Does California really want to read 60,000 letters saying I have no intention to work in the PI.  You have to come up with a really valid reason. I've seen the CABON office and it's not that big.In addition reading 60,000 applicants won't give you 60,000 approvals . Trust Me!! It's a case by case basis or a really valid reason like I am a U.S citizen. This has nothing to do racial discrimination, or the nursing shortage. This is about competency. California would rather have a nursing shortage than 60,000 incompetent nurses. Trust me they would!!!!
FYI--> Half of my classmates in the  PI hold some kind of visa and have been to the U.S as tourists. They kept telling me how they are going to take NCLEX and not take local boards. I didn't want to burst there bubble, because the registrars office told me she never had problems with U.S. citizens applications, but had more problems with immigrants applying . To make it really simple, if you have a green passport, take the LOCAL BOARDS. Just take it whether you don't want to or failed because you won't test for the CABON. This new law has taken effect this year.  -Macky

oh! marky good for you, i am also a foreign graduate just this apr. 2008 from the philippines, i wasn't able to take local board exam, since i was just approved with my k1 visa application that time then, now we are preparing for my AOS,  and after i am planning to apply for NCLEX, if u don't mind i just wanna asked where did u apply here in ca for your NCLEX? thanks

God bless!!!

Yes, a license in the Philippines is now a requirement in California. If you have a greencard or you are a US Citizen, this requirement can be waived. As for those who does not fall in this category, you can apply in another state that does not require a local license (Nevada, etc.) and apply licensure by endorsement (reciprocity).

hey guys. good news. i graduated nursing from the philippines last march 2008. and i flew back in CA and i dint take the NLE in the PI. and after getting my diploma. i sent my application sa CAbon and a letter of explanation. they sent back a letter saying that.. i just need to send a copy of my passport. and the papers that would be coming from the school. then i could take my nclex na daw.

fyi. im a green card holder, green passport pa din ako. kaya for those fil immigrants dont worry. just tell them a credible reason and make it reasonable. ndi lang dpat kasi na u dont intend to practice.

Im all confused now. There are a lot of yes and no answers on whether US citizens should take the local boards in the philippines to be able to take the NCLEX in the US. Ok heres a simple question requiring a simple answer: Is the US citizen REQUIRED to have a license in the philippines to be eligible to take the NCLEX?

help pls! need to know asap.

nakakaloka na kasi e.haha

goodluck sa NCLEX everyone! Pero first of, sana pwede tayo kumuha ng nclex kahit walang local license ng philippines.

thats a relief!  thank you for replying. i appreciate it!