The Department of Homeland Security yesterday issued a Release titled Improving Continuity for Religious Organizations and their Employees (full text). The Release announces the adoption of an Interim Final Rule in order to ease the shortage of foreign religious workers in the United States. The Rule, which will become effective upon publication in the Federal Register on January 16, eliminates the requirement that a holder of a 5-year R-1 Religious Worker visa remain outside the country for a full one year after the visa expires before applying for a new R-1 visa. Under the new rule, there is no minimum period of time that the religious worker must remain outside of the United States after his or her visa expires before seeking readmission as an R-1 non-immigrant.
According to a Release by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
This modification gives relief to religious workers and the communities they serve while the religious workers await legal permanent residency (commonly referred to as a “green card”). The wait time for a green card for religious workers has grown to several decades long.
The USCCB Release also urged Congress to pass the Religious Workforce Protection Act.
EWTN News reports on the new rule.
