Minister of Religion Visa
You can apply for a Minister of Religion visa (T2) if:
- you’ve been offered a job within a faith community (for example as a minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order) in the UK
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
Getting sponsored
You need to be employed by a licensed sponsor to apply to live in the UK.
Your sponsor checks that you can do the job they’re hiring you for and if it qualifies you for a visa. They’ll give you a certificate of sponsorship to prove this.
They must also give you other information you need when you apply, for example how much you’ll be paid.
How long it will take
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you’re due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
Application fee
How much you pay for a Minister of Religion visa (T2) depends on where you are.
Who you’re applying for Apply outside the UK Extend or switch in the UK
You £625 £719
All dependants £625 each person £719 each person
For more information on our Minister of Religion Visas, please get in contact where we would love to discuss further on how we could help you.
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Healthcare surcharge
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK
You’ll need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken – there’s no fee for this.
Get a faster decision on your application
If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.
You can pay an extra £800 for the super priority service to get a decision:
- by the end of the next working day after providing your biometric information if your appointment is on a weekday
- 2 working days after providing your biometric information if your appointment is at the weekend
Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.
Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.
How long you can stay
You can come to the UK with a Minister of Religion visa (T2) for a maximum of up to 3 years and 1 month, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.
You can apply to extend your stay.
After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
You must apply before your visa expires.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
- do a second job – in certain circumstances
- do voluntary work
- study as long as it does not interfere with the job you’re sponsored for
- travel abroad and return to the UK
- bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
You cannot:
- own more than 10% of your sponsor’s shares (unless you earn more than £159,600 a year)
- get public funds
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Get in Touch
With years of experience working in UK immigration and British nationality law, our advisors can help you understand the process and take the right steps to obtain your visa. Get in touch today.