The United States government has relaxed visa rules for temporary religious workers under the R-1 visa category, allowing them to apply for re-entry immediately after their visas expire. While affected workers will still be required to briefly leave the country at the end of their authorised stay, the new policy removes the mandatory one-year waiting period previously imposed after the five-year visa limit.
Under the old rules, religious workers including pastors, priests and imams were forced to remain outside the United States for at least 12 months before reapplying, a situation that often disrupted churches, mosques and other faith-based organisations. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the change was aimed at ensuring continuity in religious services, describing faith leaders as essential to the social and moral fabric of American communities.
The policy shift has been welcomed by religious groups, who say the previous restrictions placed undue strain on congregations and families. The development is also significant for Nigeria, which supplies a large number of religious workers to the United States each year, including Catholic priests and pastors from churches such as the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), many of whom are currently serving in US ministries.