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Nursing credentials

Verify your nursing credentials correctly.

Four services cover almost every nurse relocating abroad: CGFNS for the US, NNAS for Canada, DataFlow for the Gulf, and a good-standing letter from your current nursing council. Everything else is usually either optional or for study admission — not licensure.

Find my credential route See the 4 servicesAsk on WhatsApp

Guidance only. Requirements and fees change — always confirm directly with the official service or regulator before paying.

The 4 nursing-specific services

These cover almost every nurse relocating abroad.

Pick the one that matches your destination. Each card opens the full guide + a "Help me complete this step" escape hatch.

USA nursing licensure

CGFNS

CGFNS International

Credential evaluation + VisaScreen for US state boards and US work visas.

Open full guide Help me complete this stepOfficial site
Canada nursing registration

NNAS

National Nursing Assessment Service

Advisory report that every Canadian province (except Quebec) requires before reviewing your application.

Open full guide Help me complete this stepOfficial site
Gulf nursing authorities

DataFlow

DataFlow Group

Primary-source verification for SCFHS, DHA, DoH, MoHAP, QCHP, OMSB, MoH Kuwait.

Open full guide Help me complete this stepOfficial site
Every destination

Good-standing letter

Nursing council good-standing verification

Letter from your current African nursing council confirming active licence — required by every regulator abroad.

Open full guide Help me complete this step
Destination → service

One service per destination.

Don't overthink it. Pick your target country; the credential route follows.

United States

→ CGFNS

Credential evaluation via CGFNS. VisaScreen certificate required for most US work visas.

Open CGFNS guide

Canada

→ NNAS

NNAS advisory report is the gateway for every province except Quebec (which uses OIIQ directly).

Open NNAS guide

United Kingdom

→ NMC (direct)

NMC verifies your qualification directly with your school and council. No separate evaluator — just a good-standing letter.

Gulf (Saudi / UAE / Qatar / Oman / Kuwait / Bahrain)

→ DataFlow

DataFlow primary-source verification is required before the Gulf authority (SCFHS / DHA / DoH / MoHAP / QCHP / OMSB) issues an eligibility ID.

Open DataFlow guide
Step-by-step flows

What the process actually looks like.

Three flows for the three most common destinations. UK follows a simpler path — the NMC verifies directly — see the UK pathway page.

USA

  1. Pick a state board
  2. Open CGFNS account
  3. School + board send docs
  4. CGFNS evaluation (8–12w)
  5. Report sent to state
  6. Pearson VUE ATT
  7. NCLEX
  8. State licence + VisaScreen

Canada

  1. Pick a province + category
  2. Open NNAS account
  3. Language test (IELTS/CELBAN/OET)
  4. Docs flow: school + board + employers
  5. NNAS Advisory Report
  6. Provincial review
  7. NCLEX / bridging
  8. Registration + work permit

Gulf

  1. Pick authority (SCFHS / DHA / DoH / MoHAP)
  2. Receive DataFlow request code
  3. Open DataFlow + pay
  4. DataFlow verifies sources (4–12w)
  5. Authority evaluation
  6. Eligibility ID issued
  7. Prometric exam
  8. Licence + employer + visa
Heads up

These are NOT typically used for nursing licensure.

WES, ECE, ICES, IQAS, and CES are general education evaluators — commonly used for university admission and Canadian immigration points. They are rarely accepted as the credential path for a nursing licence. If your plan is to work as a nurse abroad, start with the service for your destination above.

  • WES
    Not for licensure

    Used for US/Canadian university admission and Canadian Express Entry points.

    Open guide
  • ECE
    Not for licensure

    Some US universities and employers accept ECE — rarely accepted for state-board licensure.

    Open guide
  • ICES
    Not for licensure

    British Columbia / IRCC Express Entry — not a Canadian nursing-licence route.

    Open guide
  • IQAS
    Not for licensure

    Alberta / IRCC Express Entry — not a Canadian nursing-licence route.

    Open guide
  • CES
    Not for licensure

    University of Toronto / IRCC Express Entry — not a Canadian nursing-licence route.

    Open guide
Before you pay anything

African-nurse document checklist.

Every credential service uses a version of this list. Gather these once, re-use for every evaluator.

  • Passport
    Name must match every other document.
  • Nursing diploma / degree certificate
  • Academic transcript (sealed, direct from school)
  • Nursing licence (active)
  • Certificate of good standing
    Sent directly from nursing council.
  • Employment letters for each past role
    On employer letterhead.
  • Name-change documents if applicable
  • Birth certificate (if required)
  • Certified English / French translations
  • Nursing school + council contact details
  • Valid email + USD/CAD-capable payment method
  • High-resolution colour scans
    No phone photos.
Avoid these

The most expensive mistakes nurses make.

Each of these costs real money every week. Learning them before you pay a single fee is the biggest time-saver on this page.

  • Paying for WES when the state board wants CGFNS

    Most US state boards require CGFNS. WES may be non-refundable; restarting on CGFNS costs another 2–3 months.

  • Assuming a credential report is a nursing licence

    CGFNS, NNAS, and DataFlow are inputs. The licence is issued by the regulator after they review the report.

  • Sending transcripts yourself

    Nursing evaluators require sealed, school-mailed transcripts. A PDF you uploaded is almost always rejected.

  • Letting the good-standing letter expire

    Most regulators want a letter dated within 90 days of submission. A letter that ages out means starting the council request again.

  • Opening DataFlow before the authority is ready

    DataFlow reports are authority-specific. A Saudi DataFlow doesn't satisfy Dubai. Open it after you have a request code.

  • Under-budgeting the stack

    USA licensure = TruMerit (formerly CGFNS, ~$485) + VisaScreen ($740) + NCLEX ($200) + international scheduling fee ($150) + state licence fee + translations. Most candidates blow past early quotes.

Hands-on support

Need help completing your credential process?

CGFNS forms have questions most candidates guess wrong. NNAS wants a specific syllabus format. DataFlow rejects most phone-photo scans. An advisor walks you through each step — you stay logged in, you pay the regulator directly, we never hold your account.

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Official sources

Pay regulator fees only on these sites.

Pathway does not collect regulator fees. Everything below is the real body. Use these links — not agents, not WhatsApp groups.

USA
CGFNS
cgfns.org
Visit
Canada
NNAS
nnas.ca
Visit
Gulf
DataFlow
dataflowgroup.com
Visit
UK
NMC
nmc.org.uk
Visit
Frequently asked

Credential questions nurses ask before they pay.

Do I need WES or CGFNS for US nursing?⌄

For US nursing licensure, most state boards require CGFNS, not WES. WES is used for university admission or Canadian immigration points — it does not substitute for CGFNS at a state board.

Is WES, ECE, ICES, or IQAS a nursing licence?⌄

No. Those are general education evaluators. Your nursing licence is issued by the state board, provincial regulator, NMC, AHPRA, or Gulf authority — never by a general credential evaluator.

Do I need a credential evaluator for the UK?⌄

No general evaluator is required. The NMC verifies your qualification and licence directly with your nursing school and council. You still provide a good-standing letter from your current council.

Do I need DataFlow for the UK or USA?⌄

No. DataFlow is the Gulf-region primary-source verification (SCFHS Saudi, DHA / DoH / MoHAP UAE, QCHP Qatar, OMSB Oman, MoH Kuwait). UK uses NMC; US uses CGFNS.

How long does credential verification take?⌄

Plan 2 – 4 months once all documents arrive. The slowest step is usually transcripts from your African nursing school — start chasing them 6 – 8 weeks before the deadline.

What if my school won't send transcripts directly?⌄

Document every request in writing. CGFNS, NNAS, and DataFlow all publish alternative-submission escalation paths. Contact their support before paying.

When should I start?⌄

Start the moment you know your destination. Credential verification is almost always the longest step in the pathway — starting early is the single biggest timeline win.

Pathway provides guidance only. We are not an immigration lawyer, a nursing regulator, or a visa agent. Outcomes depend on regulators and authorities, not on us.

Don't pay for the wrong evaluator.

Build your free pathway in 2 minutes and see exactly which credential service your destination needs — before you open a single account.

Find my credential routeSee support optionsAsk on WhatsApp

Guidance only. We never collect regulator fees.