Religious Worker visa: who can apply, what it costs and how long you can stay

The Religious Worker visa is for people who want to do religious work in a non-pastoral role or in a religious order. GOV.UK says you need a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor and must be 18 or over. The fee is £340 and you can stay up to 24 months.

Who is this visa for?

It is for people who want to do religious work in a non-pastoral role or in a religious order.

Can I apply?

You can apply if you want to do religious work in a non-pastoral role or in a religious order and meet the other rules. You must:

• have a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor
• have enough money to support yourself in the UK, usually at least £1,270 (unless you are exempt)
• be 18 or over when you apply

You cannot get this visa if you were given a Religious Worker or Charity Worker visa in the last year. The only exception is if you can prove you were outside the UK for the whole of that time.

You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK.

What do I need?

A sponsor and a certificate of sponsorship

You must have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor before you apply. The sponsor must be recognised by the UK government to issue certificates.

A certificate of sponsorship is not a paper document. It is a unique reference number with details about the job and about you. It is valid for 3 months from the day it is assigned to you.

The work you do in the UK must be related to your sponsor’s work. Your sponsor must also give you the information it used on your certificate about your job, for example your working hours.

The job and pay

Your employer must make sure your job pays at least the minimum wage, unless you are not entitled to the minimum wage. It must also follow the UK rules on weekly hours. If it does not, your application will be refused.

If you are not entitled to the minimum wage, your sponsor must confirm on your certificate that it will give financial support and accommodation to you, your partner and your dependent children while you are in the UK. In that case, you do not need to show evidence of savings.

GOV.UK’s Religious Worker pages do not set an occupation code or a going rate.

English language

GOV.UK’s Religious Worker pages do not set an English language requirement.

How much does it cost?

Cost	Amount
Application fee for each person (the same inside or outside the UK)	£340
Healthcare surcharge	Usually £1,035 per year
Savings to support yourself	At least £1,270 (unless exempt)
Savings for a partner	£285
Savings for one child	£315
Savings for each additional child	£200

You must have had the savings for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of the day you apply.

You do not have to show your own savings if:

• you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
• your employer covers your first month, up to £1,270, and confirms this on your certificate of sponsorship
• you are not entitled to the minimum wage

How long can I stay?

You get a visa to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months, or up to 28 days more than the time on your certificate of sponsorship. You may be sponsored for a shorter time. You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and given your documents, you will usually get a decision in:

Where you are when you apply	Usual decision time
Outside the UK	3 weeks
Inside the UK	8 weeks

You may be able to pay for a faster decision.

With this visa you can:

• study (some courses need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate)
• work for your sponsor in the job on your certificate of sponsorship
• do a second job in the same sector, at the same level as your main job, for up to 20 hours a week outside the hours of your main job
• do a job on the Skilled Worker immigration salary list for up to 20 hours a week outside the hours of your main job

You cannot get public funds (most benefits).

Can I bring my family?

Yes. Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK. GOV.UK calls them dependants. A dependant is:

• your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
• your child under 18, including a child born in the UK during your stay
• your child over 18, if they currently have permission to be in the UK as your dependant

To count as your partner, you must be able to prove one of these:

• you are in a marriage or civil partnership that the UK recognises
• you have lived together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
• you have been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but cannot live together, for example because you work or study in different places, or your culture does not accept it

Your child must live with you, unless they live away from home in full-time education. Your child must not be married or in a civil partnership.

Each family member makes a separate application and pays the visa fee. Their visa will usually end on the same date as yours.

Partners and children can work, except as a sportsperson or coach. They can also study. They cannot apply for most benefits or the State Pension.

Can I extend or switch?

If you are already in the UK, GOV.UK says you can only extend your existing Religious Worker visa.

To extend, you must:

• still meet the rules for the visa
• apply online before your current visa expires

You can extend for up to 24 months, or the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days. You get whichever is shorter.

If you want to change your job, you must apply again. This is the case whether you move within the same organisation or to a new one.

The usual decision time for an extension is 8 weeks.

A partner’s or child’s visa does not extend automatically with yours. They can apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.