religious visa

Under current law, foreign-born religious workers are permitted to live and work in the United States temporarily through the temporary religious worker (R-1) visa. The R-1 visa is limited to five years, after which the religious worker must depart the United States for at least one year before possibly returning on a subsequent R-1 visa. Previously, religious workers of many different faiths legally present in the country on an R-1 visa could apply for and receive permanent residency within those five years. Unfortunately, there is now a significant backlog in the visa category relied upon by these religious workers, along with several other classes of immigrants, for that purpose. This backlog means a priest or other worker who applies today will be forced to wait more than a decade before being able to receive permanent residency in the United States. This is unsustainable for the religious organizations that depend on these workers, as well as the workers themselves who have committed to serving our communities. 

The bipartisan Religious Workforce Protection Act (RWPA) (S. 1298/H.R. 2672), recently introduced in both chambers of Congress, would provide relief for religious workers in this situation and further the free exercise of religion in the United States for the benefit of all Americans. The RWPA presents a targeted and limited response to this situation by authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to extend the R-1 visa for religious workers who have applied for adjustment of status until they can receive their green card. 

For more information on this act, click the button below to be directed to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website.

USCCB RWPA Information

In further support of this act, the USCCB has written and issued a letter to members of Congress seeking its immediate passage. To read the letter, click the button below.

USCCB Letter on RWPA

We need your voice to be added to those of the various religious organizations. Click the button below to be directed to the USCCB's Action Center webpage.

USCCB Action Center