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Ordained ministers and other full time religious workers may apply for
immigrant visas to work with an established religious organization in
the United States. There are three requirements for such visas:
The applicant must be engaged full time in religious activities. Such
occupations include ordained ministers, members of religious organizations
such as nuns, monks, religious instructors, or specialists in the performance
of religious rituals;
The applicant must have been a full time religious worker in such a
field for at least two years immediately prior to the visa application;
The applicant must be joining an established religious denomination
with a bonafide organization in the United States.
Applying for the religious worker visa is a two-step process...
First, ministers of religion or religious workers must have their prospective
employer file an I-360
employment-based visa petition withthe U.S. Department of Homeland Security(DHS),
Citizenship
and Immigration Services (CIS) office having jurisdiction over the
proposed area of activity in the U.S. The spouse and unmarrried children
(under 21) of a religious worker are also eligible for visas based on
the same petition.
The applicant will be sent a detailed list of the supporting documents
needed to apply for the visa when CONS/IV receives the approved I-360
petition from the U.S. State Department's National Visa Center. It is
the applicant's responsibilty to request an IV appointment from CONS/IV
after gathering all necessary documents. It may take 3-4 months to schedule
an IV appointment after CONS/IV receives the applicant's request. If the
applicant is found eligible for a visa, the visa will normally be issued
the same day. If an applicant is found ineligible for an IV, the reason
for the refusal and any recourse will be explained in writing.
IVs cost $335 each, and are generally valid for six months. All fees are
payable in cash (dollars or Korean won) or cashier's check only. We cannot
accept credit cards or personal checks.
Inquiries regarding applicants who have not yet received Form DS-3032
should be directed to NVC at the following address:
U.S. State Department
National Visa Center
32 Rochester Avenue
Portsmouth, NH 03801-2909, U.S.A.
Telephone (603) 334-0700
or
FAX (603) 334-0759
Updated May 28, 2002
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