Religious Worker Visa Classifications Revised

It has been recently been brought to the attention of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that religious worker visa applications have been approved for fraudulent individuals. These people have been reported as not actual religious workers, with varying years of association with the said religion, and who have given false statements regarding the religious job they are to be employed in. As of November 16, 2007, the USCIS opened a comment for the general public regarding the revisions on the ruling for the R-1 or religious worker visa, pursuant to the publication on the Federal Register.

The reason for the USCIS revision on such application policies was based on a report by the Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) which stated that about a third of the approved religious visas were of a fraudulent nature. This meant that a significant number of those who have religious visas for use of entry into the United States are not exactly religious workers. Prior to this, there was no imposed method for the verification of a job offer in the US for religious workers.

The revisions on the classifications of religious worker visa applications by the USCIS were proposed in April 25, 2007. The USCIS is authorized to inspect the sites or offices of the religious organizations that are petitioning for religious workers, whether special immigrant or non-immigrant workers. These on-site inspections are done to ensure that fraud can be avoided as necessary. The definitions of religious jobs are clearly specified as well.

Aside from this, a more complete background check of the religious worker visa applicant is to be done. Prior work or job experience is to be noted, whether it is related to the religious position to be applied for or not. If a religious worker is to be granted a religious worker visa, his initial admission period in the United States is reduced to one year, instead of the previously specified three years.

From the abovementioned date, all interested parties who have any inquiries can forward their comments on the policy changes by the USCIS electronically or by mail. The website http://www.regulations.gov has a Federal eRulemaking Portal for any comments to be submitted via the internet. On the other hand, the mailing address is: Director, Regulatory Management Division, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, 111 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20529.