One major problem faced by religious institutions and religious
workers is the fact that green card, or Permanent Resident Card,
processing times have increased significantly beyond the maximum 5
years a religious worker is allowed to remain in the US in R-1
Status before the worker has to return home for at least one year
before starting the R-1 cycle again.
However, there's good news. On January 14, 2026, the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an important change
that stands to significantly impact religious organizations and
their communities across the United States. The DHS has issued an
interim final rule that eliminates the previously mandated one-year
foreign residency requirement for thousands of religious
workers—priests, nuns, rabbis and other clergy—who have
historically faced prolonged wait times before returning to serve
in the United States. The move is a notable development in
immigration policy, blending legal, religious and
