As you know, knowing what you can and cannot do on a U.S. visa can be tricky. So today we’re here to discuss what you can and cannot do while on the R-1 visa so that you don’t violate the terms of your visa.
As background, religious workers who fulfill the eligibility requirements and complete the application process are granted an R-1 visa to work in the United States. The R1 visa is intended for religious workers who wish to serve in a religious organization in the United States for up to five years.
Furthermore, not all religious employees are permitted to work in these organizations in the United States. Only ministers and people directly involved in religious work are qualified. There are some things that you are allowed to do while on an R-1 visa and some things you are not allowed to do.
Things You Are Allowed To Do on an R-1 Visa
1. You are permitted to reside and work in the United States for the duration of your visa.
2. You can open bank accounts, obtain a driver’s license, and pursue educational possibilities so long as it is religious study incidental or related to your position. As a result, individuals can study part-time or full-time.
3. You can travel in and out of the United States, and the time spent outside the U.S. does not count toward your total visa time.
4. You can work part-time in religious roles in the United States and may work in other countries while traveling to the United States for a varied period of time to meet your work responsibilities. This means if you have an R-1 visa, you are not obligated to stay in the United States for the duration of your visa’s validity, but you may also work in other countries.
5. The spouse and unmarried children of an R-1 religious worker under the age of 21 may be eligible for R-2 categorization and may study full-time in the United States.
6. A person with R-1 visa status can stay in the United States for up to 5 years.
7. You can apply for green card status if you like. Because the R-1 visa is a dual-intent visa, an R-1 holder can apply for a variety of visas, including immigrant visas.
8. You can apply for non-immigrant visas such as H-1B and F-1, as well as employment-based immigration categories such as EB-2 and EB-3. As a result, the classification can be changed without regard for intent.
9. You can apply for a status extension or readmission under R-1 status for up to 30 months as long as your stay does not exceed 5 years.
10. If you have an R-1 Visa, you can obtain money for services rendered.
Things You Are Not Allowed To Do on an R-1 Visa
1. You may only be paid by the religious organization that granted you the status.
2. The spouse and unmarried children of an R-1 religious worker are not permitted to work.
The R-1 visa is ideal for people intending to pursue religious vocations or occupations. Religious workers who do not qualify for other visa categories may discover that the R-1 is appropriate for them. As you can tell, you are allowed to do various things while on the R-1 visa.
I hope you found this video helpful. Subscribe if this content or information helps you in any way, comment below if you want me to talk about something in specific, and share this resource because you never know who needs answers to these questions. I’ll see you in the next video.
