A religious worker is a person who for the past two years has been a member of a religious denomination which has a bona fide nonprofit,
religious organization in the United States; and who has been carrying on the vocation, professional work, or other work described below,
continuously for the past two years; and seeks to enter the U.S. to work solely:
-- As a minister of that denomination; or
-- In a professional capacity in a religious vocation or occupation for that organization; or
-- In a religious vocation or occupation for the organization or its nonprofit affiliate.
Petition
Any person, including the applicant, can file a Form I-360 petition with the U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) for a person who meets the religious worker criteria. A petition for
a person who is not a minister may only be filed until October 1, 2000, and any immigrant visa
issued to such person shall not be valid beyond October 1, 2000. After the petition is approved by
the INS, the applicant will be sent instructions on how to apply for a fourth preference special
immigrant visa for religious workers.