DESCRIPTION:

An R-1 is a foreign national who is coming to the U.S temporarily to be employed at least part-time by a non-profit religious organization in the U.S, or an organization which is affiliated with the religious denomination in the United States, to work as a minister or in a religious vocation or occupation.

REQUIREMENTS FOR R-1:

To qualify for the R-1 visa, the foreign national must have been a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the U.S for at least 2 years immediately preceding the filing of the petition.

PROCESSING:

When ready to file the R-1 visa, a prospective or existing U.S employer should file the R-1’s petition through filing a Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker.  An R-1 visa cannot be issued at a U.S Embassy or Consulate abroad without prior approval of the Form I-129 by USCIS.