Federal policy change for religious worker visas is good news for diocese

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

Foreign-born Worcester diocesan priests should be able to continue their ministries here, thanks to a federal rule that went into effect last Friday.

The updated policy removes the requirement that religious workers in the United States on R-1 visas reside outside the U.S. for a year when the visa’s five-year maximum period is up.

Six priests currently serving here are affected by the new rule, according to Father Hugo A. Cano, visa administrator for international priests and seminarians in the diocese. (Father Cano is St. Paul Cathedral’s rector and diocesan director of Hispanic/Latino Ministry.)

He said the new rule also affects one diocesan priest who had to leave the U.S. last year under the previous rule, who he thinks will try to return, and one religious priest, whose case Father Cano is not handling. He declined to name the priests publicly.

After five years on their first R-1 visas, each of the six Worcester diocesan priests will be required to return to their home countries and get their second R-1 visa from the U.S. embassy there. They might be required to submit or verify additional information, so getting visas might take a while. But, after obtaining them, they should be allowed to return to the Worcester diocese immediately, Father Cano said.

Next month the diocese will probably start working on the application process with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), in preparation for the priests’ visits to the embassies, he said.

The R-1 non-immigrant religious worker visas allow some religious workers outside the U.S. – such as Catholic priests and nuns – to legally enter the U.S. to serve their faith communities. These visas are initially granted for 2.5 years, with one possible renewal, allowing for a total of 5 years, so they can perform their ministries.

During that time, they can apply for employment-based EB-4 status so they can legally remain in the U.S. However, there is a significant backlog for such visas, as there is greater demand than the number of visas issued.

Father Cano said the R-1 visas of two of the Worcester diocesan priests expire in June, and the others expire later, the last ones in 2028.

These priests came into the United States not as immigrants, but as students who obtained F-1 temporary status so they could attend a seminary, he said, and the religious priest was ordained before coming here.

To keep the seminarians here after ordination, the diocese had to request that the new priests’ status be changed to R-1.

While future laws and other challenges cannot be predicted, Father Cano said the situation looks positive for the diocese’s priests to get their second R-1 visas. He said the diocese has not had significant problems getting priests’ first R-1 visas renewed when the 2.5-years were up.

He said the priests are also in the process of applying for their green cards, which will attest to the fact that they are lawful permanent residents in the U.S. “We are happy to know our priests so far are able” to continue their ministry, he said.

Asked if he has any requests of people in the diocese, he said it is always good to have prayers. He also noted that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sends out requests for contacting political leaders at crucial points.

OSV News contributed to this report.