EB-4 Green Card

For Certain Special Immigrants

Overview

The fourth preference category is for special immigrants and includes the religious worker category. These “special immigrants” have a 10,000 annual visa limit. Ordained ministers, as well as other religious workers whose services are required by nonprofit religious or other qualifying organizations, can benefit.

Different types of special immigrants provided for under immigrant law are listed below:

• Religious Workers
• Broadcasters
• Iraqi/Afghan Translators
• Iraqis Who Have Assisted the United States
• International Organization Employees
• Physicians
• Armed Forces Members
• Panama Canal Zone Employees
• Retired NATO-6 employees
• Spouses and Children of Deceased NATO-6 employees

Requirements

To qualify under this category as a religious worker:

• You must be a member of a religious organization that has a non-profit religious unit in the U.S.
• You must have been working in the religious organization for at least two years before applying to the U.S. for immigration.
• You must be entering the U.S. to work in one of the following capacities:

o As a minister or priest of a religious organization.
o In a religious vocation or occupation for a religious organization that requires you to have a bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent.
o In a religious vocation or occupation for a religious organization or its non-profit affiliate. The term religious vocation refers to cantors, missionaries, religious instructors, etc.

Our office will prepare all relevant applications and petitions, advise our clients on gathering necessary documentation and other supporting evidence, file the case with the Department of Homeland Security, and attend to any follow-up work necessary to obtain permanent resident status.