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US Nursing Career Part 2: Payment methods for the NCLEX application

Every year, thousands of Filipino nurses aspire to migrate and become a licensed nurse in the US. Here's a practical guide intended to help Pinoy nurses achieve this dream. Because the application process requires several steps and there are ongoing issues related to foreign nurse employment in the US, we've broken down this feature article into a series. Read Part 1 of the Filipino Nursing Herald's Guide to Becoming a US RN by clicking here.

There are different methods for sending payments for the nursing registration application in the U.S.. Each board of nursing will have its own preferred method of payment. Going to the BON payment office is the best way to guarantee that your payment will be received, but if you're so many thousand kilometers away like in the Philippines, there are payment methods that you can use.

The most convenient payment method is using a credit card. Most BON will have a payment form attached to the application form. Simply fill out this form and send it together with your application form. As I've said in a previous post, the best way to send forms is by using a reputable door-to-door express courier like Fedex, DHL, or other courier service providers. Some of them, however, don't deliver to P.O. box addresses, so be sure to get the full street address of the BON. For example, click here to get the street address of CTS for Illinois applications, and click here for the California board's street address. Simply e-mail your chosen BON to get their full street address. If you wish to save, you can also use the EMS service at the postal office.

Some BONs have online payment facilities that let you pay for applications using a credit card. If you're using a public computer to access the Internet or if you're in an Internet cafe, be sure that you go to a trusted net cafe. For your own safety, clear the browsing history, including cookies and passwords, afetr using a public computer. To do this on Internet Explorer, click Tools - Internet Options - and then find the browsing history option and click delete.

If you don't have a credit card yet, you can use your parents' cards or your friends'. Aside from the card itself, get their complete billing address, too, because you'll need to input this the form.

Another payment method is by using a bank draft. A bank draft is requested from a bank branch where you have an account, either a savings or a current account. Some people in the forums claim that PNB provides bank draft services even to those who don't have accounts, however, when I checked with PNB, a bank officer said this wasn't true. Only people who have existing accounts can use the bank draft service.

Each bank will charge you differently for a bank draft. In BPI, where I've used the bank draft service, they charge 1/4 of 1% of the amount you request. There is a minimum charge of $5 plus another fee, called a DST, of P0.30 for every P200 if the draft is paid in pesos. They usually debit the charge or get the payment directly from your bank account.

For instructions how to fill out the bank draft, please review the application packet from yur chosen BON.

Each BON charge different payment fees and the total cost will depend on what other documents they require. Some state BONs have pretty straightforward fees. For example, New Mexico charges $160, Vermont asks for $150, and California charges $107 for the registration by exam application and the fingerprint application. Application for the Illinois BON, on the other hand, is costlier because aside from the BON application itself, which costs $79, you'll also need to pay for the fingerprint processing ($54) and the Credentials Evaluation Service or CES ($278 for the healthcare report or $328 for the full-education report, plus $50 processing fee). If the state BON you're applying for requires the CGFNS certificate, this will cost you $368 plus $50 order fee.

When sending a bank draft, again use a courier service for security reasons.

You can call or e-mail your BON after a few days to check if they've received your payment.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Good day Geoff, I still have few more unresolved issues here

1. What are the advantages of taking the NCLEX directly paired with TOEFL as compared to taking the CGFNS first paired with IELTS in applying to Illinois? Is there any difference in processing time?

2. If I am an NCLEX passer in California and seeking for endorsement to Illinois, do I still need to undergo CES and still need to take TOEFL?

3. If I am to apply for Illinois NCLEX do I need to take TOEFL before submitting NCLEX application or I can have TOEFL exam after passing the NCLEX?

Thank you for your attention on these concerns.
Geoff said…
First of all, you need the TOEFL scores if your medium of instruction in college was not English. If you studied in the Phils. you don't need to take TOEFL before being allowed to register with Illinois because our medium of instruction and textbooks are in English.

Since you're endorsing from CA, you might still need to submit the CES report. I said might because the last time I looked, you still needed the CES before endorsing, but I saw another post in one of the forums that said the CES was not required for one applicant. To be sure, please contact CTS or IDFPR directly. You can get the contact info here.

The CGFNS CP is no longer needed for Illinois registration. You can use IELTS or the TOEFL iBT for the visascreen.

Hope this helps.
Anonymous said…
Thank you very much Geoff
Anonymous said…
Sana magkaron din ng chatbox dito Geoff
Anonymous said…
good day, i would like to ask regarding the application for NCLEX in california. they said that you must secure a social security number in order to have a license. they also said that you must secure it within 3 years or else your license will expire but i heard from my friend that it can be renewed. how true are these?
i'm also confused what state i shall apply. what can u recommend that the processing will be better and faster? also do u know any agency or employer for US? thank you.
Anonymous said…
Hello Geoff, I have here a few questions re CES application form:

1. For the preliminary info section 2, they are asking for work experience, do I need to write there my previous job even if its not Nursing related?

2. For section 8 they're asking for Citizenship ID number in our country, is it the same as our Tax Identification Number?

3. Section 12 is about Healthcare Education,I am actually a licensed Pharmacist. Do I still need to include in the list my previous school where I earned my pharmacy degree. Actually It is written on the side that I need to forward a request for credentials in all the schools listed there.

4. For the native language, what will I write Filipino or Tagalog?

Thank you very much in advance Geoff.
Geoff said…
hi, thanks for visiting my blog and for your suggestion. unfortunately some people abuse the chatbox and, also, the site loads up much slower with a chatbox feature, so I've decided not to put up one. hope you still visit regularly though.

thanks again.
Geoff said…
hi. yes, you need a social security number to be given a license in CA, however, your information is correct, you can renew your application once it expires. i'm not just sure if the validity period three years or less, but you shouldn't worry because as i've said you can renew it. hopefully before your application expires you'll have an employer willing to petition you.

when selecting a state, don't just consider the fastest to process. think about where you want to work or live eventually when you get a license and start from there. often, you end up paying more money or processing more documents when you choose based on how fast the BON processes applications.

if you still want to go the round-about route, New Mexico is said to have the fewest reqts. But PLEASE do more research on your own as I have not personally gone through this way.

Recently, I've come across a recruiter from the US who said they were concerned about some nurse applicants coming from the Philippines. Apparently these applicants have so many state licensures, perhaps through endorsement. The recruiter is baffled and thinks some applicants don't know where they really want to go; so applying to several states is already starting to come off in negative way to some recruiters in the US.
Geoff said…
With regard to the CES questions:
1. Yes, you MAY write previous work experience even if it's not as a nurse.
2. We don't have a Citizenship ID number, unlike Malaysia and some other countries. The TIN is for tax purposes only and can only be used in the Phils.
3. Your Pharmacy education should be written on the other education box. Usually nursing schools in the Phils. combine and integrate transcript of records. Check your TOR from your nursing school. If your TOR already includes your grades from your first course, then there's no need to request from your previous college.

4. Shame on you for not knowing our official language! :-) It's Filipino.
Anonymous said…
LOL for number 4 Geoff, got confused when I registered for CGFNS site they have a list there for the different languages and I was surprised not to see Filipino, instead Tagalog is the one included in the list. Huwaaaat! Thanks for the response Geoff, more power!!!
Anonymous said…
i need ur help geoff...
i passed my application at sacramento california at street address 1625 north market boulevard suite N-217 sacramento, CA 65834-1924 not in mailing address PO Box 944210 Sacramento, CA 94244-2100 last october 2007 do u know what wil happened to my application? .. wat wil i do now? there's a bank draft inside my application...
help me pls.
Geoff said…
No need to worry. It's still the correct address of the California BON. They should still get it.

You sent your application directly to the CA BON ofice, instead of the P.O. box mailing address, which is just fine.
Anonymous said…
thnk u so much geoff...
ill try to col them to confirm my status... then i wil leave a comment again.. thnks i hope they received my application...
Anonymous said…
Hello Sir, Iwould just like to know about the payment for Ca NCLEX because I have a relative in the Ca. I read somewhere that they could do the payment for me. Do you think this is the right thing to do? Am I right that the payment is sent together with the application form?
THank you

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