UK Immigration Work Permit and Visa Services

NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) Registration Process

What is an overseas applicant?

Anyone who was born, and did their training, outside the European Union and is applying to join the NMC register is called an overseas applicant. If you require assistance with gaining NMC Registration then contact us.

What qualifications do I need?

The minimum requirement is that you must be a registered nurse or a registered midwife in your home country. However not all overseas qualifications are automatically recognised by the NMC. In addition, the NMC cannot accept second level qualifications such as Licensed Practical Nurse, Enrolled Nurse or State Certified Nurse for any parts of the register.

Which parts of the register can I apply to join?

Part 1: First Level General Nurse
Part 3: First Level Mental Health Nurse
Part 5: First Level Learning Disabilities Nurse
Part 8: Sick Children's Nurse
Part 10: Midwife

Please apply only to the parts of the register that correspond to your qualifications. General nurses applying for part one will not be considered for any other parts of the register unless they have had separate training in either mental health, learning disabilities, midwifery or children's nursing. Applicants are only considered for admission to parts of the register they are fully qualified to practice in.

How do I make an application? This is a two part process.

1. You need to fill in a quick form to request a full application pack. Click here to find out more.

If you decide to use our services then our application fee of £225 (may vary) will become payable upon engagement along with the NMC application pack fee of £117 [ made payable to NMC ].

2. You will then receive your full application pack.

Currently there are a large number of applications being processed and it has become increasingly apparent that many of these are being returned to the NMC incorrectly completed. This is now causing severe delays in the process of decision making on overseas applications. We would therefore like to emphasise that applications must be completed correctly as specified in the information sheets that accompany the overseas application pack. Applications that are completed incorrectly will not be given priority.

It is vitally important that applicants read carefully the information booklet sent to them so that they may ascertain whether they are eligible to apply for registration. For example the NMC does not consider applications from Enrolled Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, or State Certified Nurses.

We hope this information is helpful and will help to avoid any further unnecessary delays in processing applications. Indeed, correct information will actually speed up the registration process.

You will need to complete these forms and ensure that you have the right documentary evidence. If you send forms in without the right data, your application will be delayed.

If and when you are accepted, you will then have to pay £93 for your first 3 years on the register.

Tax relief

You can claim tax relief on your periodic fees, but not on fees for initial registration or recording subsequent qualification. To do this you should submit a claim in writing to your tax office or in your tax return or in Form P358 (available from the tax office)

Please note tax relief is available to UK tax payers only (including any non-UK nationals paying UK tax)

Any non-UK nationals who are not paying UK tax should contact the relevant tax office in their country to find out.

Are all applications accepted?

No. The NMC considers each application individually, and many are refused. The NMC sends them a letter explaining why they have not been accepted.

Estimated times for clearing these applications are very variable and dependant on how busy the NMC are, how quick the postal services are and how quich those responsible for supplying references and other data to the applicant are.

Therefore, this range can be 2 weeks to 3 months.

When the NMC reach a decision, you will either be cleared to work or will be required to undertake an adaption course [ to help you get up to speed with the English Language and/or UK medical techniques ]. You may also be required to undertake supervised training prior to approval.

It is now time to find the right hospital or nursing home for you and apply for your work permit.

Will I need to do extra training - supervised placements?

Many overseas students have to do a supervised placement in the UK before they can be registered. This placement can be carried out in either a hospital or an approved nursing home. The NMC will not accept nurses onto the register who have completed a supervised placement at a nursing home that has not been audited and approved.

When an applicant is requested to undertake a supervised placement in the UK as a prerequisite for registration, this placement can be carried out in either a hospital or an approved nursing home.

The placements can vary in length depending on the applicant’s training and experience, and applicants and employers should check the NMC decision letter carefully to ascertain the length and type of experience recommended. Some applicants, for example, may be given a decision that their placement can be carried out in an acute NHS Trust setting only and specifically not in a nursing home. It is also vitally important that applicants do not start a period of supervised practice until their application for registration has been processed and a decision made. The programme of supervision should be formulated around the guidance contained within the Code of professional conduct and other legislation affecting professional practice.

Many nursing homes now wish to take overseas nurses on supervised placements. In order to do this however the NMC requires evidence that the home has been successfully audited as a suitable learning environment specifically for the placement of pre-registration nursing students, by a Higher Education Institution (HEI). The home would be required to supply several items before it can take overseas nurses on supervised placements.

In essence the overseas nurses should be classed as third year nursing students during this period. Further detailed information is contained in the NMC Registrar’s Letter 21/1992, which is enclosed with every applicant’s decision letter.

Please note that the whole of a supervised placement must be carried out at the same home. It is not acceptable for a nurse to carry out segments of the placement at different homes. Furthermore, once a nursing home has been accepted as a suitable provider of supervised placements it means that placements can be carried out at that home only.
Companies who own several nursing homes and who wish to use them all for placements must be aware that each one of their homes should be audited.

The NMC will not accept nurses onto the register who have completed a supervised placement at a nursing home that has not been audited and approved. It is extremely important for applicants to check first to see if the home they have chosen or been offered a place in is acceptable to the NMC and has been audited by an HEI. Failure to do this can result in frustration and lengthy delays to an application. If the applicant has completed a placement at a certain nursing home and then it turns out that the home cannot arrange an audit, then that applicant will have to do another full placement at an institution that is approved. If a home cannot become affiliated to a university or training school then they cannot offer supervised placements.

Can the NMC help me find a supervised placement or work?

No. Skillclear and our partners are here to help you with this once you are NMC registered.

Once you are NMC registered, our partners can try to find you a placement in any NHS or private hospital or home in the UK that is allowed to take overseas placements and for which your particular skills are required.

Once employment is achieved, we will secure your work permit for that particular hospital. Please click here for the work permit process.