Congress amended the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) in 1990 to create a special immigrant status for ministers and nonministers in religious vocations and occupations.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible in the religious worker category, you must:
Have been a member of a bona fide non-profit religious denomination for at least two years prior to filing Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant
Have been working continuously for the past two years immediately prior to filing the immigrant petition:
As a religious minister in a religious vocation either professional or non-professional capacity, or
In a religious occupation either professional or nonprofessional capacity
Seek to enter the United States solely to carry out such religious occupation of the employer’s denomination
Application Process
To apply for a green card while in the United States, you must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
Supporting Evidence for Form I-485
You should submit all of the following evidence with your Form I-485:
Form I-485 (type or print in black ink)
Copy of Form I-797, approval notice for I-360, Petition for Amerasian Widow(er), or Special Immigrant
Passport photos, 2″x2″ full-face color frontal view on a white or off-white background (although USCIS now uses your photos taken during fingerprint appointment)
Form I-485A, Supplement A, if filed under 245(i)
Form G-325A, Biographic Information Sheet, for applicants between ages 14 and 79
Form I-693, Medical Examination, signed and sealed by a designated physician
Birth certificate or other records of your birth
Copies of all passport pages with non-immigrant visas
Arrest and criminal history
Employment verification letter from petitioner on religious entity’s letterhead, stating your salary and position and that the job is still available
Photocopy of the applicant’s current passport and previously issued passports, including biographic/photo pages, current and expired visas, and pages with relevant entry or departure stamps
Photocopy of Form I-797 approval notices for all extensions and changes of status
Photocopy of the Form I-20 or IAP 66 school records (front and back, including all school annotations)
Form G-28, if you have an attorney representing your case
If you are outside the United States, please see the “Consular Processing” webpage.
On this page you will find information on:
Congress amended the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) in 1990 to create a special immigrant status for ministers and nonministers in religious vocations and occupations.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible in the religious worker category, you must:
Application Process
To apply for a green card while in the United States, you must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
Supporting Evidence for Form I-485
You should submit all of the following evidence with your Form I-485:
If you are outside the United States, please see the “Consular Processing” webpage.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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