MINISTER OF RELIGION VISA

The UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2) is a sponsored work route for individuals coming to the UK to undertake eligible religious work. It is principally intended for people who will have a key leading role within a faith-based organisation, including ministers of religion and missionaries undertaking mainly pastoral duties. The route can also be used by members of religious orders.

Applicants must have a qualifying role with a religious organisation that is licensed by the Home Office to sponsor workers on the Minister of Religion route. They must be issued with a valid Certificate of Sponsorship and satisfy the other immigration requirements, including the financial and English language requirements.

The Minister of Religion route is a route to settlement. A successful applicant may be able to qualify for indefinite leave to remain after completing a continuous five-year qualifying period, provided all of the settlement requirements are met. A dependent partner and dependent children may also be able to accompany or join the main applicant.

The Minister of Religion route should be distinguished from the Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa. The Religious Worker route is designed for temporary religious work and cannot be used to sponsor someone whose role is that of a minister of religion. It does not lead directly to settlement and generally permits a maximum stay of two years.

1. Minister of Religion Visa (T2) Eligibility and Requirements

The Minister of Religion route is a points-based immigration route. An applicant must obtain all 70 available points:

Requirement	Points
Valid Certificate of Sponsorship	50
Financial requirement	10
English language at CEFR level B2	10
Total	70

In addition to obtaining the required points, an applicant will generally need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

• they are aged 18 or over;
• they have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by an appropriately licensed sponsor;
• the role is eligible for sponsorship on the Minister of Religion route;
• they are qualified to perform the role;
• they genuinely intend and are able to undertake the sponsored role;
• they will receive appropriate pay and conditions;
• they meet the English language requirement at level B2;
• they meet the financial requirement;
• they satisfy the relevant suitability requirements;
• they provide a tuberculosis certificate if Appendix Tuberculosis applies; and
• where relevant, they have obtained the consent of a government or international scholarship agency that recently sponsored their studies.

The Certificate of Sponsorship, financial and English requirements are mandatory points requirements. Meeting 70 points does not, however, remove the need to satisfy the validity, suitability and other eligibility provisions of the Immigration Rules.

The precise requirements will depend on the applicant’s circumstances, immigration history, proposed religious role and sponsor.

2. Which Religious Roles Qualify for a Minister of Religion Visa?

Whether a role qualifies depends on its actual duties rather than simply the title given to it. The sponsor must use the correct immigration route for the work the individual will actually perform.

Ministers of Religion and Mainly Pastoral Roles

The Minister of Religion route covers mainly pastoral roles within bona fide religious organisations. This may include religious leaders such as priests, imams, rabbis and other ministers who lead a congregation in worship, perform rites and rituals, preach the essentials of the faith and undertake pastoral responsibilities.

The role may contain some non-pastoral work, but it should not generally consist mainly of school teaching, media production, domestic work, administrative work or clerical duties unless the individual will hold an appropriately senior position within the religious organisation.

For example, a person working full-time as a teacher in a school maintained by a religious organisation would normally need to qualify under another route, such as the Skilled Worker Visa, rather than the Minister of Religion route.

Missionaries

Missionaries may qualify for sponsorship as Ministers of Religion.

A missionary’s duties can include organising and coordinating missionary activity. A role should not ordinarily be mainly administrative or clerical unless the individual is filling a sufficiently senior post. A senior missionary may, for example, supervise staff, coordinate missionary work or take responsibility for functions such as finance, personnel or IT.

The Home Office distinguishes missionary work from unrelated employment undertaken for an organisation with a religious connection. Full-time teaching in a school operated by a church or missionary organisation is not, merely for that reason, missionary work. By contrast, activities such as translating religious texts may form part of missionary work.

Members of Religious Orders

The Minister of Religion route can also be used by members of religious orders.

For immigration sponsorship purposes, the Home Office describes a religious order as a lineage of communities, or people, living in some way apart from society in accordance with a particular religious devotion and forming part of a bona fide religious organisation. This may include monastic communities of monks or nuns and comparable communities involving a permanent religious commitment.

The work may take place within the religious order itself or outside it where the work is directed by the order.

There are important limits. For example:

• teachers working in schools generally need to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker route even where the school is maintained by their religious order;
• a novice whose religious training takes place through the ordinary community life of the order may potentially be sponsored on the Minister of Religion route; but
• a person undertaking a formal full-time qualification or academic training outside the order may instead require a Student visa.

A person who is not actually a member of the religious order cannot rely on the provisions applying to members merely because they work or study within the community.

Senior Non-Pastoral Roles and Roles Requiring Another Visa

The Minister of Religion route is not a general immigration route for everybody employed by a religious organisation.

A mainly non-pastoral role can potentially qualify where it is a sufficiently senior position within the organisation. However, ordinary administrative, clerical, teaching, domestic and media-related roles will normally need to qualify under an alternative immigration category.

Correctly identifying the immigration route at the outset is therefore important. Sponsorship under the wrong route may expose both the visa application and the sponsor’s licence to risk.

3. Minister of Religion Visa or Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa?

The Minister of Religion and Religious Worker routes both allow religious organisations to sponsor overseas nationals, but they serve different purposes.

Issue	Minister of Religion Visa (T2)	Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa
Typical purpose	Key leading or mainly pastoral religious roles; missionaries; members of religious orders	Temporary religious work supporting a religious institution
Ministers of religion	Yes	No
Members of religious orders	Yes	Yes, depending on the role
Mainly non-pastoral work	Generally not, unless an appropriate senior role	Can qualify
English language requirement	B2	No route-specific English requirement
In-country switching	Permitted from many routes, subject to restrictions	Generally not permitted
Maximum stay	Up to six years, taking specified other sponsored routes into account	Up to two years
Direct route to settlement	Yes, potentially after five qualifying years	No
Resident labour consideration	Not required	Required in some cases

A member of a religious order may potentially qualify under either route, depending on the circumstances. The fact that someone belongs to a religious order does not by itself determine which visa should be used.

However, where the individual will be employed as a minister of religion, the Religious Worker route cannot be used.

For individuals intending to make the UK their longer-term base, the potential route to settlement under the Minister of Religion category may also be a significant consideration.

4. Minister of Religion Sponsorship and Certificate of Sponsorship Requirements

An applicant cannot qualify for a Minister of Religion Visa without sponsorship from an organisation authorised by the Home Office for this route.

Which Religious Organisations Can Sponsor a Minister of Religion?

A religious organisation wishing to sponsor a Minister of Religion must generally be a bona fide religious organisation with the required charitable status.

Home Office sponsor guidance requires, among other matters, that the organisation represent a faith-based community with a shared system of beliefs and spiritual goals, comply with UK law and not operate against the public interest.

Except for the specific position of the Ministry of Defence when employing religious personnel, the organisation must generally be a registered, excepted or exempt UK charity or an ecclesiastical corporation established for charitable purposes.

An organisation that does not already hold the appropriate sponsor licence will normally need to obtain one before it can sponsor the proposed Minister of Religion.

Sponsor Licence and A-Rating Requirements

The sponsor must be authorised to sponsor the proposed role on the Minister of Religion route.

For most applications, the sponsor must be A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors.

There is a limited exception where an applicant was last granted permission as a T2 Minister of Religion and is applying to continue working for the same sponsor. In that situation the Rules do not impose the ordinary A-rating requirement in the same way.

Religious organisations holding a sponsor licence must also comply with their ongoing sponsor duties, including record keeping and reporting relevant changes concerning sponsored workers.

Certificate of Sponsorship Requirements

A Certificate of Sponsorship, or CoS, is an electronic sponsorship record rather than a paper certificate.

For a Minister of Religion application, the CoS must contain prescribed information concerning the applicant, role and remuneration. It must confirm matters including that:

• the applicant is being sponsored on the T2 Minister of Religion route;
• the applicant is qualified for the job;
• the applicant will perform religious duties within the sponsor’s organisation or as directed by it;
• the role will not be mainly non-pastoral unless it falls within the permitted senior-role exception;
• where the sponsor is a religious order, the applicant is a member of that order; and
• the applicant will receive appropriate pay and conditions.

The CoS must have been issued no more than three months before the visa application. The start date recorded on it must also be no more than three months after the application date.

A CoS used for a previous application that was granted or refused cannot generally be reused, and a CoS that has been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office will not be valid.

Pay and Working Conditions

Unlike the Skilled Worker route, the Minister of Religion route does not impose a single general salary threshold applicable to all applicants.

Instead, the sponsor must ensure that the worker receives pay and conditions which are no less favourable than those provided to settled workers performing the same role. The role must also comply with the National Minimum Wage Regulations and Working Time Regulations unless a relevant legal exemption applies.

Where remuneration includes a stipend, board and lodging, guaranteed allowances or other payments, the sponsor must accurately record the relevant remuneration on the CoS.

Sponsor Fees and Costs That Cannot Be Passed to the Worker

As at 10 August 2026, the fee for assigning a Worker Certificate of Sponsorship, including for a Minister of Religion, is £525.

A sponsor assigning a Minister of Religion CoS on or after 9 April 2025 must not recoup the CoS fee or associated administrative costs from the sponsored worker.

The Home Office also prohibits sponsors from passing the sponsor licence application fee or associated administrative costs to workers they sponsor where the relevant prohibition applies. Breach can result in sponsor-licence action, including revocation.

5. Minister of Religion Visa English Language Requirement

A Minister of Religion applicant must normally demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

The English language requirement can be met in several ways under Appendix English Language. Depending on the applicant’s circumstances, these may include:

• having already demonstrated the required level of English in a previous successful immigration application;
• being a national of a country treated by the Immigration Rules as majority English-speaking;
• holding an appropriate UK degree;
• holding an overseas degree which satisfies the relevant equivalence and English-language requirements;
• passing an approved Secure English Language Test at the required level; or
• relying on specified English qualifications obtained following education at a UK school begun while the applicant was under 18.

An overseas academic qualification may require confirmation from the Home Office’s designated qualification and language assessment provider.

Where an applicant relies on a Secure English Language Test, the test must satisfy the requirements applicable under Appendix English Language at the date of application.

Applicants should not assume that evidence previously accepted for another purpose will necessarily satisfy the Minister of Religion requirement. The level required for the current application must be met.

6. Financial Requirement for a Minister of Religion Visa

An applicant applying from outside the UK will generally need to show that they have at least £1,270 available to support themselves.

The same requirement normally applies to a person applying for permission to stay who has been living in the UK with immigration permission for less than 12 months.

Where the applicant is relying on their own money:

• at least £1,270 must be held;
• the required funds must normally have been held continuously for at least 28 days; and
• the financial evidence must comply with Appendix Finance.

Under current Home Office guidance, the final day of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the visa application.

An applicant does not need to demonstrate the £1,270 in the ordinary way if they are applying for permission to stay and have already been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months.

Alternatively, an A-rated sponsor can certify maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship. The sponsor must confirm that, if necessary, it will maintain and accommodate the applicant during their first month in the UK up to at least the required amount.

7. Suitability, TB and Other Application Requirements

Meeting the substantive sponsorship, English and financial requirements is not sufficient by itself. The Minister of Religion visa application must also satisfy the relevant validity and suitability provisions of the Immigration Rules.

Suitability

An applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules.

Suitability can engage issues including criminality, deception, previous immigration breaches and other conduct addressed by the Rules. The precise effect of previous immigration history is fact-sensitive and should be considered against the provisions in force at the date of application.

For an application for permission to stay, the Minister of Religion Rules also address applicants who are in breach of immigration laws or on immigration bail, subject to the applicable exceptions for overstayers.

Tuberculosis Testing

A person applying for entry clearance as a Minister of Religion must provide a valid tuberculosis screening certificate where Appendix Tuberculosis applies to their application.

Whether a TB certificate is required depends on matters including the applicant’s country of residence and circumstances.

Age

A Minister of Religion applicant must be aged at least 18 on the date of application.

Government or International Scholarship Consent

If, during the 12 months before applying, the applicant received an award from a government or international scholarship agency covering both tuition fees and living costs for study in the UK, written consent from the relevant government or agency must be provided.

Identity, Fees and Biometrics

The applicant must make the application using the correct online form, pay the relevant fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, provide an appropriate passport or travel document and provide biometric information when required.

8. Switching to the Minister of Religion Visa in the UK

It is possible to switch into the Minister of Religion route from many UK immigration categories without first leaving the UK.

However, an applicant cannot normally switch if they have, or were last granted, permission:

• as a Visitor;
• as a Short-term Student;
• as a Parent of a Child Student;
• as a Seasonal Worker;
• as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
• outside the Immigration Rules.

Applicants who cannot switch to the Minister of Religion route from inside the UK will normally need to leave the UK and make an entry-clearance application from overseas if they otherwise qualify.

Switching From a Student Visa

Additional restrictions apply to a person who has or last had permission as a Student.

At the date of the Minister of Religion application, the Student must satisfy one of three conditions.

They may qualify if they have completed the course for which their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned, subject to the relevant provisions of Appendix Student.

Alternatively, where they are studying a full-time degree-level or higher course with a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, their Minister of Religion CoS must have a start date no earlier than the date on which their course is due to be completed.

A PhD student can potentially switch before completing their course where they are studying full-time with a qualifying higher education provider and the proposed employment start date is no earlier than 24 months after the start of the PhD.

These rules should be checked before a sponsor assigns the CoS. An incorrectly timed CoS can prevent an otherwise suitable Student from switching.

Applying Before Existing Permission Expires

An in-country application should be made while the applicant has valid permission, subject to the limited provisions that may apply to overstayers.

After submitting an in-country application, the applicant should not travel outside the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man before a decision. Doing so will cause the application to be withdrawn.

9. How to Apply for a Minister of Religion Visa

A Minister of Religion application normally involves the following stages.

Step 1: Confirm That the Role Is Eligible

The sponsoring organisation should first establish that the proposed duties properly fall within the Minister of Religion route rather than another immigration category.

This can be particularly important for members of religious orders, missionaries and individuals whose duties combine pastoral and administrative functions.

Step 2: Confirm Sponsorship

The religious organisation must hold the appropriate sponsor licence and be entitled to assign a Minister of Religion Certificate of Sponsorship.

If the organisation does not already hold the correct licence, a sponsor licence application or an application to add the relevant route may be required before the worker’s visa application can proceed.

Step 3: Assign the Certificate of Sponsorship

The sponsor assigns an appropriate CoS to the applicant through the sponsorship system.

The applicant should check the information on the CoS carefully, including the job title, duties, salary or other remuneration, work location and start and end dates.

Step 4: Prepare the Immigration Evidence

The applicant should establish how they will meet each requirement before submitting the online application.

Particular care may be required in relation to English language evidence, maintenance funds, previous immigration history, TB testing, Student switching requirements and any scholarship consent.

Step 5: Submit the Online Application

An applicant outside the UK must apply for entry clearance using the relevant Minister of Religion application form.

A person eligible to extend or switch from inside the UK must use the relevant in-country form.

An applicant must pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge where required.

Step 6: Prove Identity and Provide Supporting Evidence

Depending on the application process available to the applicant, they may be required to attend an appointment to provide their biometric information and supporting documents or follow another identity-verification process specified by UK Visas and Immigration.

Step 7: Receive the Decision and eVisa

Successful applicants now generally receive an eVisa, which is the digital record of their UK immigration status. The decision communication will explain how the applicant can access their immigration status through their UKVI account.

10. Supporting Documents for a Minister of Religion Visa

The documents required for a Minister of Religion visa application will depend on the facts of the application and the basis on which each immigration requirement is met.

The Home Office currently identifies the following as documents or information that may be required:

• the Certificate of Sponsorship reference number;
• evidence satisfying the English language requirement;
• financial evidence where the applicant is required to demonstrate maintenance funds;
• a valid passport or other document establishing identity and nationality;
• previous passports or travel documents where required to evidence travel history; and
• a valid tuberculosis test certificate where required.

Depending on the circumstances, other documents may also be required. Examples can include:

• written consent from a relevant government or international scholarship agency;
• evidence relevant to a previous immigration history issue;
• evidence relied upon in connection with an in-country switch; and
• relationship and financial evidence for dependent family members.

Documents not in English or Welsh will normally need to be accompanied by a suitable certified translation.

The Home Office does not prescribe one universal evidential bundle for every Minister of Religion application. Evidence should therefore be selected by reference to the particular legal requirements engaged by the applicant’s circumstances rather than by submitting unnecessary material indiscriminately.

The sponsoring organisation should separately ensure that its own sponsor records and CoS information adequately support the genuine and eligible nature of the role.

11. Minister of Religion Visa Fees and Immigration Health Surcharge

The following government fees apply as at 10 August 2026 and should be checked again before an application is submitted.

Cost	Current Amount
Minister of Religion application from outside the UK	£819 per applicant
Minister of Religion extension or switch from within the UK	£943 per applicant
Immigration Health Surcharge – standard adult rate	£1,035 per year
Immigration Health Surcharge – applicant under 18	£776 per year
Priority service, where available	£500
Super Priority service, where available	£1,000
Indefinite leave to remain	£3,226
Life in the UK test	£50
Minister of Religion Certificate of Sponsorship	£525, payable by sponsor

The visa fee applies separately to each applicant, including each dependant.

The Immigration Health Surcharge is calculated by reference to the period of immigration permission being sought and is normally paid in full when the visa application is made. The standard rate for most adult applicants is currently £1,035 per year. A lower rate applies to applicants who are under 18 at the date of application.

The exact IHS calculation can therefore differ from a simple annual multiplication where the period of permission includes part of a year.

Government fees change periodically. Applicants and sponsors should confirm the amounts in force immediately before applying.

12. Minister of Religion Visa Processing Times and Priority Services

UK Visas and Immigration’s published customer service standard for a Minister of Religion application is currently:

• 3 weeks for an application made outside the UK; and
• 8 weeks for an application to extend or switch from within the UK.

These are service standards rather than guarantees.

An application may take longer where, for example, UKVI needs to verify documents, request further information, consider personal circumstances or conduct an interview.

A faster decision service may be available depending on the location and type of application.

Where available, the Priority service currently costs an additional £500 and generally aims to provide a decision within five working days for most eligible applications. Super Priority currently costs an additional £1,000 and generally aims to provide a decision by the end of the next working day, subject to the applicable timetable and circumstances.

Using a priority service does not reduce the legal or evidential requirements of the application and does not guarantee that additional enquiries will not be required.

13. How Long Can You Stay on a Minister of Religion Visa?

The period of permission depends on whether the person is applying from overseas or from within the UK.

Initial Entry Clearance

Where an applicant successfully applies from outside the UK, permission as a Minister of Religion will be granted for whichever is shorter:

• up to 14 days after the period of employment stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
• three years and one month.

Extension Applications

A person already in the UK may apply to extend their permission as a Minister of Religion, provided they continue to satisfy the route requirements and have a new Certificate of Sponsorship.

An in-country grant will be for whichever is shorter of:

• up to 14 days after the employment period on the CoS;
• three years; or
• the remaining period before the applicant reaches the applicable six-year maximum.

The Six-Year Maximum Period

For an in-country Minister of Religion application, the six-year calculation is not restricted to time already spent specifically as a Minister of Religion.

The Rules take account of permission previously granted as:

• a T2 Minister of Religion;
• an International Sportsperson;
• a Skilled Worker; or
• a combination of those routes.

The corresponding predecessor categories can also be relevant when calculating the maximum period.

For example, a person who has already spent a substantial period in the UK as a Skilled Worker before switching to the Minister of Religion route may have less than six further years available as a Minister of Religion.

This should be distinguished from the settlement rules, which permit a wider range of immigration categories to be combined towards the five-year qualifying period.

14. Work Rights, Second Jobs, Study and Public Funds

A successful Minister of Religion applicant is permitted to work in the sponsored job described on their Certificate of Sponsorship.

Their immigration permission is subject to conditions governing additional work, voluntary work, study and public funds.

Supplementary Employment

A Minister of Religion can undertake qualifying supplementary employment provided they continue to work in the sponsored job.

Under current sponsor guidance, supplementary employment must generally:

• be for no more than 20 hours each week;
• take place outside the working hours of the sponsored role; and
• either be in the same profession and at the same professional level as the sponsored role or be in an occupation included on the Immigration Salary List.

Work which does not satisfy the supplementary employment provisions may require a fresh immigration application supported by a further Certificate of Sponsorship before the additional work can lawfully begin.

Voluntary Work

A Minister of Religion may undertake genuine voluntary work in addition to their sponsored employment.

The distinction between voluntary work and paid employment should be observed carefully. Sponsor guidance treats genuine voluntary work as work for which no remuneration is received other than permitted reasonable expenses and accommodation.

Study

Study is permitted, subject to any applicable Academic Technology Approval Scheme requirement.

The study should not prevent the individual from continuing to perform the job for which they are sponsored.

Public Funds

A Minister of Religion is not permitted to access public funds while holding limited permission on this route.

15. Can Your Partner and Children Join You?

A Minister of Religion can be accompanied or joined by an eligible dependent partner and dependent children.

Dependent Partners

A dependent partner must be aged 18 or over and satisfy the applicable relationship requirements in Appendix Relationship with Partner.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include a spouse, civil partner or qualifying unmarried partner.

The relationship must satisfy the Immigration Rules in force at the date of application.

Dependent Children

Under Appendix Children, an applicant will ordinarily need to be under 18 when applying for the first time as a dependent child.

However, a person aged 18 or over may continue to qualify as a dependent child where they were last granted permission as their parent’s dependent child and satisfy the applicable continuation requirements. A dependent child must also not be leading an independent life.

The Rules also contain requirements concerning the child’s relationship with their parent or parents and, for a child under 18, appropriate care and accommodation arrangements.

Financial Requirement for Dependants

Where a dependant is applying for entry clearance, or has been in the UK with permission for less than 12 months, the required maintenance funds are currently:

Family Member	Required Funds
Dependent partner	£285
First dependent child	£315
Each additional dependent child	£200

These funds are in addition to the £1,270 required for the main Minister of Religion applicant where the main applicant is required to satisfy the financial requirement.

The required funds can be held collectively by specified family members and must normally be held for the required 28-day period.

Alternatively, the Minister of Religion’s A-rated sponsor can certify maintenance for eligible dependants as well as the main applicant.

Work and Study Rights for Dependants

A partner or child granted permission as a dependant can generally work, including on a self-employed basis, except as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.

Study is also permitted, subject to ATAS where applicable for a dependant aged over 18.

Dependants do not have access to public funds.

How Long Will Dependants Be Granted Permission?

A dependent partner will generally be granted permission ending on the same date as the Minister of Religion’s permission.

A child’s permission will generally end on the same date as the earlier-expiring permission of their parents, subject to the provisions that apply where both parents have or are being granted settlement or British citizenship.

A dependant’s permission does not automatically extend merely because the main Minister of Religion extends their visa. A separate dependant application will normally need to be made before the dependant’s existing permission expires.

16. Indefinite Leave to Remain as a T2 Minister of Religion

The Minister of Religion route can lead to indefinite leave to remain, also known as settlement.

A successful settlement application removes the time restriction on the individual’s permission to remain in the UK.

Five-Year Qualifying Period and Permitted Combination Routes

An applicant must have completed a continuous period of five years in the UK with qualifying immigration permission.

The five years do not have to consist solely of permission as a Minister of Religion.

Current Appendix T2 Minister of Religion permits qualifying time, or a combination of qualifying time, on the following routes:

• T2 Minister of Religion;
• International Sportsperson;
• Skilled Worker;
• Tier 1, other than Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur);
• Representative of an Overseas Business;
• Innovator Founder;
• Global Talent; and
• Scale-up.

Time spent as a dependant does not count towards the main applicant’s five-year qualifying period under these provisions.

Continuous Residence and Absences

The applicant must satisfy Appendix Continuous Residence.

As a general rule, this means that the applicant must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period during the qualifying period, although Appendix Continuous Residence contains specified exceptions for certain absences.

An applicant with substantial absences should therefore calculate their residence carefully rather than relying simply on a total number of days spent outside the UK over five years.

Continuing Sponsorship and Appropriate Pay

At the date of the settlement application, the sponsor from the applicant’s most recent Minister of Religion permission must remain approved to sponsor under the route.

The sponsor must confirm that:

• it continues to require the applicant to work for it for the foreseeable future; and
• the applicant is being paid, and will continue to be paid, the appropriate salary required under the Minister of Religion provisions.

For this route, the appropriate remuneration requirement is linked to the pay and conditions applicable under the Minister of Religion sponsorship rules rather than the general Skilled Worker settlement salary thresholds.

Life in the UK Requirement

Unless an exemption applies, the main Minister of Religion applicant must satisfy the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement, normally by passing the Life in the UK test.

Does the Main Minister of Religion Need a B1 English Test for ILR?

No separate fresh English language requirement is currently imposed on the main T2 Minister of Religion applicant by the settlement provisions in Appendix T2 Minister of Religion.

This is an important distinction from a number of other settlement routes.

The main applicant must satisfy the Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement, but Appendix T2 Minister of Religion does not currently impose an additional B1 or B2 English-language requirement on the main applicant at the settlement stage.

This should not be confused with the rules applying to dependent partners and relevant dependent children applying for settlement.

Settlement for Partners

A dependent partner will normally need to complete a continuous period of five years in the UK with permission as the dependent partner of the relevant Minister of Religion.

The partner must also satisfy the applicable continuous residence, relationship, English language and Knowledge of Life in the UK requirements unless an exemption applies.

Settlement for Children

A dependent child’s settlement position is different from that of a dependent partner.

The Minister of Religion Rules do not impose a separate five-year qualifying-period requirement on a dependent child. Instead, the child must satisfy the applicable relationship, care, age and independent-life requirements and the provisions concerning the main applicant’s settlement or settled status.

The child’s precise position should be checked carefully, particularly where only one parent is applying for settlement or where the child is aged 18 or over.

English Requirement for Dependants From 26 March 2027

A future-dated change is already contained in the Immigration Rules.

For a dependent partner or relevant dependent child applying for settlement before 26 March 2027, the required English level is currently B1 in speaking and listening, unless an exemption applies.

For applications made on or after 26 March 2027, the Rules currently provide for this requirement to rise to B2 in speaking and listening, again subject to the applicable exemptions.

Families approaching settlement around March 2027 should therefore consider the date of application carefully and check whether the Rules have changed again before applying.

17. Minister of Religion Visa Refusals and Administrative Review

A Minister of Religion application may be refused where UKVI concludes that one or more of the validity, suitability or eligibility requirements have not been met.

Common areas requiring careful analysis may include:

• whether the role genuinely falls within the Minister of Religion route;
• defects in the Certificate of Sponsorship;
• problems with English language evidence;
• failure to satisfy the financial requirement;
• Student switching restrictions;
• previous immigration-history or suitability issues;
• doubts as to whether the applicant genuinely intends or is able to perform the sponsored role; or
• sponsor-licence or sponsorship issues.

Appendix T2 Minister of Religion expressly provides for Administrative Review following refusal of an application for entry clearance or permission to stay, a settlement application and relevant dependant applications.

Administrative Review is primarily concerned with identifying caseworking errors in the decision. It is not simply an opportunity to make the original application again with a substantially different case.

Depending on the reason for refusal and the applicant’s immigration position, the appropriate strategy may instead involve making a fresh application.

In an appropriate case, Judicial Review may also need to be considered where there is an arguable public-law error that cannot adequately be resolved through the ordinary review process.

The correct remedy should be identified from the refusal decision itself, the immigration history, the evidence already before the Home Office and any relevant time limits.

18. Frequently Asked Questions: Minister of Religion Visa

What Is the T2 Minister of Religion Visa?

The T2 Minister of Religion Visa is a sponsored UK work route for individuals undertaking qualifying religious work. It is principally aimed at key leading or mainly pastoral roles within faith-based organisations and can include ministers, missionaries and members of religious orders. The route can lead to settlement after five qualifying years.

Who Can Qualify for a Minister of Religion Visa?

An applicant must be at least 18, have an eligible religious role and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an authorised sponsor, genuinely intend and be able to perform the role, satisfy the B2 English and financial requirements and meet the relevant validity and suitability requirements.

Can a Member of a Religious Order Use the Minister of Religion Route?

Yes. The Minister of Religion route expressly accommodates members of religious orders. However, the duties and circumstances must meet the relevant sponsorship requirements. Members of religious orders may in some circumstances also qualify under the Temporary Work – Religious Worker route, so correct route selection is important.

What Is the Difference Between a Minister of Religion Visa and a Religious Worker Visa?

The Minister of Religion route can be used for ministers, qualifying pastoral roles, missionaries and members of religious orders and can lead to settlement. The Religious Worker route is temporary, has a maximum stay of two years and does not lead directly to settlement. A minister of religion cannot be sponsored under the Religious Worker route.

Can I Switch From a Student Visa to a Minister of Religion Visa?

Potentially. A Student may switch from within the UK if they satisfy one of the specific Student-switching conditions in Appendix T2 Minister of Religion. These concern course completion, the start date of the sponsored role or, for qualifying PhD students, completion of at least 24 months of study before the sponsored employment start date.

What Level of English Is Required for a Minister of Religion Visa?

The main applicant must demonstrate English at CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Appendix English Language provides several ways of meeting this requirement, including certain nationalities, academic qualifications, previous successful applications and approved English language tests.

How Long Can I Stay in the UK on a Minister of Religion Visa?

Initial entry clearance is granted for up to three years and one month or up to 14 days after the sponsored employment period, whichever is shorter. Extensions are possible, but an in-country grant is subject to a six-year maximum that can also take account of time on specified other sponsored work routes.

Does the Minister of Religion Visa Lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain?

Yes. An applicant can potentially qualify for indefinite leave to remain after five continuous qualifying years. Time on certain other routes, including Skilled Worker, International Sportsperson, Global Talent, Innovator Founder and Scale-up, may be combined with Minister of Religion permission for the qualifying period.

Can My Partner and Children Come to the UK With Me?

Yes, eligible dependent partners and dependent children can apply. They must meet the applicable relationship, financial, suitability and other requirements. A child aged 18 or over may sometimes continue as a dependant if they were previously granted permission as a dependent child and are not leading an independent life.

What Can I Do if My Minister of Religion Visa Is Refused?

A refusal under Appendix T2 Minister of Religion can be eligible for Administrative Review. Depending on the nature of the refusal, a fresh application may sometimes be preferable. Judicial Review may also be relevant in an appropriate case involving an arguable public-law error. The refusal decision and immigration history should be reviewed before choosing a remedy.