UK Religious Worker Visa (Temporary Work): Eligibility & Application

The UK Religious Worker Visa is a Temporary Work immigration route for overseas nationals who wish to come to the United Kingdom to undertake supporting religious duties in a non-pastoral capacity. It is designed for those who will work within a faith community or religious order in a supporting role, not as a pastoral leader of a congregation. The visa allows a stay of up to 24 months and is sponsored by a licensed UK faith organisation.

This route replaced the former T5 (Temporary Worker – Religious Worker) visa following the introduction of the UK's points-based immigration system. It is a temporary route that does not lead to settlement in the UK.

What Roles Qualify for the Religious Worker Visa?

This visa is for individuals undertaking religious work in a non-pastoral capacity. Eligible roles include:

• Working within a religious order — such as a monastery, convent, or other residential religious community.
• Undertaking missionary work that does not involve leading a congregation or preaching as its primary purpose.
• Providing administrative or organisational support to a religious institution in a way that is religious in nature (not general office administration).
• Assisting with religious services and ceremonies in a supporting, non-leading role.
• Undertaking religious work for a religious charity in a fieldwork capacity.

Roles that are primarily administrative, clerical, or general operational in nature — even if the employer is a faith organisation — do not qualify for this route. Those roles would need to be assessed under the Skilled Worker route if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Religious Worker Visa, you must:

• Be aged 18 or over.
• Have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a UK-based faith organisation that holds a Temporary Work Religious Worker sponsor licence from the Home Office.
• Be coming to the UK to carry out eligible religious work in a non-pastoral role.
• Have at least £1,270 in personal funds held for 28 consecutive days before your application, unless your A-rated sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS or you have held a valid UK visa for 12 or more months.
• Provide a TB test certificate if applying from a country on the Home Office's Appendix Tuberculosis list.

There is no English language requirement for the Religious Worker Visa. The role must be paid at least at National Minimum Wage levels unless it falls within a permitted unpaid exception.

Duration and Extensions

The Religious Worker Visa is granted for up to 24 months, or the period stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 28 days, whichever is shorter. Extensions are possible within the 24-month maximum, provided you continue to meet the eligibility requirements and remain with the same sponsor. You cannot extend beyond the 24-month overall cap. After reaching 24 months, you would need to leave the UK, and a 12-month cooling-off period applies before you can re-apply for entry on this route.

Switching into the Religious Worker Visa from another UK immigration category from inside the UK is not permitted. If you are in the UK on a different visa and wish to change to this route, you must leave and apply from outside the UK.

What You Can and Cannot Do

As a Religious Worker Visa holder, you may:

• Carry out the religious work described on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
• Undertake supplementary employment for up to 20 hours per week, either in a second role in the same sector and at the same level, or in a role on the Skilled Worker Immigration Salary List.
• Study in the UK alongside your sponsored role (an ATAS certificate may be required for some courses).
• Bring your partner and eligible dependent children to the UK — they may also be permitted to work.

You may not claim public funds. You may not undertake pastoral leadership roles — preaching and leading worship fall outside this visa's scope. You may not switch into a different visa category from within the UK.

Sponsoring Organisations: What They Need

UK faith organisations that wish to sponsor workers under this route must hold a valid Temporary Work Religious Worker sponsor licence from the Home Office. This is a separate licence from the T2 Minister of Religion sponsor licence. Sponsors must meet standard compliance obligations: appointing key personnel, maintaining Appendix D records, and reporting relevant changes through the Sponsor Management System. See the GOV.UK sponsor guidance for full detail.