Here is the rule that surprises most foreign-educated nurses: the nursing transcript CGFNS evaluates must be translated by the school that issued it, not by you and not by an agency you hire. If the school cannot provide an English version, TruMerit translates it for an additional fee. A certified translation of that transcript ordered for CGFNS is money spent on a document nobody will read.
That does not mean nurses need no translations. The immigration petition, name-change evidence, the CES secondary school diploma and some state board files do, and getting those wrong delays an already long process. This guide maps what TruMerit, the state boards and USCIS each want, who sends what, and where your own certified translation actually fits.
Is CGFNS the same as TruMerit?
Yes. CGFNS International announced on February 25, 2025 that it would change its name to TruMerit, with the rebrand rolling out from mid-March and finished by summer 2025. Its website now refers to the "TruMerit (CGFNS) Certification Program," while VisaScreen and the Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) keep their names.
Federal rules have not caught up. Both 8 CFR 212.15 and the Department of Labor's Schedule A regulation still name the "Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)." Expect both names on job offers, board instructions and petitions for some time; they are the same organization.
Which TruMerit service do you need?
| Service | What it is for | Who requires it |
|---|---|---|
| VisaScreen: Visa Credentials Assessment | The federal health care worker certificate for an occupational visa or green card | US immigration law, under 8 CFR 212.15, for nurses and other listed health occupations |
| TruMerit (CGFNS) Certification Program | Credentials review, the Nurse Qualifying Exam (NQE) and an English test for registered nurses | About two-thirds of state boards of nursing before the NCLEX-RN, according to TruMerit |
| Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) Professional Report | A detailed comparison of nursing education plus license validation | State boards, employers and attorneys; TruMerit says its reports are accepted by all 50 state nursing boards |
VisaScreen and the law behind it
Under 8 CFR 212.15, a health care worker coming to the United States to work in a covered occupation is inadmissible without a certificate from an authorized credentialing organization. The list covers registered nurses, licensed practical and vocational nurses, occupational and physical therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, medical technologists and technicians, and physician assistants. The certificate must be used for admission, change of status or adjustment of status within 5 years of the date it is issued, and it is not a license to practice.
For registered nurses, VisaScreen checks four things: education, every license held, English proficiency, and a pass on either the TruMerit NQE or the NCLEX-RN. Nurses who graduated from a school in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States are exempt from the English test, and TruMerit adds that English must have been the language of instruction, textbooks included. TruMerit does not accept at-home versions of English tests.
Can I translate my own nursing documents for CGFNS?
Only one of them. TruMerit's wording for VisaScreen is direct: professional education documents "must be in English and any translation to English must be done by the educational institution(s) that the applicant has attended/completed." The Certification Program and CES pages say the same. Here is the full picture, document by document:
| Document | Who sends it | Who may translate it |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing transcript and academic records (all three services) | Each school, directly to TruMerit | The school; if it cannot, TruMerit for an additional fee |
| License and registration validations | Each licensing authority, directly to TruMerit, with the signature dated within the last three years | TruMerit's service pages set no separate rule; follow your application instructions |
| Secondary school diploma or exam certificate (CES Professional Report) | You | You or "someone chosen by an applicant"; TruMerit can translate it for a fee |
| English test scores | The testing agency | Not applicable |
Two details catch people out. VisaScreen validates every license you have ever held, current or past, foreign or domestic. And TruMerit notes that some state boards want license validations dated within nine months before the CES report is issued.
Where does your own certified translation count?
State boards of nursing
Each state sets its own rules. New York lets foreign-educated applicants either use the CGFNS Credentials Verification Service for New York State or have the school complete Form 2F and mail it with an official transcript. The Form 2F instructions say that if the transcript is not in English, "a qualified translation is also required," and that the form and transcript will not be accepted if submitted by the applicant or anyone other than the school. Ask the school or the board who may prepare that translation before you order one. Our guide to state professional licensing with foreign credentials covers the pattern across professions.
The immigration petition
Professional nurses are on the Department of Labor's Schedule A, Group I. Under 20 CFR 656.15(c)(2), the employer must document that the nurse holds a CGFNS certificate, a full and unrestricted license in the state of intended employment, or a passing NCLEX-RN result. TruMerit adds that the VisaScreen certificate must be included on every visa or green card petition filed for the nurse.
Everything else in the file follows the general USCIS rule: each foreign-language document needs a full English translation certified as complete and accurate under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). Typical items:
- birth certificate, and a marriage certificate for spouses and name changes;
- nursing diploma and foreign license copies, if the attorney includes them as evidence;
- employment letters from foreign hospitals documenting experience.
See our green card translation requirements for the full package.
Name differences between documents
A nurse whose license is in her maiden name and whose passport shows her married name needs proof linking the two, for the board and for USCIS. Our name change guide explains which documents bridge the gap.
Country notes that cause delays
Latin America. A Licenciatura en Enfermería (university-level nursing degree) and a Técnico en Enfermería (technical nursing qualification) are different credentials. A translation that renders both as "nursing degree" hides the distinction the evaluator needs, so translate the title literally.
Brazil. Nurses register with a regional council, the Conselho Regional de Enfermagem (COREN). The license validation comes from that body, so make sure the name on your COREN registration matches your passport.
Former Soviet countries. Many nurses trained at a medical college (meditsinsky kolledzh or uchilishche) in the specialty Sestrinskoe delo ("Nursing"). The qualification, often meditsinskaya sestra ("nurse"), must be translated as written, never upgraded to "Registered Nurse," which is a US licensure title.
Philippines, India, Nigeria, Kenya. Nursing records are generally issued in English, so CGFNS rarely needs a translation. Civil documents in regional languages, such as some older birth registrations, may still need one for USCIS.
Common mistakes
Sending your own transcript translation to CGFNS. TruMerit requires the school's translation or its own, however good yours is.
Calling yourself an RN in a translation. Rendering a foreign nursing title as "Registered Nurse" reads as misrepresentation, not helpfulness.
Forgetting old licenses. VisaScreen validates every license ever held, in every country, not just the current one.
Mismatched names. A license in one spelling, a diploma in another transliteration and a passport in a third. Fix this before documents are sent, not after CGFNS flags it.
Letting the VisaScreen certificate lapse. It must be used within 5 years of issue, and visa backlogs can outlast it. TruMerit offers renewal.
Checklist for foreign-educated nurses
Questions people ask
Can I submit my own certified translation of my nursing transcript to CGFNS?
In most cases, no. For VisaScreen, the Certification Program and the CES Professional Report, TruMerit requires transcripts to come directly from the school and to be translated by the school. If the school cannot provide an English version, TruMerit translates it for an additional fee.
Is CGFNS the same organization as TruMerit?
Yes. CGFNS International announced its name change to TruMerit in February 2025, and VisaScreen, the Certification Program and the Credentials Evaluation Service continue under the new name. Federal regulations, many state boards and employers still say CGFNS.
What documents do I need translated as a foreign nurse?
Usually your birth certificate, marriage or name change documents, and any foreign-language evidence your employer's attorney files with USCIS. For the CES Professional Report, TruMerit lets you or someone you choose translate the secondary school diploma. Some state boards also require a qualified translation of the transcript sent by the school, as New York's Form 2F does.
How long is a VisaScreen certificate valid?
Under 8 CFR 212.15, the certificate must be used for admission, change of status or adjustment of status within 5 years of the date it was issued. TruMerit offers a renewal process for certificates that would expire before they are used.
Do I need the CGFNS Certification Program or just VisaScreen?
They do different jobs. VisaScreen is the federal certificate for the visa or green card, while the Certification Program is a licensure step that about two-thirds of state boards use before the NCLEX-RN. Passing the NQE in the Certification Program also meets VisaScreen's nursing knowledge requirement.
Should my foreign nursing title be translated as "Registered Nurse"?
No. The translation renders the title literally, for example "Nurse" or "Bachelor of Nursing," and leaves comparability to TruMerit and the state board. "Registered Nurse" is a US licensure title, and using it in a translation can look like misrepresentation.
Do nurses from the Philippines or India need translations?
Rarely for CGFNS, because nursing education and license records from these countries are usually issued in English. Some civil documents, such as older or regional-language birth records, can still need a certified translation for USCIS.
How much does a certified translation cost for a nursing application?
Official Translations charges $29.95 per page. A one-page birth or marriage certificate is usually delivered within 24 hours as a signed PDF by email, and longer documents such as employment letters or diplomas with supplements typically take one to three business days.