How long does NMC registration take for overseas nurses?
Checked against the regulator’s own pages, October 2026
The NMC says it aims to assess your qualification within 14 days of hearing back from your regulator or institution, and to consider a complete registration application within 30 days. The rest depends on you: once eligibility is confirmed you have two years to finish, including the CBT and the OSCE.
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Internationally trained nurses and midwives planning when they can start work in the UK.
What the official guidance says
- The NMC aims to assess your qualification within 14 days, counted from when your regulator or institution has replied.
- The NMC aims to consider your complete registration application within 30 days, once it has all your evidence, your test results and the fee.
- After your eligibility is confirmed, you have two years to complete your registration, including the CBT and the OSCE.
- Applications that are not progressed within three months of being opened are closed, though you can sign up again.
- You must pass the CBT and the OSCE within two years of each other. CBT attempts must all fall within one year, at least 10 days apart.
- OSCE results are emailed within 5 working days.
- English test results must have been taken in the two years before the NMC assesses your complete application.
What it does not mean
- The 14 and 30 days are the NMC’s own assessment aims, not the whole journey. Waiting for your regulator, police clearances, test dates and travel all add time.
- The NMC does not publish an overall start-to-finish time for internationally trained applicants.
- A fast NMC decision does not mean you can start work: you still need a job and, if you need one, a visa.
What to do next
- 01Start the slow, external parts first: regulator verification and police clearances.
- 02Time your English test so it is still in date when your complete application is assessed.
- 03Book the CBT once Pearson contacts you, and plan the OSCE around your UK travel.
- 04Submit the registration application with everything at once, so the 30-day clock can start.
Questions
Why is my NMC application taking longer than 14 days?
The NMC’s 14-day aim starts once your regulator or institution has replied. If they are slow to respond, the assessment cannot start.
Can Migo speed up the NMC?
No. Only the NMC decides. Migo keeps your side moving: it reminds you what is next, follows up on each step and gets your evidence ready so nothing is sent incomplete.
Is Migo part of the NMC?
No. Migo is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NMC, and it does not give legal or immigration advice.
Official sources
- NMC: How long is it going to take?
- NMC: Test of Competence for nursing and midwifery
- NMC: Computer based test (CBT)
- NMC: Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)
- NMC: Accepted English language tests
Checked October 2026. Regulators change their rules, fees and scores, so confirm them on the official page before you act.
The visa side
Registration and the visa are separate. Migo’s visa guides cover the routes for this country, from the official government pages.
Let Migo prepare the paperwork with you
Migo AI Mobility plans your NMC route from where you are now, using the official NMC and GOV.UK guidance. It asks for your qualification, registration and identity documents, checks them and maps them to what the NMC asks for, then prepares your application for you to review. Nothing is submitted or paid without your approval. You sit the CBT and the OSCE yourself: Migo does not book or teach the Test of Competence.
Your plan is free. You approve every paid step.
Related guides
Migo is independent: it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the regulator named on this page. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.