Here we are for round three of how to get licensed as an international nurse in the UK! I know this is a long, tedious process, but it will be worth it, I promise! Picking up where we left off in my second article, on becoming an international nurse, we are getting into the rest of the paperwork.
Tips for Becoming an International Nurse in the UK
Timing for Required Verifications
You can see a few other check boxes like Language RFI, Good Standing RFI, and Medical Practitioner Verification. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT do these until you are about 2 months out from moving to the UK. 1 month out is even better. These “expire” after 6-12 months, and you will have to resubmit if there is anything that delays you from getting your PIN. That might seem like a long time, but if there are any issues with any of your other paperwork, it can take months to get them resolved. It’s just a waste of time, and potentially money, to do them too soon.
Good Standing & Language Verification
For good standing, I had my manager at my most recent job in the US write me a letter of recommendation with the hospital letterhead and scan it to the same NMC email I mentioned in my second article. For English language verification, if you are from the US and English is your first language, you can show your transcripts from the University with your classes being in English. If you need proof of English language proficiency, you can take the IELTS or OET. These exams cost extra money as well. They are good for 12-24 months, depending on which one you take.
Medical Practitioner Verification
The medical practitioner verification is exactly how it sounds. Basically, you need a physical from your doctor saying that you are fit to practice. Your NMC application will have a spot for you to put your doctor’s email address in. They will then send them a form to fill out on your behalf, with a return email address on it. Again, depending on your insurance situation, seeing your doctor could cost you an extra fee.
This was honestly one of the easiest parts of the whole licensing process because all you have to have is your doctor’s email and make sure they reply to it. Again, this can get more difficult if you do it too soon and have to get an updated one after submitting the initial check. Just wait as long as you can to get this done, I promise that will be the best thing you can possibly do!
Preparing for the OSCE ID Check
When you go to take your OSCE, the NMC will ask you to bring documents for what they call an ID check. This includes your passport, diploma, background check, license verification (Nursys works for this as well), and any proof of name change documentation if that pertains to you. If any of these are in another language, you also need official translated documents. These ID check documents must be physical documents in their original forms. No copies of diplomas or photos of your passport will pass this check.
If you don’t pass this ID check, you will have to return to whichever testing site you are taking your OSCE to show the documentation again. I had to do this, and trust me, you don’t want to have to worry about this. However, if you don’t have the correct documents on the day of your exam, you will still be able to take your exam on your scheduled day.
Background Check Tips
I want to make sure everyone reading this has the easiest possible time with this part because I did not. When you get a background check, you need to use one of the NMC-approved third-party fingerprinting services. If you don’t, they won’t accept them. If you do use one of their approved providers and get results via email, SAVE THE EMAIL – even if the link only works for 24 hours.
They will ask to see the original email and who it came from. Print the results off, save them as a PDF, and save the email. If you do physical fingerprints and send them to the FBI, keep the whole document, including the envelope they came in. Sending physical fingerprints can take months, so either do this in advance or just do the electronic option.
Final Steps and Congratulations
Once everything is in and you have passed both exams, it can take 1-4 weeks for the NMC to do the final review and officially award you your PIN. Congratulations! I hope this helps you in your endeavors to become an international nurse in the UK. It can be really difficult at times, but if you remain patient, it is absolutely doable! Please reach out to me on Instagram @thetravelingsopha or at thetravelingsopha@gmail.com if you have any other questions or need clarification. And stay tuned here because my next post about being an international nurse will be a lot more fun!
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