New verification guidelines for nurses and midwives who want to practice abroad

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has announced revised guidelines for the verification of certificates for nurses and midwives intending to practice abroad.

The new guidelines, effective from March 1, 2024, aim to enhance the standards of nursing education and practice in alignment with global best practices.

One of the key revelations from the circular titled “Revised Guidelines for the Verification of Certificate(s) with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for Practice Abroad” is the requirement for nurses and midwives to possess a minimum of two years of post-qualification work experience from the date of issuance of their permanent practicing license.

According to the circular released, applicants with provisional licenses will be outrightly rejected.

Moreover, the council emphasized the necessity for applicants seeking relocation to have an active practicing license with at least six months remaining before expiration.

To facilitate the verification process, the council will request a Letter of Good Standing from the Chief Executive Officer of the applicant’s workplace and the last nursing training institution attended.

These documents will be crucial in assessing the professional conduct and credibility of the applicants.

Applicants are instructed to utilize the official portal provided by the NMCN to initiate the verification application process.

See the key guidelines and requirements below:

1. Eligible applicants must possess a minimum of two (2) years of post-qualification experience counted from the date of issuance of their permanent practising license. Applications with provisional licenses will be categorically rejected.
2. The Council will require a Letter of Good Standing from the Chief Executive Officer of the applicant’s workplace and the last nursing training institution attended.
3. Responses to these requests should be directed to the Registrar/CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
4. Applicants must hold an active practicing license with at least six months remaining before expiration.
5. Applicants are required to visit the official portal at https://licence.nmcn.gov.ng/ to log in and start the verification application process by clicking on the dedicated link.
6. A non-refundable fee per application must be paid through the portal for verification to Foreign Boards of Nursing. This fee covers the cost of courier services to the applicant’s training institution(s), place of work, and the respective Foreign Board.
7. During the application process, applicants are instructed to upload Certificates of Registration only; Notification of Registration will not be accepted.
8. Applicants will receive timely notifications via email and dashboard regarding the status of their verification application.

See below;