US EditionNew DHS rule aims to shorten visa wait times abroad for religious workers serving US congregations
DHS removed the one-year reentry bar for R-1 religious visa holders to reduce visa wait times and disruptions for faith communities, easing backlog issues affecting thousands.
- DHS announced on Wednesday it will remove the one-year reentry bar for R-1 religious workers, who must still depart the United States but can apply to re-enter immediately.
- A March 2023 processing change by the U.S. Department of State added minors to the green card queue, lengthening waits and creating backlogs that threatened religious workers' ability to remain.
- Litigation and lawmakers pushed for change as the Catholic Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, and five priests sued DHS and USCIS, then dismissed the suit in fall 2025 while Congress proposed a spring 2025 bipartisan bill.
- Immigration attorneys and faith leaders welcomed the rule, with Lance Conklin calling it `It's a huge deal,` while a DHS spokesperson said it protects religious freedom and minimizes disruptions.
- Amid tightening immigration restrictions, the Department of Homeland Security issued the change to ease disruptions for congregations as thousands of religious workers face residency backlogs, affecting the U.S. Catholic Church and other faith traditions.
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80 Articles
DHS Says It Will Reduce Wait Times for Religious Workers Outside the US
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Jan. 14 that it will reduce wait times for thousands of foreign religious workers to be readmitted to the United States, allowing them to return to the country in a timely manner. Workers such as “priests, nuns, and rabbis” who were previously “required to remain outside the United States before returning” can now “resume their essential services,” according to DHS. In effect, the rule would…
Times of India
The Economic TimesUS to reduce visa wait times for religious workers abroad
The Department of Homeland Security has eased visa rules for foreign religious workers, allowing them to return to the U.S. immediately after their temporary visa limit. This change addresses significant processing delays that previously forced clergy to wait a year abroad, ensuring continuity for religious communities.
Trump admin drops one-year religious visa wait period
The Trump administration announced a new rule Wednesday to remove a one-year out-of-country waiting period for priests and religious seeking a new temporary R-1 visa after the expiration of their previous visa.Catholic leaders praised the Department of Homeland Security’s new interim final rule, but argued that action is needed from Congress to prevent disruptions in ministry for priests and religious sisters in the process of applying for a gre…
Associated Press News
New DHS rule aims to shorten visa wait times abroad for religious workers serving US congregations
The Department of Homeland Security is making it easier for visa-holding religious workers to serve U.S. congregations with less disruption.
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