Minister of Religion Visa Solicitors London
Long-term UK visa for pastors, imams, priests, missionaries and members of religious orders, with a route to settlement after five years.
Call 0207 100 2525 to speak to a specialist today. Available 24/7.
The Minister of Religion visa (T2) lets you come to the UK to work for a faith community as a minister, missionary or member of a religious order, for up to 3 years and 1 month at a time, and can lead to indefinite leave to remain after five years. You need a job offer from a UK faith organisation that holds a sponsor licence, a Certificate of Sponsorship, English at B2 level and at least £1,270 in savings.
Adam Bernard Solicitors is an SRA-regulated firm advising ministers and the churches, mosques, gurdwaras, temples, synagogues and religious orders that sponsor them, from our offices in High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London).
What is the Minister of Religion visa?
The Minister of Religion visa is a sponsored work visa under Appendix T2 Minister of Religion of the Immigration Rules for people whose main duties are religious and pastoral. It replaced the Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa in December 2020 and is open to all non-UK nationals, including EU, EEA and Swiss citizens arriving after 31 December 2020.
Typical roles include:
- Ministers of religion — pastors, priests, imams, rabbis, granthis, pujaris and others who lead worship, preach, perform rites such as weddings and funerals, and provide pastoral care to a congregation
- Missionaries — people sent by their faith organisation to carry out missionary work in the UK
- Members of religious orders — such as monks and nuns, where the role meets the definition of a minister of religion
The job must be a genuine role with a licensed sponsor, and it must not be mainly non-pastoral work such as cleaning, administration or teaching in a school.
Minister of Religion visa or Religious Worker visa?
Choose the Minister of Religion visa if the role is pastoral and you want to settle in the UK; choose the Religious Worker visa if the role is supporting or short-term. The two routes are often confused, and applying under the wrong one is a common reason for refusal.
| Minister of Religion (T2) | Religious Worker (Temporary Work) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of role | Pastoral: leading worship, preaching, rites, missionary work | Non-pastoral religious work or work within a religious order |
| Maximum single grant | 3 years 1 month | 24 months |
| Leads to ILR? | Yes, after 5 years | No |
| English requirement | B2 | None |
| Application fee (main applicant) | £819 outside UK / £943 inside UK | £340 |
| Maintenance funds | £1,270 | £1,270 |
If your role is not pastoral, see our Religious Worker visa solicitors page. For other short-term routes, see Temporary Worker visas.
Minister of Religion visa requirements
To qualify, you must be 18 or over, have a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed faith-based sponsor, speak English at B2 level and hold at least £1,270 in savings, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance. The GOV.UK eligibility rules also require:
- A genuine pastoral role with a UK faith organisation, as described on your Certificate of Sponsorship
- Pay of at least the National Minimum Wage, unless the role is lawfully exempt (for example, some members of religious orders who receive board and lodging instead of a salary). The sponsor must explain the legal basis for any exemption on the CoS
- UK working-hours rules must be followed, or the application will be refused
- Travel history for the last five years
- A tuberculosis (TB) test certificate if you are applying from a listed country
- Genuineness: the Home Office can refuse if it doubts the role is real or that you intend to do it
Certificate of Sponsorship and sponsor licences
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic record your UK sponsor assigns to you through the Home Office sponsorship system; you cannot apply without one. Its reference number can be used only once, and you must apply within three months of it being assigned.
The CoS confirms:
- your personal details
- the job title and a description of your religious duties
- start and end dates
- pay (or the legal basis for a minimum wage exemption) and working hours
- whether the sponsor certifies your maintenance
Mistakes on the CoS are one of the most common causes of refusal and cannot always be corrected after submission. Our solicitors check the CoS with the sponsor before it is assigned. More on the process: Certificate of Sponsorship.
For faith organisations: getting a sponsor licence
A church, mosque, gurdwara, temple or other faith organisation must hold a sponsor licence covering the Minister of Religion route before it can assign a CoS. The organisation must be a genuine religious institution, usually a registered charity or an established faith body, with named key personnel responsible for compliance. We handle sponsor licence applications for faith organisations and defend sponsor licence suspensions and revocations.
English language requirement
You must prove English at CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. This is higher than most work visas. According to GOV.UK, you can meet it with:
- a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider at B2
- a degree taught in English from a UK institution
- a degree taught in English from outside the UK, confirmed by Ecctis as equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher
- having already proved B2 English in a previous successful UK visa application
You are exempt if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country, including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.
Financial (maintenance) requirement
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days, with day 28 falling within 31 days of your application. You do not need to show these funds if:
- you have been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months, or
- your sponsor certifies maintenance on your CoS, agreeing to cover your costs for your first month up to £1,270
Change from 29 October 2026: where the minister is exempt from the National Minimum Wage because they receive no salary in the UK, the sponsor must also confirm it will maintain and accommodate the minister and any dependants for the whole period of their permission, not just the first month. Source: Statement of Changes HC 584 explanatory memorandum.
Minister of Religion visa fees and costs (2026)
The application fee is £819 per person from outside the UK and £943 per person to extend or switch inside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per person per year. Each dependant pays the same.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application, outside UK (per person) | £819 |
| Application, inside UK to extend or switch (per person) | £943 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (adult) | £1,035 per year |
| Priority service (inside UK, decision in 5 working days) | +£500 |
| Super priority (inside UK, decision by end of next working day) | +£1,000 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship | Paid by the sponsor |
Example: a minister applying from abroad for 3 years with no dependants pays £819 + £3,105 IHS = £3,924 in Home Office costs.
Sources: GOV.UK Minister of Religion visa; Immigration Health Surcharge.
How long the visa lasts and how long it takes
You can be granted up to 3 years and 1 month, or the end date on your CoS plus 14 days, whichever is shorter. You can apply up to three months before your job starts.
- Processing time: usually within 3 weeks for applications made outside the UK (GOV.UK)
- Extensions: you can extend from inside the UK if you are still doing the same role for the same sponsor and still meet the requirements
- No six-year cap from 29 October 2026: HC 584 removes the upper limit on the total time you can spend on the route, aligning it with other work routes
On approval you receive an eVisa, accessed through a UKVI account, rather than a physical vignette or BRP.
Can I get ILR on a Minister of Religion visa?
Yes. After five years’ continuous residence on the Minister of Religion route (or in combination with certain other work routes), you can apply for indefinite leave to remain. You must apply before your current visa expires and you will normally need to:
- still be required by your sponsor in a minister of religion role
- meet the continuous residence rules (no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period)
- pass the Life in the UK Test and meet the English requirement for settlement
- pay the ILR fee (currently £3,226)
The government has consulted on “earned settlement” proposals that could change the five-year qualifying period for work routes. Check the position before you plan your timeline. Our ILR and settlement solicitors can review your eligibility.
What you can and cannot do on this visa
You can:
- work for your sponsor in the role on your CoS
- take a second job in limited circumstances
- do voluntary work
- study, if it does not interfere with your sponsored role
- travel in and out of the UK
- bring your partner and children as dependants
You cannot:
- claim public funds
- change to a different role or sponsor without making a new application
Bringing your partner and children (dependants)
Your husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner (two years’ cohabitation) and children under 18 can apply as your dependants. A child over 18 can apply only if they are already in the UK as your dependant. Children aged 16 or over must live with you, be financially supported by you and not be married or have children of their own.
| Dependant | Funds required |
|---|---|
| Partner | £285 |
| First child | £315 |
| Each additional child | £200 |
Funds must be held for 28 consecutive days, unless your family has been in the UK for 12 months or your sponsor certifies maintenance. Each dependant pays the application fee and IHS. Source: GOV.UK partner and children.
Common reasons Minister of Religion visas are refused
- Wrong route: a non-pastoral role applied for as a minister of religion, or the reverse
- Errors on the Certificate of Sponsorship: wrong duties, dates, pay or missing maintenance certification
- Weak evidence of a genuine role: the Home Office doubts the congregation, the vacancy or the applicant’s religious background
- Sponsor compliance problems: the licence does not cover the route, or the sponsor is under investigation
- English or funds evidence that misses the exact rules: for example, a bank statement covering 27 days instead of 28
If your application has been refused, you may be able to apply for administrative review or, in limited cases, judicial review.
How Adam Bernard Solicitors can help
Our SRA-regulated immigration solicitors act for both ministers and the faith organisations that sponsor them. We can:
- confirm whether the role fits the Minister of Religion or Religious Worker route
- obtain or extend the sponsor licence for your church, mosque, gurdwara, temple or order
- check the CoS before it is assigned
- prepare the visa, extension and dependant applications
- plan the five-year route to ILR
- challenge refusals
We have advised over 15,000 clients in 15 years, from our offices in High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London), and offer free consultations by phone, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a free consultation.
Minister of Religion Visa FAQs
What is a T2 Minister of Religion visa?
It is a UK work visa for people offered a pastoral role with a faith organisation, such as a pastor, imam, priest or missionary. It lasts up to 3 years and 1 month, can be extended, and can lead to indefinite leave to remain after five years.
How much does a Minister of Religion visa cost in 2026?
The fee is £819 per person from outside the UK and £943 inside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per adult per year.
What English level do I need for a Minister of Religion visa?
B2 on the CEFR scale. You can prove it with an approved English test, a degree taught in English, or by being a national of a majority English-speaking country.
How much money do I need for a Minister of Religion visa?
£1,270 held for 28 consecutive days, plus £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each additional child, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance or you have been in the UK for 12 months.
Can I get ILR on a Minister of Religion visa?
Yes. You can usually apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years’ continuous residence on the route, if you still meet the requirements.
What is the difference between a Minister of Religion visa and a Religious Worker visa?
The Minister of Religion visa is for pastoral roles, lasts up to 3 years 1 month at a time and leads to settlement. The Religious Worker visa is for non-pastoral religious work, lasts up to 24 months and does not lead to settlement.
What changes to the Minister of Religion visa take effect on 29 October 2026?
Statement of Changes HC 584 removes the maximum time limit on the route, exempts members of religious orders from the “not mainly non-pastoral” requirement, and requires sponsors of unpaid ministers to confirm they will maintain and accommodate them and their dependants for the whole period of stay.
How long does a Minister of Religion visa take to process?
Usually around three weeks for applications made outside the UK. Priority (5 working days) and super priority (next working day) services are available for in-country applications.
Can a mosque, church or gurdwara sponsor a minister?
Yes, if it holds a sponsor licence covering the Minister of Religion route and is a genuine religious institution. It must assign a Certificate of Sponsorship for the role.
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