Tier 2 - Ministers of religion
This section explains how you can come or stay here as a minister of religion (Tier 2 Ministers of religion) under our points-based system to work in the United Kingdom.
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What is the minister of religion category?
The minister of religion category is for people coming to the United Kingdom as a religious worker within a religious organisation for more than two years.
Your role in the minister of religion category can include:
- preaching or performing pastoral duties;
- work as a missionary; or
- work in a religious order within a community which involves a permanent commitment like a monastery or convent.
Pastoral duties include:
- leading worship regularly and on special occasions;
- giving religious education to children and adults by preaching or teaching;
- officiating at marriages, funerals and other special services;
- offering counselling and welfare support to members of the congregation;
- recruiting, training and co-ordinating the work of any local volunteers and lay preachers.
Work as a missionary is not just preaching and teaching and can include:
- the organisation of missionary activity, but should not be administrative or clerical, unless filling a senior post;
- supervising staff;
- co-ordinating the organisation of missionary work;
- being in charge of a particular activity such as accounts/finance, personnel management or IT; or
- translating religious texts is missionary work not clerical work.
The work in a religious order must be in the order itself or outside work directed by the order.
You should apply under the student category (tier 4 when it launches) if you are a member of a religious order and studying for a qualification, a formal full-time course of study or training in an academic institution not looked after by the order.
Working full-time as a teacher in a school run by a church or missionary organisation does not count as missionary work. Teachers must apply as a teacher under the skilled worker category (tier 2). See what is the skilled worker category (Tier 2 General) for more information.
If you want to come to the United Kingdom as a religious worker for a shorter time, you should apply under the religious worker category of tier 5. See religious workers for more information.
Who can apply as a minister of religion?
Before you apply under the minister of religion category, you must have:
- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.
When you apply you are awarded points based on your:
- certificate of sponsorship:
- English language skills; and
- available maintenance (funds).
You can apply under the minister of religion category now if you are:
- applying for permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') under the minister of religion category(see initial applications);
- in the United Kingdom with permission to stay (known as 'leave to remain') in an immigration category that allows you to switch into the minister of religion category (see how to switch in to the minister of religion category);
- already in the United Kingdom as a minister of religion and want to extend your permission to stay within your existing category (see extending your stay).
Go to our visa services website if you are applying from outside the United Kingdom. There you can find out more about the process in the country you are applying from and download the relevant application forms.
How long you can stay for
If you are given permission to stay as a minister of religion, you will be able to live and work in the United Kingdom for a maximum time of three years plus one month, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus one month, which ever time is shorter.
At the end of the three years, you will need to apply to extend your stay as a minister of religion if you want to stay. See extending your stay for more information.
If you are given permission to extend your stay in the United Kingdom as a minister of religion, you will get another two years, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, which ever time is shorter.
If you are applying to extend your permission to stay in the United Kingdom and your previous permission to stay was as a work permit holder, you can still apply under the transitional arrangements and you will get permission to stay for a time that takes you to five years in the United Kingdom. For example, if you have been here for four and a half years with permission as a work permit holder or under the transitional arrangements, you can apply for six months permission to stay.
You may apply for settlement once you have been here for five years. If you do not, you must apply under the points-based system and make a new application.
Application forms
Tier 2 Ministers of religion
- Application form for Tier 2 Ministers of religionPDF 1.2M opens in a new window
- Tier 2 (skilled worker) of the points-based system - policy guidancePDF 559K opens in a new window
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