EB-4 special immigrant religious worker

Ministers and non-ministers in religious vocations and occupations may immigrate to or adjust status in the U.S. for the purpose of performing religious work in a full-time compensated position.

Non-profit religious organization in the United States; Religious organization that is authorized by a group tax exemption holder to use its group tax exemption; or Non-profit organization which is affiliated with a religious denomination in the United States.

A U.S. employer, or you on your own behalf, must file Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, to request special immigrant religious worker classification.

To qualify, you must have been a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the United States for at least two years immediately before filing the petition. In addition, you must have been working in one of the positions described above after the age of 14, either abroad or in the United States, continuously for at least two years immediately before the filing of a petition with USCIS.

A break in the continuity of the work during the preceding two years will not affect eligibility so long as: You were still employed as a religious worker; The break did not exceed two years; and The nature of the break was for further religious training or sabbatical. However, you must have been a member of the petitioner’s denomination throughout the two years of qualifying employment.

The petitioner must submit verifiable evidence showing how the prospective employer intends to compensate the religious worker, including specific monetary or in-kind compensation.

Evidence that the religious worker is a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the United States for at least two years immediately before filing Form I-360; and Evidence to establish that the religious worker is qualified to perform the duties of the offered position. If the religious worker will work as a minister, the petitioner must provide: A copy of the religious worker’s certificate of ordination or similar documents; and

If the requisite previous experience was gained abroad, the petitioner must provide comparable evidence of the religious work.

A special immigrant religious worker is a alien who is coming to the United States to work full time (an average of at least 35 hours per week) in a compensated position as a minister or in a religious vocation or occupation and be employed by a:

Evidence that the prospective employer will provide room and board to the religious worker; and

On Sept. 2, 2026, the president signed into law P.L. 119-103, extending the EB-4 non-minister special immigrant religious worker program through Dec. 11, 2026. The law allows these workers to immigrate or adjust to permanent resident by that date, also known as the sunset date.

This date on which the program will end also applies to accompanying spouses and children of these non-minister special immigrant religious workers.

Special immigrants entering the U.S. solely to carry on the vocation of a minister, and their accompanying spouses and children, are not affected by the sunset date.

Your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may accompany or follow to join you or adjust status in the United States.

Last Reviewed/Updated: 09/21/2026