UK Work Visa Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa

1. Overview

You can apply for a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa if:

• you’ve been offered a job within a faith community (eg as a minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order) in the UK
• you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland

Getting sponsored

You need to be sponsored (ie have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor) before you can apply to come to the UK to work.

The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.

How long it will take

You need to be sponsored (ie have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor) before you can apply to come to the UK to work.

The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.

Fees

How much you pay for a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa depends on your situation, where you are and how you apply.

How long you can stay

You can come to the UK with a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa for a maximum of up to 3 years and 1 month, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 1 month, whichever is shorter.

What you can and can’t do

You can:

• work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• do a second job
• do voluntary work
• study as long as it doesn’t interfere with the job you’re sponsored for
• travel abroad and return to the UK
• bring family members (‘dependents’) with you.

You can’t:

• own more than 10% of your sponsor’s shares (unless you earn more than £155,300 a year)
• get public funds
• start working before you get your visa
• apply for a second job until you’ve started working for your sponsor

2. Eligibility

You need all of the following to be eligible for a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa:

• a valid certificate of sponsorship reference number from your sponsor
• to meet the English language requirement

You must also have £945 in savings – this is to prove you can support yourself. You must have had this in your bank account for 90 days before you apply, unless you’re exempt.

Savings exemption

You won’t need to provide proof of funds if you’re in the UK and you have a visa in one of the following categories:

• Tier 2
• work permit holder
• Jewish agency employee
• ground staff for an overseas airline
• minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order
• representative an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation

Certificate of sponsorship

A certificate of sponsorship is a reference number which holds information about the job and your personal details. It’s not an actual certificate or paper document.

Your sponsor will give you your certificate of sponsorship reference number.

They must also give you some other information to help you to apply, eg how much you’ll be paid.

You’ll need to add your certificate of sponsorship reference number to your application form – you can only use it once.

3. Knowledge of English

You may need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.

You can prove your knowledge of English by either:

• passing an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
• having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK bachelors degree

Exceptions

You won’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• USA

4. Documents you must provide

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

• a current passport or other valid travel identification
• a passport size colour photograph
• evidence that you meet the English language requirements
• bank statements showing you’ve had at least £945 in savings continuously over the last 90 days
• your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

5. Extend your visa

You may be able to apply to extend your stay in the UK under a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa.

You should include any dependants who are on your current visa on your application to extend. This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.

How long you can stay

You can extend a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa for up to 3 years, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, or the time required to take your total stay in the UK to a maximum of 6 years, whichever time is shorter.

Fees

You’ll pay:

• £651 to apply online
• £1,051 to apply in person

You can apply to change (‘switch’) from another visa to a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa.

Eligibility

You must meet the Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) eligibility requirements and must already be in the UK under any of the following visas:

• Tier 1 visa
• Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa
• Tier 2 (General) visa
• Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer: established staff) visa and you’re applying to change sponsor
• Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa under the Immigration Rules in place before 6 April 2010 and you’re applying to change sponsor
• Tier 4 visa, or you’re a on another kind of student visa – read ‘Switching from a Tier 4 visa’ below
• Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Creative and sporting) for a job as a professional footballer and you meet the Tier 2 (Sportsperson) requirements
• Highly Skilled Migrant Programme
• Innovator Scheme
• Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme
• International Graduates Scheme (or its predecessor, the Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme)
• Business and Commercial work permit (except multiple entry work permits)
• Sports and Entertainment work permit (except multiple entry work permits)

You can also switch to a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa if you meet the eligibility requirements and you’re:

• a dependent partner of someone with a Tier 4 visa
• a Jewish agency employee
• operational ground staff of an overseas-owned airline
• a minister of religion, missionary or member of a religious order
• an overseas qualified nurse or midwife
• writing up a thesis
• a postgraduate doctor or dentist
• a representative of an overseas business
• a representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation
• a student union sabbatical officer

Switch from a Tier 4 or other student visa

You must have received one of the following under your Tier 4 or other student visa if you want to switch from a Tier 4 to a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa:

• a UK bachelors degree
• a UK masters degree
• a postgraduate certificate in education
• a professional graduate diploma of education

You must have got your qualification at a UK recognised body or an institution that has a Tier 4 sponsor licence.

The other student visa categories are:

• student
• student nurse
• student re-sitting an examination
• overseas qualified nurse
• person writing up a thesis
• postgraduate doctor or dentist
• student union sabbatical officer

PhD students

You must have completed at least 12 months’ study for your PhD during your most recent stay in the UK and had permission to take the qualification.

How long you can stay

You can stay a maximum of 3 years after switching to a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa.

Fees

You’ll pay:

• £651 to apply online
• £1,051 to apply in person

7. Family members

Your family members (‘dependants’) must apply to join or remain with you in the UK if they’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:

• your partner
• your child under 18
• your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as a dependant

Savings

You must show that your dependants can be supported while they’re in the UK.

Each dependant must have £630 available to them whether they apply with you or separately. This is in addition to the £945 you must have to support yourself.

You must have proof you have the money, and that it’s been in your bank account or your dependant’s bank account for at least 90 days before you or they apply.

You’ll need to make a new Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa application if you want to do a second job that isn’t in the same sector as your main job or isn’t voluntary work.

You can do a second job (up to 20 hours a week) if it’s on the shortage list without making a new application.

You can’t:

• apply until you’ve started work with your first sponsor
• start work with your second sponsor until your application has been approved

Documents you must provide

You’ll need to provide some documents with your application.

You must also include a letter with your application explaining that you want to change your current permission to stay.

Your letter must state:

• your name
• your date of birth
• your current certificate of sponsorship reference number
• the date when your current permission to stay runs out