Special Immigrant Non-minister Religious Worker Program

[nancymervin]

On September 28, 2012, President Obama signed S.3245 into law. The Special Immigrant Non-minister Religious Worker category is one of several employment-based fourth-preference (EB-4) visa classifications and is available to non-ministers in religious vocations and occupations who would like to immigrate to or adjust status in the United States for the purpose of performing religious work.

The special immigrant visa category for non-minister religious workers covers those within a religious vocation or occupation and also applies to accompanying or ‘following-to-join’ spouses and children of non-ministers. The final date by which special immigrant non-minister religious workers must immigrate or adjust status to permanent resident has now been extended by three years by the signing of the S.3245 Act.  It is hoped that the Special Immigrant Non-minister Religious Worker category is eventually made a permanent part of the Religious Worker Immigrant Worker program. Thus once a green card holder you can proceed later to file N400 form  and apply for US citizenship.