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Non-Immigrant Visas

Religious Occupations Visas

The R visa applies individuals seeking to enter the United States to work in a religious capacity on a temporary basis.

Religious workers include individuals authorized by a recognized employing entity to conduct religious worship and to perform other duties usually performed by authorized members of the clergy of that religion, and workers engaging in a religious vocation or occupation.

  • The applicant must be a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide nonprofit religious organization in the U.S.;
  • The religious denomination and its affiliate, if applicable, are exempt from taxation, or the religious denomination qualifies for tax- exempt status; and
  • The applicant has been a member of the denomination for two years immediately preceding application for religious worker status.

Requirements

  • The applicant is planning to work as a minister of that denomination, or in a religious occupation or vocation for a bona fide, non-profit religious organization (or a tax-exempt affiliate of such an organization).
  • There is no requirement that individuals applying for "R" visas have a residence abroad that they have no intention of abandoning. However, they must intend to depart the United States at the end of their lawful status, absent specific indications or evidence to the contrary.
  • The applicant has resided and been physically present outside the United States for the immediate prior year if he or she has previously spent five years in this classification.

Timing

Applicants may enter the United States up to ten days before the validity period of the petition begins. They may only work during the validity period of the visa.

Petition Information

The prospective employer of the applicant is required to file (Form I-129,Petition for Non-immigrant Worker,  with U.S.Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS). For more detailed information regarding filing the Form I-129, as well as requirements, please refer to the USCIS Temporary Workers web site.  The petition, Form I-129 must be approved by USCIS before the prospective employee can apply for a visa at a U.S.Embassy or Consulate abroad.

When the petition is approved, the employer or agent is sent a Notice of Action, Form I-797, the notification of petition approval. However, the I-797 is no longer needed for the visa applicant's interview, since petition approval is now verified in the Department of State's system called Petition Information Management Service (PIMS). In order to verify the petition approval, we will need your approved I-129 petition receipt number so please make sure to have this available. It should be noted that the approval of a petition shall not guarantee visa issuance to an applicant found to be ineligible under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Additional Information

  • Refer to Cost of an NIV to determine if additional costs may apply.
  • If you are not a resident of Mexico, refer to Third Country Nationals to determine if you can apply for this visa class in Mexico.