From India to your US nursing career
Indian nurses have several US visa options — EB-3 + Schedule A, F-1 → OPT → EB-3, H-1B, and EB-2 NIW. The EB-3 India wait exceeds 12 years, making other pathways worth serious consideration.
Available US visa pathways
The six US work visa pathways most relevant to internationally-trained nurses. Status reflects eligibility for nationals of India, not certainty of approval.
| Pathway | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
EB-3 + Schedule A Permanent (green card) | Available | Available but 12+yr wait per May 2026 bulletin. Most candidates should consider F-1→OPT instead. |
TN (USMCA) Temporary, renewable | Not applicable | India is not party to USMCA. |
H-1B1 (FTA) Temporary, Chile/Singapore only | Not applicable | Reserved for Chilean and Singaporean nationals only. |
H-1B Temporary, lottery-capped (cap-exempt employers exist) | Conditional | Requires BSN + specialty role; lottery-capped, but cap-exempt employers (universities, teaching hospitals, nonprofits) are not subject to the lottery. |
EB-2 NIW Permanent (green card), self-petition | Conditional | Self-petition option; EB-2 India also has significant backlog. |
F-1 → OPT → EB-3 Student → permanent path | Available | Often the most realistic pathway given EB-3 India backlog. |
Source: USCIS, DOL Schedule A, USMCA Annex 16-A. Last updated April 2026.
EB-3 priority date queue (May 2026)
If you file for an employment-based green card, the wait depends on your country of chargeability. Where each category stands today:
- Rest of World~2 years
- Mexico~2 years
- Philippines~3 years
- China~5 years
- India(yours)12+ years
Source: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for May 2026 (travel.state.gov). Refreshed monthly.
The Indian nurse diaspora in the US
Indian-educated and Indian-born nurses are concentrated in the Northeast (NJ, NY, PA), Texas, and California. India is the second-largest source country for foreign-educated nurses globally, though many Indian nurses are deterred from the US by the 12+ year EB-3 wait and opt for the UK, Canada, or the Gulf region instead (CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report). The community is professionally networked through the National Association of Indian Nurses of America (NAINA) and increasingly visible in critical-care and nurse-leadership roles.
Sources: CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report, HRSA NSSRN, NCSBN National Nursing Workforce Study, Migration Policy Institute.
CGFNS & NCLEX-RN
India has been a top-five source of CGFNS VisaScreen applicants in most years over the last decade. In FY 2023, India dropped from fifth to eighth place among top source countries for VisaScreen recipients — even as the absolute number of VS certificates issued to Indian-trained applicants doubled — reflecting the growing pull of alternative destinations like the UK and Canada (CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report). India was the top source country for new nurses in the UK in 2023, with Indian nurses making up 46% of all new immigrant nurses there.
Sources: CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report (Bakhshi, Álvarez, Cook, Maiyer — CGFNS International, Inc.), NCSBN NCLEX examination statistics.
NCLEX-RN testing centers in India
India has NCLEX testing centers operated by Pearson VUE:
- Bangalore
- Chennai
- Hyderabad
- Kolkata
- Mumbai
- New Delhi
- Noida
- Pune
Source: Pearson VUE / NCSBN international NCLEX testing center list. Locations may change quarterly — verify on nclex.com before scheduling.
What you'll need to clear in India
The Indian Nursing Council holds your credentials; the Ministry of External Affairs (Protector General of Emigrants) governs emigration through the eMigrate system. Most Indian-trained RNs to the US do NOT require ECR-style emigration clearance, but verification through INC and police clearance are universal.
- 1Active state nursing council registration
Your state council registration must be current. Indian Nursing Council can issue verification of registration to US state boards.
- 2CGFNS credential evaluation
CGFNS reviews transcripts and registration. India-educated candidates have well-established CGFNS workflows.
- 3NCLEX-RN passage
NCLEX is offered in India. Pass rate for India-trained first-timers has historically been below the global average — additional review prep is recommended.
- 4Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
Issued by passport office or state police. Required for visa interview.
- 5Visa-stage emigration check
Most US-bound RNs are not subject to ECR (Emigration Clearance Required) status, but confirm based on passport type and education.