R-1 Religious Worker Visa: New Rule Ends Waiting Period
New R-1 Religious Worker Visa Rule Eliminates One-Year Waiting Period for Clergy
R-1 Religious Worker Visa: In a significant policy shift, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an interim final rule that eases long-standing visa restrictions for religious workers, allowing thousands of clergy members to resume their duties with minimal disruption. The move is expected to bring immediate relief to churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, and other faith-based institutions across the country.
Under the New R-1 Religious Worker Visa Rule, priests, pastors, nuns, rabbis, imams, and other qualified religious workers will no longer be required to remain outside the United States for a mandatory one-year period after completing the statutory five-year maximum stay on an R-1 visa. While religious workers must still depart the country when their authorized stay ends, they can now seek readmission without a fixed waiting period abroad.
DHS officials emphasized that the change reflects a broader commitment to religious freedom and community stability.
“Under the leadership of Secretary Noem, DHS is committed to protecting and preserving freedom and expression of religion,” a DHS spokesperson said. “Pastors, priests, nuns, and rabbis are essential to the social and moral fabric of this country. We remain committed to supporting religious organizations in their critical work.”
What Changed: Old vs New R-1 Religious Worker Visa Rule
The R-1 visa is a non-immigrant classification designed for religious workers employed by U.S.-based religious organizations. Under the previous rule, individuals who completed five years in R-1 status were required to leave the U.S. and remain abroad for at least one full year before reapplying.
The New R-1 Religious Worker Visa Rule eliminates that mandatory waiting period. Religious workers may now depart the U.S. and apply for readmission immediately, provided they meet eligibility requirements. The change is expected to significantly reduce service gaps that have long plagued religious institutions.
Addressing Longstanding Visa Backlogs
The policy update comes amid persistent backlogs in the EB-4 immigrant visa category, which includes special immigrant religious workers. Demand has exceeded supply for years, and policy adjustments introduced by the Department of State in 2023 further extended wait times for applicants from several countries.
As a result, many religious workers exhausted their maximum R-1 stay while waiting for immigrant visas, forcing congregations to operate without trusted clergy and non-ministerial staff.
By removing the one-year foreign residency requirement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) aims to reduce prolonged absences and restore continuity in religious leadership.