This rule proposes to amend U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations regarding the special immigrant and nonimmigrant religious worker visa classifications. This rule addresses concerns about the integrity of the religious worker program by proposing a petition requirement for religious organizations seeking to classify an alien as an immigrant or nonimmigrant religious worker. This rule also addresses an on-site inspection for religious organizations to ensure the legitimacy of petitioner organizations and employment offers made by such organizations. This rule also would clarify several substantive and procedural issues that have arisen since the religious worker category was created. This notice proposes new definitions that describe more clearly the regulatory requirements, and the proposed rule would add specific evidentiary requirements for petitioning employers and prospective religious workers. Finally, this rule also proposes to amend how USCIS regulations reference the sunset date, the statutory deadline by which special immigrant religious workers, other than ministers, must immigrate or adjust status to permanent residence, so that regular updates to the regulations are not required each time Congress extends the sunset date.
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