R VISAS (Religious Workers)

R-1 Visa

The R-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa category in the United States specifically designed for religious workers. Here are some key points about the R-1 visa:

  1. Purpose: The R-1 visa is intended for religious workers who are coming to the United States to work temporarily in a religious capacity.
  2. Eligibility: To qualify for an R-1 visa, you must be a member of a religious denomination that has a bona fide nonprofit religious organization in the United States. You should have been a member of this religious organization for at least two years prior to applying for the visa.
  3. Job Responsibilities: As an R-1 visa holder, you will be expected to work in a religious occupation or vocation. This can include roles such as ministers, priests, monks, nuns, religious instructors, and other religious workers.
  4. Duration: The initial period of stay on an R-1 visa is up to 30 months, and it can be extended for an additional 30 months, with a maximum total stay of 60 months.
  5. Application Process: To apply for an R-1 visa, you will need to have a sponsoring religious organization in the United States. The organization will need to file a petition on your behalf with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Once the petition is approved, you can then apply for the R-1 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
    Remember, it’s always best to consult with an immigration attorney for the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding the R-1 visa.

R-2 VISA
The R-2 visa is a visa category that allows the dependent family members of R-1 visa holders to accompany them to the United States. Here are some details about the R-2 visa:

  1. Eligibility: To be eligible for an R-2 visa, you must be the spouse or unmarried child under 21 years old of an R-1 visa holder. The R-1 visa holder is typically someone who is entering the U.S. temporarily to work as a religious worker.
  2. R-1 Visa Application: The R-1 visa holder (the religious worker) must first apply for and obtain an R-1 visa. Once their visa is approved, they can then apply for an R-2 visa for their eligible family members.
  3. Documentation: The R-2 visa application requires certain documentation, including a valid passport, a copy of the R-1 visa holder’s approved petition, proof of the family relationship (such as marriage or birth certificates), and proof of financial support.
  4. Duration of Stay: The R-2 visa allows the dependent family members to accompany the R-1 visa holder to the United States for the same period of time as the R-1 visa holder’s authorized stay. The R-2 visa is typically granted for the duration of the R-1 visa holder’s religious work assignment.
  5. Work Authorization: R-2 visa holders are not automatically authorized to work in the United States. If an R-2 visa holder wishes to work, they must apply for employment authorization through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
    It’s important to note that immigration laws and visa requirements can change, so it’s always a good idea to consult an immigration attorney for the most accurate and up-to-date information about R-2 Visas.

R-3 VISA
The R-3 visa is a visa category that allows religious workers to enter the United States temporarily to perform religious duties or work in a religious occupation. Here are some details about the R-3 visa:

  1. Purpose: The R-3 visa is designed for religious workers who are coming to the United States to work in a religious capacity, such as ministers, priests, monks, nuns, religious instructors, and other religious occupations.
  2. Eligibility: To be eligible for an R-3 visa, you must be a member of a religious denomination that has a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the United States. You must also have been a member of that religious denomination for at least two years before applying for the visa.
  3. Application Process: The religious organization in the United States must file a petition (Form I-129) on behalf of the religious worker with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Once the petition is approved, the religious worker can apply for the R-3 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country.
  4. Documentation: The R-3 visa application requires certain documentation, including a valid passport, a letter from the religious organization describing the religious worker’s qualifications and duties, and evidence of the religious worker’s membership in the religious denomination.
  5. Duration of Stay: The R-3 visa allows religious workers to stay in the United States for an initial period of up to 30 months. Extensions of stay may be granted in increments of up to 30 months, with a maximum total stay of 5 years.
  6. Dependents: Dependents of R-3 visa holders, such as spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21, may be eligible for R-2 visas to accompany the religious worker to the United States.

R-4 VISA
The R-4 visa is a visa category that allows the dependent family members of religious workers with R-1 visas to accompany them to the United States. Here’s what you need to know:

  1. Purpose: The R-4 visa is meant for the immediate family members of religious workers who hold R-1 visas. Immediate family members include the spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21.
  2. Eligibility: To be eligible for an R-4 visa, you must be the spouse or child of an R-1 visa holder. The R-1 visa holder must be a religious worker coming to the United States to perform religious duties or work in a religious occupation.
  3. Application Process: The religious worker with the R-1 visa must include the dependent family members in their initial R-1 visa application. If the R-1 visa is already approved, the dependent family members can apply for the R-4 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country.
  4. Documentation: The R-4 visa application requires certain documentation, including a valid passport, a copy of the R-1 visa holder’s approval notice, and proof of the family relationship (such as marriage or birth certificates).
  5. Duration of Stay: The R-4 visa allows dependent family members to stay in the United States for the same duration as the R-1 visa holder. However, the R-4 visa does not allow for employment in the United States.
    It’s important to note that the R-4 visa is tied to the status of the R-1 visa holder. If the R-1 visa holder’s status changes or ends, the R-4 visa holders may also need to adjust their status or leave the United States.