Temporary religious worker (R-1) visas are for persons who want to work temporarily in the United States in religious capacities.
Certain religious activities are permissible using a visitor (B) visa, such as participation in religious conventions or conferences in the United States. A visitor visa is also generally appropriate for ministers of religion seeking to enter the United States temporarily, whose wages and reimbursement will be paid by their own religious group outside the United States, and when coming for:
When you have a religious vocation or profession or are a religious worker coming for temporary employment, with your salary paid by a non-profit religious organization in the United States, you must have a religious worker (R) visa or other work visa.
Before you can apply for a temporary religious worker visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, a Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129, must be filed on your behalf by a prospective employer and approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). For more information about the petition process and eligibility requirements, see Working in the U.S., Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Workers, and R-1 Temporary Nonimmigrant Religious Workers on the USCIS website. USCIS will notify your prospective employer about the petition approval or denial, by sending a Notice of Action, Form I-797.
Effective immediately, U.S. embassies and consulates will adjudicate visa applications based on a same-sex marriage in the same way that we adjudicate applications for opposite gender spouses. Please reference the specific guidance on the visa category for which you are applying for more details on documentation required for derivative spouses. For further information, please see our FAQ’s.
There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary at the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply. Please consult the instructions available on the embassy or consulate website where you will apply.
While interviews are generally not required for applicants of the ages outlined below, consular officers have the discretion to require an interview of any applicant, regardless of age.
If you are age: |
Then an interview is: |
|---|---|
13 and younger |
Generally not required |
14-79 |
Required (some exceptions) |
80 and older |
Generally not required |
You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview, generally, at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at any U.S. embassy or consulate but it may be difficult to qualify for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence.
Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply early. Review the interview wait time for the location where you will apply:
Check the estimated wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Note: Please check the individual Embassy or Consulate website to determine if your case is eligible for a waiver of the in-person interview.
Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times.
| Nonimmigrant Visa Type | Appointment Wait Time |
|---|---|
| Interview Required Students/Exchange Visitors (F, M, J) | -- days |
| Interview Required Petition-Based Temporary Workers (H, L, O, P, Q) | -- days |
| Interview Required Crew and Transit (C, D, C1/D) | -- days |
| Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2) | -- days |
| Interview Waiver Students/Exchange Visitors (F, M, J) | -- days |
| Interview Waiver Petition-Based Temporary Workers (H, L, O, P, Q) | -- days |
| Interview Waiver Crew and Transit (C, D, C1/D) | -- days |
| Interview Waiver Visitors (B1/B2) | -- days |
You must provide the receipt number printed on your approved Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129, or Notice of Action, Form I-797, to schedule an interview.
Application Fee
$205
Prepare the following required documents before your visa interview:
Review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply. Additional documents may be requested to establish your eligibility.
During your visa interview, a consular officer will determine whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate based on your purpose of travel. You will need to establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law for the category of visa for which you are applying.
Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken as part of your application process. They are usually taken during your interview, but this varies based on location.
After your visa interview, your application may require further administrative processing. The consular officer will inform you if further processing is necessary.
When the visa is approved, you may pay a visa issuance fee if applicable to your nationality and will be informed how your passport with visa will be returned to you. Review the visa processing time, to learn how soon your passportwill generally be ready for pick-up or delivery by the courier.
Review Visa Denials for detailed information about visa ineligibilities, denials, and waivers.
Whether you are applying for the first time or renewing your visa, you will use the same application process (please review How to Apply, above). Some applicants seeking to renew their visas in certain visa classes may be eligible for interview waiver which allows eligible individuals to apply for visa renewals without being interviewed in person by a consular officer. Review the instructions on the website of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply to determine if interview waiver is available and if you are eligible.
Yes, if you feel circumstances have changed regarding your application. Review Visa Denials to learn more.
Attempting to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa application or denial of entry into the United States.
While citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require visas to enter the United States as temporary religious workers; a temporary worker petition approved by USCIS is required. For more information, see U.S. Embassy Ottawa website, U.S. Consulate Hamilton website, and CBP website.
Additional resources for Canadian temporary religious workers can be found on the U.S. embassy and consulate websites in Canada.
