SD — Special Immigrant Religious Worker - Minister

United States•North America

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SD — Special Immigrant Religious Worker - Minister

Work PR PathwayThis visa can lead to permanent residency, the right to live and work here indefinitely without renewing your visa. Dependents Allowed

At a Glance

Processing Time

2 months – 1.5 years

Varies by processing route

Estimated Cost

USD $940

Stay Duration

Indefinite

Not renewable

Renewal

Not renewable

Family

Dependents allowed

PR Pathway

Yes

Sponsor

Job offer required

Work

Remote not required

Official Information

Living in United States

Cost of Living

Baseline

Avg Salary$52,000

Quality of Life

185/200

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Overview

Ministers of religion entering permanently to work for a bona fide religious organization. Requires 2+ years membership.

The US Special Immigrant Religious Worker (SD) visa grants lawful permanent residence to ordained ministers entering full-time service with a qualifying nonprofit religious organization. No PERM labor certification is required, and ministers face no separate annual cap beyond the broader EB-4 limit.

The petitioning organization files Form I-360; processing typically takes 12–24 months across USCIS adjudication and consular processing. Upon admission, the minister is a permanent resident. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 qualify as derivatives. Citizenship follows after 5 years.

This visa is ideal for ordained ministers with at least 2 years of continuous membership in their denomination who have a full-time compensated offer from a US nonprofit religious organization.

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Cost Breakdown

Form I-360 USCIS filing feeUSD $515

Immigrant visa application fee (DS-260)USD $205

USCIS Immigrant FeeUSD $220

TotalUSD $940

Processing Time

USCIS I-360 adjudication	9 months – 1.5 years
NVC processing + consular interview	2–6 months

Stay & Extensions

Status type

Permanent / indefinite

Annual Cap & Quota

No specific limit (subject only to the overall EB-4 cap; the 5,000 cap only applies to non-minister religious workers)

Requirements

PUBLISHED REQUIREMENTS

Must have been a member of the petitioning religious denomination for at least 2 years immediately preceding petition filing

Must have a qualifying job offer from a U.S. nonprofit religious organization

Must work in a ministerial capacity for the petitioning organization

Petitioning organization must be a U.S. nonprofit religious organization with tax-exempt status

Must work in a full-time compensated position (minimum 35 hours/week)

KEY CRITERIA

Experience

2+ years

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid passport (6+ months validity beyond intended entry date)

Form I-360 USCIS approval notice

Form DS-260 confirmation page

Two passport-style photographs meeting U.S. visa standards

Civil documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable)

Medical examination results (Form I-693 or equivalent)

Evidence of 2-year prior membership in petitioning denomination

Qualifying job offer letter from petitioning religious organization

IRS tax-exemption determination letter for petitioning organization

Evidence of compensation or ability to pay from the petitioning organization

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Leads directly to lawful permanent residence (green card)
No PERM labor certification required
Derivative beneficiaries (spouse and unmarried children under 21) may immigrate simultaneously
No employer sponsorship cap or H-1B lottery dependency
Path to U.S. citizenship after 5 years as permanent resident

Worth Knowing

Annual numerical cap of 5,000 visas (SD and SE combined within EB-4)
Backlogs may develop if demand exceeds annual allocation
Requires 2 years of continuous prior membership in the petitioning denomination
Organization must maintain nonprofit and tax-exempt status throughout process
Must intend to work for the specific petitioning organization — not general authorization
Petition approval does not guarantee visa issuance at consulate