Religious Worker

The R-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows religious workers to come to the United States to work in a full-time religious capacity for a period of up to five years. To be eligible for an R-1 visa, an individual must be a member of a religious denomination that has a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the United States and must be coming to the United States to work in a professional capacity in a religious vocation or occupation.

To apply for an R-1 visa, an individual must first obtain a job offer from a qualifying religious organization in the United States. The organization must then file a petition for a nonimmigrant worker on behalf of the individual with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

In addition to meeting the above requirements, an individual applying for an R-1 visa must also show that they have been a member of the religious denomination for at least two years and that they have the necessary qualifications to work in a religious vocation or occupation. This may include evidence of education, training, or experience in the field.

It's important to note that the R-1 visa is not a path to permanent residency or a green card. However, individuals on an R-1 visa may be able to adjust their status to a green card if they are able to find an employer willing to sponsor them for an employment-based green card, such as through the EB-1 priority worker category for professors and researchers.