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Step 1 of 7 · IN → GB

Confirm the UK-wide overseas-trained NMC route — India to United Kingdom

Use the NMC overseas-trained route for professional registration. If employment is involved, check recruitment against the England recruitment code and check immigration separately under the Health and Care Worker visa rules.

Source reviewedEdited by Alex KReviewed as of
Pathway hub
India to United Kingdom registered nurse pathway
Jurisdiction scope
United Kingdom professional registration and immigration; England recruitment code
Last verified
Relevant official-body pillar
Nursing and Midwifery Council

Purpose

Why this decision point exists

Confirm registration, recruitment and immigration with the official body responsible for each lane.

Who needs it

Check whether it applies

Nurses trained outside the United Kingdom seeking first NMC registration.

Requirements

What to check at this step

Common mistakes

Where applicants trip up

  • Assuming a job offer or visa completes NMC registration.

One fact at a time

Official facts

Each value appears with its effective date and cited source. We never assume an optional fact applies to you, and we never convert currencies.

No confirmed numeric fact is shown for this page. Check the linked official pages for current fees, timing, and requirements; a missing value is not zero.

The order of decisions

Where this step sits in the reviewed pathway

Work through the decision points in this order, and expect the responsible body to change, add, or remove requirements for your circumstances.

  1. Step 1

    Confirm the UK-wide overseas-trained NMC route

    Use the NMC overseas-trained route for professional registration. If employment is involved, check recruitment against the England recruitment code and check immigration separately under the Health and Care Worker visa rules.

  2. Step 2

    Provide identity, qualification and registration evidence

    Complete the NMC ID Check with acceptable identity evidence and provide the required qualification information. The qualification must allow, or have allowed, registration in the country of training; NMC seeks confirmation from the relevant regulator or, where applicable, the education institution.

  3. Step 3

    Pay for and await NMC qualification evaluation

    NMC evaluates the qualification after the required application material and third-party confirmations are complete. The evaluation outcome determines whether a Test of Competence is required.

  4. Step 4

    Meet the NMC English-language evidence standard

    Use an evidence route the NMC accepts: an approved test, a pre-registration nursing or midwifery qualification taught and examined in English, or recent practice in a majority English-speaking country. Each route has detailed evidence rules of its own.

  5. Step 5

    Complete the Test of Competence only if required

    Complete CBT and OSCE only if the NMC requires it after qualification evaluation. The two parts may be taken in either order under NMC rules; OSCE is delivered by an approved United Kingdom provider.

  6. Step 6

    Complete health, character, identity and registration decision

    Provide the required health and character declarations, police or identity evidence and referee responses, then pay the registration fee and await the NMC decision.

  7. Step 7

    Follow recruitment rules and obtain separate work permission

    India sits on the current green list and has a government-to-government agreement under the England recruitment code. Neither changes what the NMC or the Home Office require of you. For the Health and Care Worker route you still need an eligible nursing job with an approved sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and to meet the salary and immigration conditions in force.

Evidence record

Official source ledger

Each entry records who published the source, what it covers, and when it was last checked.

  1. Nursing and Midwifery Council

    Register as a nurse or midwife if you trained outside the UK

    Scope
    United Kingdom professional registration
    Last verified
    Open official source (external site)
  2. UK Visas and Immigration

    Health and Care Worker visa

    Scope
    United Kingdom immigration
    Last verified
    Open official source (external site)
  3. United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Care

    Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England

    Scope
    England recruitment code; Wales follows the code and separate arrangements apply elsewhere in the UK
    Last verified
    Open official source (external site)