To be eligible for a visa to work as a nurse in the U.S., USCIS (US immigration) requires international nurses to have: A bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN, BScN, BN) from an accredited university. A valid nursing license At least two years experience working as a nurse. Experienced nurses have many more opportunities than new graduate nurses. The U.S. does not have any visa categories for diploma nurses from other countries. Most diploma nursing programs in the US transitioned to ADN-RN or BSN programs during the 1960s and 1970s. Most US diploma nurses have retired from nursing. After you have the visa requirements, you can begin on the credentialing and licensing requirements, including the NCLEX exam for RNs in the US. CGFNS manages the credentialing and licensing processes for international nurses. See the CGFNS website for more information. Prepare carefully for the NCLEX exam. Fewer than 50% of internationally educated nurses pass this exam. Your best chance of becoming an RN in the US is to return to a university, earn a bachelors degree in nursing from an accredited university, and work as an RN for a few years. Then you can begin the process of transitioning to the US.