The U.S. government provides two different types of immigrant visas for religious workers looking to come to Texas. These include the Ministers of Religion SD category and the Certain Religious Workers SR category. You’ll find that both of these immigrant religious worker categories fall into the general category of Employment Fourth Preference E4 for Certain Special Immigrants.
Who qualifies for this type of visa?
U.S. immigration law assigns specific requirements that all immigrants must meet before they qualify for these types of religious worker visas. The main requirement before a petition can be submitted for one of these visas is that you must have spent a minimum of two years as a member of a religious denomination that was a nonprofit organization, and the religious organization in the United States where you are coming to work must allow you to continuously carry out your religious vocation. If you meet this specific requirement, you can fill out a petition for a visa.
How to petition for a religious worker visa
The specific form that you’ll need to fill out is Form I-360. This form may also be filled out by your intended employer, who is petitioning on your behalf. After USCIS looks over and approves your petition, they will send it to the National Visa Center. You’ll get a case number from the NVC, and they will instruct you to complete Form DS-261. You will be required to pay petition fees in order to have your petition processed by the NVC, and the organization may request additional documentation from you or your employer.
The United States allows visas for many different types of immigrants who want to come into the country, and religious workers are just one specific type. If you’re interested in petitioning for an immigration visa for your employment, you should consider seeking the help of legal counsel to do so.