RELIGIOUS WORKERS - R VISA

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Religious organizations may petition for alien Religious Workers.

EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify, an employee must establish that he is:

  • A member of a bona fide religious organization for at least two years, and
  • Entering the United States solely for the purpose of being a Religious Worker.

There are three types of Religious Workers:

  1. Ministers of Religion -- Priests, Rabbis, Pastors and others who are authorized by a particular religious denomination to perform religious ceremony;
  2. Professionals Working In Religious Vocations Or Occupations -- liturgical workers, catechists, religious instructors, religious counselors, cantors, missionaries, religious translators;
  3. Other Workers Working In Religious Vocations Or Occupations -- religious television or radio broadcasters, religious writers and any other type of occupation that relates to traditional religious functions.

EMPLOYER QUALIFICATIONS

The religious organization must establish that:

  • It is a bona fide religious organization, and
  • It has the ability to pay the employee a salary.

TERM

The initial time period for the R visa is 3 years and may be extended for 2 additional years for a maximum of 5 years. After the visa expires, the beneficiary must remain outside the United States for 1 year before he or she is eligible for another R visa.

FAMILY MEMBERS

R visa beneficiaries may be accompanied by their dependent family members, who may obtain R-4 visas.

PERMANENT RESIDENCY FOR RELIGIOUS WORKERS

Permanent Residency is available for R-Visa recipients. Also, those who are eligible to receive an R-Visa may apply for permanent residency directly through a Labor Certification process, see Section 3. In addition to establishing eligibility for the R visa, the permanent resident applicant must also establish that he or she has at least two years of experience as a religious worker.

Note that the rate of pay is considered to be sufficient so long as the religious worker will not be solely dependent on supplemental income or the solicitation of funds for support.