Service Details

1. What It Is The Minister of Religion Visa (also known as the T2 Minister of Religion visa) is a specific immigration route for individuals who have been offered a key pastoral role within a faith community in the UK.

This visa allows a religious organisation that holds a Sponsor Licence to employ individuals from overseas as ministers, missionaries, or members of a religious order. It is a long-term route, and after residing in the UK for five years, a holder may be eligible for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain).

 2. Who Can Apply An individual can apply for this visa if they:

• Have a genuine job offer from a UK sponsor that is a bona fide religious organisation.
• The offered role's main duties involve leading a congregation, preaching, and performing spiritual and pastoral work. Administrative or non-pastoral roles are not eligible.
• Are qualified to carry out the duties of the particular job, for example, through relevant training, qualifications, or experience within that faith.
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3. Key Requirements To be successful, applicants for a Minister of Religion Visa must meet several strict requirements. The most important ones include:

• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Applicants must have a valid CoS from their sponsoring religious organisation, detailing information about the role.
• English Language Proficiency: They must prove their knowledge of English to a minimum of CEFR Level B2 in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, which is a higher standard than for the Skilled Worker visa.
• Financial Requirement: Applicants must show they have sufficient funds (£1,270 in savings held for 28 days) to support themselves upon arrival in the UK. This requirement is waived if their A-rated sponsor agrees to "certify maintenance" on the CoS.
• Genuineness of Role: The applicant must be genuinely intending to undertake the role for which they are being sponsored and must not intend to work in breach of their conditions.