I need help with info: Religious visa for the United States

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Poor_Friars

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In the Name of the Lord, please help !
I need help from anyone who is or knows a foreign Catholic Priest or Religious Brother or Sister who has come to the US and managed to receive a
Religious visa for the United States.
I am Australian, and a friar who has lived the last 8 years in Italy. I have arrived here to the United States 4 days ago on a touristic visa “Visa Waiver Program” for 90 days, and have need for either a Religious visa, or Student visa (because the bishop here intends for me to continue my studies for Priesthood here).

If you have experience in this matter please write to me and tell me if it’s possible or what to avoid… I need some help.
Please help me, I need your advice !
 
I would imagine your diocese/order would need to be involved in the application for a Green Card

uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis might be a good place to start looking up the requirements.

One thing I’m pretty sure about is that while in the US on a visa-waiver you can’t change the terms of your residence while you’re there. You would have to leave US territory and re-enter under a different visa. Even applying for such a different visa while present under a tourist visa might put you in a tricky situation with the authorities. One should always apply for visas for entry in advance of any such entry.
 
You probably need to carry out an Adjustment of Status(AOS), however I am not sure you are allowed to carry out an adjustment of status if you enter on a visa waiver.

You need to talk to the USCIS

uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
National Customer Service Center (NCSC): 1-800-375-5283
 
DexUK said:
I would imagine your diocese/order would need to be involved in the application for a Green Card

uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis might be a good place to start looking up the requirements.

One thing I’m pretty sure about is that while in the US on a visa-waiver you can’t change the terms of your residence while you’re there. You would have to leave US territory and re-enter under a different visa. Even applying for such a different visa while present under a tourist visa might put you in a tricky situation with the authorities. One should always apply for visas for entry in advance of any such entry.
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He deosn’t need a greencard they are for immigrants, he is not immigrating he is just coming to the US to work as a religious. Religious work visas are much easier to get than a greencard, I know I have been trying to get my greencard for 10 months now. Religious worker visas are only supposed to take 6 months.

His problem is that he entered without a visa through the visa waiver program, there is a very good chance he will need to leave the country apply for his visa and wait for it to be granted then come back to the US. That is what he needs to get straightened out with the USCIS.

Alternative the diocese could employ the services of an immigration attorney to handle the process.
 
Thank you so much for your help…
Unfortunatly it seems that I will have to leave the country to then apply for the reiglious visa…
Do any of you know how long it takes to process a Religious visa successfully ?
 
Poor_Friars said:
In the Name of the Lord, please help !
I need help from anyone who is or knows a foreign Catholic Priest or Religious Brother or Sister who has come to the US and managed to receive a
Religious visa for the United States.
I am Australian, and a friar who has lived the last 8 years in Italy. I have arrived here to the United States 4 days ago on a touristic visa “Visa Waiver Program” for 90 days, and have need for either a Religious visa, or Student visa (because the bishop here intends for me to continue my studies for Priesthood here).

If you have experience in this matter please write to me and tell me if it’s possible or what to avoid… I need some help.
Please help me, I need your advice !
Click to expand...
I would say that you most definitely need to obtain help from your spiritual advisor and diocese with this one. Look into student visas first and find out if you can get a 180 day visa, so you are not constantly having to renew it

God Bless
Magdelaine1173
 
I found this:

“Petitions should be filed as soon as possible, but no more than 6 months before the proposed employment will begin or the extension of stay is required. If the petition is not submitted at least 45 days before the employment will begin, petition processing and subsequent visa issuance may not be completed before the alien’s services are required or previous employment authorization ends.” us-immigration-attorney.com/religious.htm

so sounds like your looking at around 45 days, in my experience though these times are changing week to week so best to call the USCIS and ask them for the current time frame.
 
You need to speak to your Bishop since he is the one who wants you to continue your studies here in the US. His diocese would be able to help you with all the paperwork necessary for you to be able to continue to stay in this country.

May God’s Peace, Love and Mercy be with you and to all!
 
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