Frequently Asked Questions
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Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible:
Individuals who are not United States (U.S.) Citizens; and
Are licensed or eligible for licensure as a Registered Nurse outside or within the U.S.; and
Are eligible for a U.S. immigrant or non-immigrant visa; and
Have, at the time of submission of the IPHF Grant Application, a pending petition for a U.S. visa sponsored by:
a U.S. state licensed skilled nursing facility sponsor/employer based on the position of Registered Nurse (R.N.); or
a staffing agency that will employ the applicant to work in a U.S. state licensed skilled nursing facilities; and
Possess the required education to become a licensed R.N. in their intended state of employment; and
Are committed to working as a R.N. for a U.S. state licensed skilled nursing facility for a minimum three (3) year period.
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If your grant application is approved, you will receive a grant award email letter detailing the amount awarded, assigning a grant number and providing instructions on how to receive grant funds. Please use your name and grant number in all correspondence with Insignia Pathway representatives. You will receive an email letter if your grant application is denied.
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It generally takes 15-30 days for a determination on your grant application to be made. But the amount of time may vary depending on the volume of applications received. Insignia Pathway will do its best to process applications in a timely manner.
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Yes, as long as you will work for your new sponsor/employer in an R.N. position and your new sponsor/employer is a state licensed skilled nursing facility or a staffing agency that provides R.N. labor to state licensed skilled nursing facilities. In the event that you have a change of sponsor/employer, please notify Insignia Pathway in writing of the name, address and telephone number of your new sponsor/employer by sending an email to: Contact@insigniapathway.org. Please include your full name and grant number in all correspondence.
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Please send an email to: contact@insigniapathway.org. If you have an approved grant, please include your full name and grant number in all correspondence. We will respond as soon as we are able.
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Grant awards are given for costs associated with the R.N.’s visa process and transition to the United States. Expense types such as NCLEX Testing, Visa Screen, state R.N. licensure fees, legal fees (if billed to the R.N.), medical exams, and R.N. travel are most common. Awards will be granted up to a maximum amount as stated in the grant award email letter. Receipts are required to be submitted for items paid to third parties (e.g., receipt for Visa Screen from CGFNS/TruMerit). No receipts are required to support an award of living expenses as it is assumed that you will incur living expenses upon arrival in the U.S.
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You must submit your requests for payment and the required supporting documentation no later than three (3) months from the time you arrive in the United States. A request for extension may be considered but will require approval by the IPIF Committee. All unexpended funds are subject to being withheld by the IPIF Committee.
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No. The IPIF is intended to pay for expenses incurred by the R.N., not the sponsor/employer. If your sponsor/employer has agreed to pay or reimburse you for any expenses, you should not request payment for that expense in your grant application. The IPIF will not make payments to sponsors/employers or any other third party other than those listed in FAQ No. 2 above (e.g., law firm, Department of State, travel agency).
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Yes. An applicant may only be approved for one IPIF grant per visa. Applicants should submit an application for all categories of expenses incurred or anticipated on the same application. If the exact amount of an expense is currently unknown, provide an estimated amount based on your research. Applicants who apply for a new visa after working in the U.S. (e.g., work under a TN Visa but later want to pursue an I-140 immigrant visa) may apply for another grant provided they meet all grant criteria.
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The IPHF will provide a cash grant in an amount equivalent to two months’ of the average monthly rental cost of a one bedroom apartment in the geographic area where the grantee will work upon arrival in the U.S. The average rental cost is based on publicly available rental market data. No awards will exceed $6,000 U.S. Dollars. In the future, the IPHF intends to be able to provide short term housing through partners or ownership of multi-family dwellings.
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Then you may indicate that your U.S. address is “to be determined.” Insignia Pathway will contact you for a current U.S. mailing address before it sends any payment to that address. Once approved, you may notify Insignia Pathway of your current U.S. mailing address by sending us an email. Please use your name and grant number in all correspondence with Insignia Pathway representatives.
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No. The IPHF is intended to pay for expenses incurred by the R.N., not the sponsor/employer.
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Yes. An applicant may only be approved for one IPHF grant.
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Yes. Your grant award email letter will contain details on how to receive payment. The IPHF reserves the right to review awarded grant amounts as your U.S. arrival date approaches to determine if market rental rates have significantly changed since the time your grant was awarded. If rates have changed, your award may be adjusted.