Minister of Religion (T2) Route

This Immigration category is for persons who have a leading role within their faith–based organisation or a religious order in the UK. Dependant spouses and dependant children under the age of 18 may also apply on the Minister of Religion (T2) route.

The Minister of Religion (T2) is a route to Settlement.

This article is a summary of the Minister of Religion (T2) Immigration route.

Validity requirements for a T2 Minister of Religion

• Applicants must comply with the following requirements for their applications to be valid:
• Visa applications should be submitted from abroad and Immigration application can be submitted from within the UK
• Pay the Application fees and the Immigration Health Charge
• Supply their biometrics at a Biometric Appointment
• Provide their Passport or travel document which establishes their identity and nationality
• They must have been issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship – which must have been issued no earlier than 3 months at the date of the application
• They should be aged 18 or above
• Those who have been sponsored by a government or International Scholarship agency within the 12 months before their application will need to obtain provide written consent from that Government or agency.

Validity requirements for a T2 Minister of Religion

Visa holders or Persons with permission to stay in the UK that are barred from submitting T2 Minister of Religion applications from within the UK include:

• Visitors
• Short – Term Students
• Parent of a Child Student
• Seasonal Workers
• Domestic Worker in a Private Household
• Persons with leave outside the Immigration Rules

Suitable Requirements for a T2 Minister of Religion

Persons who have an adverse Immigration history or are currently in breach of the Immigration rules or are on Immigration bail will have their applications automatically refused if they apply.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants applying from abroad must satisfy additional requirement noted below:

Entry requirement for a T2 Minister of Religion

• Applicants must apply for a visa under this category before arriving in the UK
• Applicants applying from certain countries are required to obtain a TB Certificate confirming that do not have tuberculosis.

Points Requirement for a T2 Minister of Religion

Applicants must be awarded 70 points from the table below.

Sponsorship requirements for a T2 Minister of Religion

Applicants must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the job they are planning to do (this a digital document and not an actual certificate).

This document contains details relating to the applicant, the Sponsor Licence, the CoS number and other relevant details that relate to the role being offered including but not limited to the duties and salary for the position being offered.

Requirements for the Sponsor (Employer)

• The sponsor must be authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the job in question under the T2 Minister of Religion route.
• The sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless the applicant was last granted permission as a T2 Minister of Religion and is applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in their last permission.

Genuineness requirement for a T2 Minister of Religion

The applicant must:

• genuinely intend, and be able, to undertake the role for which they are being sponsored; and
• not intend to undertake employment other than in the role for which they are being sponsored, or as otherwise permitted.

Financial requirement for a T2 Minister of Religion

• Applicants applying for permission to stay and who have been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, are deemed to meet this financial requirement.
• Applicants applying for a visa, or who have applied for permission to stay and have been living in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of their application must:
  • Have funds of at least £1,270 as specified under the Immigration rules

or

• Have an A-rated sponsor which confirms on the CoS that it will, if it is necessary, maintain and accommodate the Applicant till the end of their first month of employment for an amount of at least £1,270.

Applicants relying on their own funds, must have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period and must show funds as required under Appendix Finance.

English language requirement for a T2 Minister of Religion

1. Unless an exemption applies, the Applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of at least level B2.
2. The English Language requirement can be satisfied in a variety of ways specified under the Immigration Rules.

Further Reading:

Immigration Rules Appendix T2 Minister of Religion

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-t2-minister-of-religion

T2 Minister of Religion: caseworker guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t2-minister-of-religion-caseworker-guidance