Getting documents notarised for CGFNS

What is CGFNS?

If you are planning to work as a nurse in the United States, New Zealand or Canada, one of the requirements is to have your educational and professional documents notarized by a recognized authority. The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is one such authority, and in this article, we will guide you through the process of notarizing your documents for CGFNS.

What is the process?

Step 1: Gather your documents

The first step in the process is to gather all the necessary documents. CGFNS requires notarized copies of your identity documents, academic transcripts, professional licenses, and any other relevant certificates. Make sure that you have the original copies of these documents as you will need to make photocopies of them.

Step 2: Get your documents certified by a notary

In Ireland, not all solicitors are also recognised as public notaries. There are about 10,000 practising solicitors but only about 350 practising notaries in Ireland. You will need to take your original documents to a notary and request that they make photocopies of them (or bring your own good quality copies) and notarise them as true copies of the original. The notary will stamp and sign each copy, certifying that it is a true copy of the original document. As part of the application, CGFNS typically also have a specified form of identity verification which must be downloaded from their site and re-uploaded once it has been certified by a notary.

It is important to note that the notarisation must be done in the physical presence of the notary. The notary must be able to verify that the person attending him/her is the person who is shown in the relevant identity documents.

Step 3: Ascertain if an apostille is needed

An apostille is a certificate issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Ireland, which authenticates the notarisation. An apostille is usually not necessary for documents required by CGFNS but be alert to any possible changes in their procedures in relation to that.

To obtain an apostille, you will need to send your notarised documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can either do this in person or by post. There is a fee for this service, and the processing time may vary, so it is advisable to plan ahead. Dublin 2 Notary can help you with this or handle it for you start to finish on either a standard or expedited basis (additional fees apply). 

The Department charge €40 for an apostille (and additional handling charges will apply if your notary is handling this for you).

Step 4: Submit the documents to CGFNS

Once notarised (and, if applicable, apostilled), you can then submit the notarised copies of your documents to CGFNS. You can do this either online or by post, depending on your preference but Dublin 2 Notary provide high quality scanned copies of your notarised documents that make it easy to upload this documentation online (and that is also the most efficient process).

If you choose to submit your documents online, you will need to create an account on the CGFNS website and follow the instructions to upload your documents. If you prefer to submit your documents by post, you can download the necessary forms from the CGFNS website and send them along with your notarised documents.

Step 5: Wait for the verification process to complete

After submitting your documents to CGFNS, you will need to wait for the verification process to complete. This process may take several weeks, depending on the volume of applications that CGFNS is processing.

Once the verification process is complete, CGFNS will notify you of the outcome. If your documents are deemed to be in order, you will be eligible to proceed with the next steps of the application process. If there are queries on your documentation Dublin 2 Notary handle any follow up queries at no extra charge. 

In conclusion, notarising your documents for CGFNS can be a time-consuming process, but it is an important step in the application process for nursing in Canada, New Zealand and the United States. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can ensure that your documents are notarised correctly and that you are on your way to achieving your goal of having your identity and professional qualifications accredited to work abroad as a nurse.

What next?

Dublin 2 Notary is experienced in notarising documents for CGFNS. Contact us if you need any assistance on +353 1 6877762 or by email info@dublin2notary.ie or if we can help to answer any questions. You can book appointments directly online and out of hours and weekend appointments are also available for people who may be working unsociable hours (please email for details).