1) Our website uses cookies for statistical purposes.
2) Please DO NOT regard our articles as Legal Advice. For Legal Advice please contact an Attorney.
3) This Website is owned by BridgeWest, an International Legal Network.

Our Articles

Religious Worker Visa in Miami

Religious Worker Visa in Miami

Unlike the visa for intra-company transfer, the religious worker visa in Miami, or the R-1 visa, is for foreign citizens who come to the US to be temporarily employed as ministers or in other religious positions at least part time (minimum 20 hours per week) by:

•    a non-profit religious organization inside the US;
•    a religious organization which is authorized by a group tax exemption holder to utilize the group tax exemption; 
•    or a non-profit religious organization that is associated with a religious denomination in the country.

In order to qualify, the visa candidate has to prove he or she has been a member of the religious denomination for minimum two years before applying for the request. If you do not meet these requirements, you might apply for a visa for persons of extraordinary ability. This visa cannot be used to obtain USA citizenship.

Those who want to apply for a religious worker visa in Miami may find more details on the subject in the presentation below: 

Duration of Stay in the US    

The USCIS (the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) could issue the visa for religious workers in Miami for an initial period of 30 months. There can be consequent extensions for another 30 months. The candidate’s total stay in the US cannot exceed five years (60 months) with a religious worker visa in Miami.  Our lawyers can also guide you in applying for a residence permit in USA.

Prior to applying for a new religious worker visa (a new stay in the US for another maximum five years), the candidate has to prove he or she has lived outside the country for at least one year. However, this does not apply for religious workers who did not live all the time in the US and whose religious jobs in the country were seasonal, irregular or for a period of six months or less per year. Also, this restriction does not apply for religious workers who live abroad and travel to the US to perform part-time jobs. Our immigration attorneys in USA can give you more information on this subject. 

We can help you apply for a residence permit in USA. We can assist if you want to move to USA from Australia based on this visa. Feel free to address our US immigration lawyer about the relocation procedure.

Documents Needed in Order to Apply for the Religious Worker Visa in Miami

In order to apply for the religious worker visa in Miami, the following documents are requested:

•    a thorough contract or job offer;
•    evidence that the hiring organization is exempt from paying taxes or meets the requirements for tax-exempt status in accordance with the stipulations of the Internal Revenue Code;
•    proof that the organization is able to pay the religious worker’s salary;
•    a letter from the authorized official of the US organization confirming the candidate’s membership and describing thoroughly your religious work;
•    the candidate’s credentials of religious instruction and/or baptism; and
•    proof of your employment for the last two years with an organization associated with the US denomination.

Need to know more? Our US immigration lawyers can help. Please contact us for information on this visa and how to apply for USA citizenship.