Question about license endorsement

I think I'm in a bit of a pickle. This may be confusing, so thanks to those of you who actually stick through it!

I have a license in Wisconsin, but I live in Arizona. I went to RN school in Puerto Rico and was told that Wisconsin was the easiest/cheapest state to apply to for us "foreign educated" nurses. That was true--70 bucks and ONE paper from my school and I was able to take the NCLEX. Anyway, I passed my boards, but my WI license expires February 28th and I have yet to apply to the AZ BON. What's the hold up you ask? Well, it's not that I was procastinating. Trust me, I am DYING to start working as an RN. The hold up is that Arizona considers me to be a foreign educated nurse and wants me to jump through a million lengthy and very expensive hoops. When it's all said and done I will have to spend about $800 to get my AZ license. I didn't have that money until now (thank GOD for tax refunds), but I only have two weeks until my WI license expires. Once it expires I won't be eligible to apply for endorsement through AZ. I was going to just renew my WI license, but while going through the process online I saw something that said that my WI license renewal may be denied if I my primary residence is in another compact state. Well, AZ is a compact state. What do I do?!?! If I get my AZ application in right now, as in tomorrow, will it be alright since technically I have a valid WI RN license for two more weeks? Or will the license have to be valid for the entire process? My AZ application is going to take a LONG time since I have to do the education verification (which will probably take months) as well as an English exam. They don't even have any available dates for the English exam until after my WI license expires.

Ugh...what a mess. Going to school in PR helped me skip the wait lists, but it sure is a nightmare to get an RN license in my home state Thanks to anyone who has any advice.
Renew your Wisconsin nursing license ASAP before applying for licensure in AZ. Declare Wisconsin as your state of primary residence for the time being.If your Wisconsin license lapses or becomes delinquent, you may encounter extreme difficulty in attempting to obtain an AZ license by endorsement.

Quote from TheCommuterRenew your Wisconsin nursing license ASAP before applying for licensure in AZ. Declare Wisconsin as your state of primary residence for the time being.If your Wisconsin license lapses or becomes delinquent, you may encounter extreme difficulty in attempting to obtain an AZ license by endorsement.

You don't have to live in a state to have a license -- or to pay taxes-- there. I have licenses in 8 states and I only live in one (but it's a nonCompact state). I guess the Compact state thing throws a monkey wrench into it, though, doesn't it?Why not just bite the big one, get a cash advance on your VISA card, and pay the $800 bucks? It will cost you a lot more in time and trouble if you let it all slide. Do it today.

I agree. Renew your WI license while you get the AZ license. You need to have a valid license the entire process.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I actually spoke to one of the people who handles endorsements at the AZ BON today and she said that I was fine. She told me to start my AZ application ASAP though. I actually have the $800 to do it now, only because of my tax refund. Other than that I had no credit cards to borrow from and I had already taken out a title loan to pay my mortgage. Yeah, four children, a sick husband and working at Wal-Mart doesn't cut it. I need to get an RN job ASAP.I hope she gave me the right information. She said something about if I was applying for a temporary license I would be alright and that it didn't matter if my WI license expired. I don't know...I'm feeling nervous about it. I would like to think that she knows what she's talking about, but what if I apply and get denied because she was wrong? Ugh, such dilemmas.

These things have become a PITA- and even a part time job to keep up with, if you move around a lot. I've had over 120 addresses in countless states- and forgetting to inform a BON, or an MVD, of your current address within this so many days or that can result in all kinds of trouble, fines, setbacks, and other chaos. Many BONs consider failure to notify them of your change of address as 'unprofessional conduct', as an example. I'd suggest you get a notebook, and make notations about each state's requirements, and read them often so you don't fall into one sort of trap, or another. This is a very good reason for nationalized licenses of all kinds- but there are opposing fronts on both sides. Individuals fear 'loss of personal freedom' from the Big Brother thing, and all these BONs and MVDS want to protect their jobs, so everybody opposes this ideal. Fact is, in reality, about the only freedom we have left is the freedom to move between states- that is, as long as you don't forget to cross a 't' or dot an 'i' while you do that, else you face real consequences.

Quote from Sam J.I've had over 120 addresses in countless states.