Tier 2 (Minister of Religion)
This section explains how you can come to or stay in the United Kingdom as a minister of religion under the Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) category of the points-based system.
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What is the Minister of Religion category?
The Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) category is for people who are coming to the United Kingdom as religious workers within religious organisations 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 a 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; and
- offering counselling and welfare support to members of the congregation; and
- recruiting, training and co-ordinating the work of any local volunteers and lay preachers.
Work as a missionary is not just preaching and teaching. It 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; and
- translating religious texts - this 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) of the points-based system if you are a member of a religious order and you want to study 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. If this is the work that you will be doing, you must apply as a teacher under the Tier 2 (General) category. 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 under the Minister of Religion category?
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:
- want permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') under the Minister of Religion category - see Initial applications;
- already 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 into the Minister of Religion category; or
- already in the United Kingdom as a minister of religion and want to extend your permission to stay under the same category (see Extending your stay).
if you are applying from outside the United Kingdom, go to our visa services website. There you can find out more about the process in the country you are applying from, and download the relevant application forms.
How long can you stay for?
If you apply from outside the United Kingdom and we give you permission to come here as a minister of religion, you will be able to live and work in the United Kingdom for a maximum of three years plus one month, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus one month, whichever time is shorter.
If you are already in the United Kingdom under a different category, you may be able to apply to switch into the Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) category. If we approve your application, you will be able to live and work here for a maximum of three years, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.
At the end of your period of permission, you will need to apply to extend your stay as a minister of religion if you want to remain here. See Extending your stay for more information.
If we give you you 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, whichever time is shorter.
If you are currently in the United Kingdom under the old 'ministers of religion, missionaries and members of religious orders' category and you want to extend your stay, you can apply under the transitional arrangements for permission to stay for a time that takes you to five years in the United Kingdom. For example, if you have been here for two-and-a-half years with permission as a work permit holder or under the transitional arrangements, you can apply for a further two-and-a-half years permission to stay.
If this means that you would get permission to stay for less than a further two years, you can apply for permission to stay for two years instead. For example, if you have been here for four years with permission as a minister of religion, missionary, member of a religious order or under the transitional arrangements, you can apply for a further two years permission to stay.
You may apply for settlement once you have been here for five years. If you do not apply for settlement, you must apply under the points-based system and make a new application.
How long will we take to process your application?
Our service standards set out how quickly we aim to decide applications for living in the United Kingdom as a minister of religion. The standard for applications made under an employment route, of which tier 2 (Minister of Religion) is a part, is that we will decide 75 per cent of applications within four weeks.
Application forms
Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) - for applications made inside the United Kingdom
- Application form - Tier 2 (Minister of Religion). Valid from 1 October 2009PDF 1.3MB opens in a new window
- Tier 2 of the points-based system - policy guidancePDF 512KB opens in a new window
News & updates
- Tier 5 (temporary worker) - government authorised exchange - additional guidance
- Overseas government employees switching into Tier 5 (temporary worker) - international agreements
- Points-based system: approved English language tests for Tier 1 and Tier 2
- Government-approved shortage occupation list for Tier 2 of the points-based system
Terms explained
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