Religious workers may qualify for employment visas

On Behalf of | Jul 14, 2016 | Employment Immigration |

If you are a religious worker who is seeking an employment visa to work in California or elsewhere in the United States, you may be eligible for this documentation based on your position within your denomination. At Cuevas and Garcia, P.A., Attorneys at Law, we understand the laws regarding the Ministers of Religion category of work visa, and what requirements you may have to fulfill in order to qualify.

According to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, this immigrant religious worker visa requires a specific petition, which must be filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services by you, or by the person in the United States who plans to hire you. If you are applying for the Ministers of Religion category, the exclusive purpose of your stay must be to serve within the capacity of the position of minister that you hold within your denomination.

Alternately, you may qualify as a Certain Religious Worker if you plan to hold a religious occupation or vocation within your denomination. But, there is a deadline of Sept. 30, 2016, for entry into the country if you receive this visa.

To qualify for either of these employment visas, you must have worked for the two successive years as a member of the denomination for which you are planning to be employed in the United States. The organization in the United States must be a part of the same religious denomination, and it must be a valid nonprofit. For more information about work visas, please visit our web page.

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