Coventry Law Centre : Immigration advice : Information leaflets : Ministers of religion

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Ministers of religion

This leaflet explains what the Immigration Rules say about ministers of religion.

What is a minister of religion?

A minister of religion is a religious worker whose main duty is to lead a congregation in prayer and preach about their religious beliefs.

You must get entry clearance as a minister of religion before you travel to the United Kingdom.

How do I qualify as a minister of religion?

You must show that you have been working for at least one year as a minister of religion, or that you have been ordained after training for the ministry. The training must be at least one year full-time or two years part-time.

You must also show that you plan to work full time as a minister of religion in the UK and that you will not need help from public funds.

Can I extend my stay as a minister of religion?

You can apply to extend your stay if you satisfy these conditions:

you were given permission to enter the UK as a minister of religion;
you are still doing the work that you were granted entry clearance for;
your congregation still needs you; and
you have not asked for help from public funds, and you will not need to do so.

What are public funds?

If you come to live or stay in the United Kingdom, you must be able to support and accommodate yourself without claiming certain state benefits. These are:

Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA);
housing and homelessness assistance;
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit;
Working Families Tax Credit;
a social fund payment
Child Benefit, or
any disability allowance.

Can I change my job?

You cannot change your job without permission from the Home Office. The Home Office will only approve any change in your work as a minister of religion if you are still working as a minister of religion and you continue to meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.

How do I qualify to live in the United Kingdom permanently?

You can apply to live in the United Kingdom permanently if you satisfy these conditions::

you have worked in the United Kingdom as a minister of religion for four years continuously;
you have not asked for help from public funds; and
your congregation still needs you to work as a minister of religion.

How do I apply?

You will need to complete an application form. Applications (except those for asylum and work permits or under European Community law) will not be valid unless they are made on the appropriate application form. You can get application forms from the Coventry Law Centre.

To apply for further leave to remain, please use form FLR(O).

To apply for indefinite leave to remain, please use form SET(O).

If you are in any doubt as to which form you should use please telephone the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau on 0870 606 7766 or contact Coventry Law Centre.

You should send the completed form to the Home Office by post, before your permission to stay ends. The application form will give you details of all the documents you will need to send with your application and where you should send it.

If you need to travel urgently, you can apply in person at one of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's enquiry offices.

All documents should be originals unless you have a good reason why you cannot produce them with your application. Normally, photocopies will not be accepted.

What are the changes to the minister of religion category of the Immigration Rules?

From 23 August 2004 applicants wishing to come to the UK as ministers of religion will be required to provide an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate demonstrating their language skills at an appropriate level.

What is the IELTS?

IELTS is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. It is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is used as a language of communication. The tests are readily available at test centres around the world. The IELTS web site, www.ielts.org., contains up-to-date details of all the test centres.

Candidates are tested on listening, reading, writing and speaking. There are 9 bands ranging from Band1 - Non User to Band 9 - Expert User. Test results are valid for two years.

What level must ministers of religion achieve?

Initially applicants will need to show that they have achieved at least level 4 competence in spoken English in the test. This is defined as a "limited user. Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language." However the Home Office intend to raise the requirement to level 6 spoken and written English (competent user) after an interim period of two years.

What if the Applicant clearly speaks English but has not taken the IELTS test?

For persons with existing English skills, for example, those education in an English speaking nation, Entry Clearance Officers may apply discretion to allow entry where evidence is provided that an individual speaks competent English.

Are there any other changes?

Yes. From August 23 2004 appropriately qualified overseas persons, already in the UK in another capacity, will be able to 'switch' their immigration status in-country, with certain limitations, to become ministers of religion. These include that the Applicant is legally entitled to be in the UK; that they have been here not less than a year; and has either been working for at least one year as a minister of religion in any of the 5 years immediately prior to the date on which the application is made or, where ordination is prescribed by a religious faith as the sole means of entering the ministry, has been ordained as a minister of religion following at least one year's full-time or two years part-time training for the ministry.

Why have these changes been made?

The White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven", published in February 2002, explained a concern that those who come to the UK in order to take up a position as such, should be able to relate to the community in which they teach and work. It set out an intention, first, to allow appropriately qualified overseas persons already in the UK in another capacity to switch their status, in-country, to fill local vacancies as Ministers of Religion. Second, it said that the existing entry clearance arrangements, for those applying from overseas would be reviewed and that, in particular, applicants should be able to demonstrate an appropriate command of English.

Who will be affected by the changes?

The Immigration Rules apply equally to all faiths. All those seeking leave to enter or remain in the UK as ministers of religion will be expected to meet the requirements of the Rules.

What is entry clearance?

Entry clearance is a visa or entry clearance certificate that you are given so you can travel to the United Kingdom. You must apply for entry clearance to the British Embassy, High Commission or other British Diplomatic Missions (known as British Diplomatic Posts) in the country where you live.

You can get advice about which British Diplomatic Posts can issue entry clearance from any British Diplomatic Post abroad.

You can get guidance leaflets and information about visas from Coventry Law Centre.

Appeals

Coventry Law Centre offers free legal advice and representation.

The Law Centre will advise you about appealing and may represent you at the hearing. You can contact the Law Centre for an appeal appointment or telephone our free legal advice line on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10:00am and 12:00noon on 024 76253168.