The Nursing Council has refined its pathways to registration in New Zealand. Check their self-assessment tool to see the changes.
If you applied to CGFNS prior to 1 July 2024, your pathway to registration remains the same.
The Nursing Council has refined its pathways to registration in New Zealand. Check their self-assessment tool to see the changes.
If you applied to CGFNS prior to 1 July 2024, your pathway to registration remains the same.
If you are an Internationally Qualified Nurse who wishes to practice in New Zealand, you must first apply to The Credentials Verification Service for the Nursing Council of New Zealand (CVS-NCNZ) at CGFNS International, Inc.
It’s a secure and direct method for internationally qualified nurses (except for those licensed in Australia) to have their credentials verified and authenticated.
The process is designed to determine that you are who you say you are and that your education and work experience are true and satisfy the requirements of the NCNZ.
CGFNS International verifies and authenticates your identity documents, academic and professional credentials, and nursing employment. We then prepare a report, which you must review and authorize before we can send it to the NCNZ. Once the NCNZ receives the report, you will then be invited to apply for registration with the NCNZ.
CVS–NCNZ is required for all nurses educated and licensed outside of New Zealand who wish to apply for registration as a nurse in New Zealand.
Internationally qualified nurses registered in Australia do not need to apply for the CVS–NCNZ. Learn more at the NCNZ website.
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This fee is separate from the NCNZ’s $485NZ registration application fee.
The Credentials Verification Service for the Nursing Council of New Zealand (CVS-NCNZ) provides an easy, direct and secure way for internationally qualified nurses (IQNs) to have their credentials authenticated and verified. Completing the CVS-NCNZ a requirement before you may apply for registration as a nurse with the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ).
For the CVS-NCNZ, CGFNS:
For additional questions about the NCNZ application and nursing standards in New Zealand, visit the NCNZ website.
Nurses educated outside of New Zealand, except for those registered in Australia, who wish to apply for registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) must create a fee account with CGFNS, purchase the CVS-NCNZ and complete the application process before they may apply to the NCNZ.
If you still have an open application with NCNZ from before October 14, 2019, you do not need to apply to CVS-NCNZ.
To complete a CVS-NCNZ application, follow these steps:
CGFNS’ CVS-NCNZ fee is $300 USD. This fee is separate from the NCNZ’s registration application fee of $485NZ.
To apply for the CVS-NCNZ, you will need to supply various identity documents as well as documents concerning your education, employment history, license/registration, and English-language proficiency. Specific document requirements can be found here.
Once CGFNS receives all your documents, it will take approximately 30 days for CGFNS to verify your credentials and generate a report. You will then have 30 days to review the report and authorize CGFNS to send it to the NCNZ. Once that happens, you will then have a further 30 days to apply to the NCNZ for registration.
Once you purchase an order for the CVS-NCNZ, you have 12 months to ensure all your documents are sent to CGFNS or the order will expire. You can re-activate an Initial CVS Order within 12 months of the expiry date by purchasing a Re-activation order. This may only be done once per initial CVS Order.
To check the status of your order:
No. Once CGFNS has issued your report, you must decide whether to authorize CGFNS to release it to the NCNZ. NCNZ will not accept documents that are part of the verification process sent directly from the applicant.
Once CGFNS completes your CVS-NCNZ report, you will receive an email notification. You will then need to log in into the CGFNS Applicant Portal. Once signed in:
You have 30 days to review your report and respond once it becomes available or your order will expire.
CGFNS verifies and authenticates your required documents and issues upon your authorization a report to the NCNZ. NCNZ then assesses your application, including the report from CGFNS, and decides on your nursing registration.
Only nurses registered in Australia may apply directly to NCNZ.
All IQNs educated outside of New Zealand must first complete the CVS-NCNZ. This process results in a report which CGFNS must be authorized to send to NCNZ before you apply to NCNZ for registration.
No. CGFNS does not require CVS-NCNZ applicants to take the Qualifying Exam.
No.
No. For more information about applying for registration in New Zealand under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 on the NCNZ website.
NCNZ standards state that nurses applying for registration must have at least 1,800 hours of nursing experience. If you do not have at least 1,800 hours of experience as a registered or enrolled nurse at the time of application to CGFNS, you may still apply to CGFNS’ CVS-NCNZ, but your report will not be issued to NCNZ until you have a minimum of 1,800 hours of employment. Please note you have 12 months from application date to meet the requirement before your application will expire.
If you have no nursing experience, you are not eligible to apply for the CVS-NCNZ.
Yes. CGFNS requires that all documents we receive must be in English or accompanied by an English translation. If your schools or primary sources cannot do this, you may ask CGFNS to have your documents translated for a fee of $85 USD per page. CGFNS does not accept documents that have been translated by the applicant.
Yes. The CVS-NCNZ application is specific to NCNZ requirements and in accordance with nursing standards in New Zealand. If you have a recent prior order with CGFNS, there are instances when your saved documents can be used for the CVS-NCNZ. These will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
English Language Evidence Pathway
You may be eligible to apply for one or more of the following alternate English Language Evidence Pathways if:
No. Fees paid to CGFNS are non-refundable.
Yes. If you disagree with your report, you may submit a written appeal request to CGFNS. The fee for an appeal is $500 USD, which is refundable if the appeal is successful. If accepted, your case will be reviewed by an impartial committee, and you will receive a written notice of the decision.