The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an interim final rule to religious organizations and their communities allowing thousands of religious workers to resume their essential services. Traditionally, religious workers like priests and nuns had to remain outside the U.S. before returning. The new rule significantly reduces the waiting period, minimizing disruptions for faith-based communities.

The rule supports the Executive Order, Establishment of the White House Faith Office and removes the requirement for R-1 religious workers to reside outside the United States for one year after reaching the statutory five-year maximum period of stay. While R-1 religious workers must still depart the U.S., there isn’t a minimum period they must stay abroad anymore. R-1 holders only must be outside the U.S. when they reapply for a religious worker visa.

In the past several years, the demand for EB-4 visas has skyrocketed. Changes implemented by the Department of State (DOS) in 2023 increased the wait times for immigrant visas in the EB-4 category. These changes applied to both religious and non-religious workers. The delays brought about by these changes caused many religious workers to exhaust the maximum period of stay allowed by a religious worker visa. Eliminating the one-year foreign residency requirement decreases the time religious organizations are left without vital clerical and non-ministerial religious workers. The change acknowledges the importance of religious workers in serving faith-based communities, regardless of their place of origin.

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