Minister of Religion visa (T2)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa Name	Minister of Religion visa (T2)
Purpose	Work in a UK faith community
Initial Stay	Up to 3 years, 1 month
Maximum Total Stay	Up to 6 years
Application Fee (Outside UK)	£819 per person
Application Fee (Inside UK)	£943 per person
Healthcare Surcharge	Mandatory additional fee
Processing Time (Outside UK)	Usually within 3 weeks
Processing Time (Inside UK)	Usually within 8 weeks
Work Rights	Sponsored role, voluntary, eligible second jobs
Study Rights	Permitted if sponsored job unaffected
Public Funds	No access allowed
Medicare / Healthcare	Paid via immigration healthcare surcharge
Travel Facility	Permitted to travel abroad
Family Sponsorship	Eligible partner and children allowed
Settlement (ILR)	Eligible after 5 years
Visa Record Format	Digital eVisa via UKVI

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Purpose & Overview

The Minister of Religion visa (T2) allows individuals to live and work in the UK if they have been offered a job within a faith community (such as a minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order) by a licensed sponsor.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, you must:

• Be aged 18 or over.
• Have a valid electronic Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number issued by a licensed UK sponsor. The CoS must be used within 3 months of receipt.
• Be paid at least the UK National Minimum Wage and adhere to UK working hour limits.
• Meet the knowledge of English requirement at CEFR level B2 (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) via:
  • A degree taught in English from a UK institution.
  • An overseas degree confirmed by Ecctis as equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and taught in English.
  • A Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider.
  • Nationality of an exempt majority English-speaking country.
• Satisfy the financial requirement: have at least £1,270 in personal savings held for at least 28 consecutive days (day 28 must fall within 31 days of applying), unless:
  • You have lived in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months, or
  • Your sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS under "Additional data."
• Provide valid tuberculosis (TB) test results if applying from a listed country.
• Provide proof of identity and travel history for the past 5 years.

Stay & Settlement

• Initial stay: Up to 3 years and 1 month, or the duration listed on the CoS plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.
• Extension: You may extend for up to 3 years (or CoS duration + 14 days), up to a maximum continuous stay of 6 years.
• Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain): You may be eligible to apply for permanent settlement after 5 continuous years on this visa.

Cost & Processing

Service	Applicant Fee	Dependant Fee (Each)
Apply outside UK	£819	£819
Extend or switch inside UK	£943	£943

• Immigration Healthcare Surcharge: Required for all applicants and dependants for each year of stay.
• Biometrics: Free of charge when applying to switch or extend inside the UK.
• Standard processing:
  • Outside UK: Usually within 3 weeks.
  • Inside UK: Usually within 8 weeks.
• Faster decisions (Inside UK):
  • Priority Service: £500 for a decision within 5 working days.
  • Super Priority Service: £1,000 for a decision by the end of next working day (weekday appointment) or 2 working days (weekend appointment).

Conditions & Rights

• Work: You must work for your sponsor in the role specified on your CoS. You may also do unpaid voluntary work.
• Second jobs: Permitted up to 20 hours per week if the job is either in the same profession as your main job or on the Skilled Worker immigration salary list. For other work, you must be sponsored by the second employer and apply for a new visa after starting with your first sponsor.
• Study: Allowed provided it does not interfere with your sponsored employment.
• Public funds: Not permitted.

Family Provisions (Dependants)

Eligible partners (married, civil partners, or 2 years cohabiting) and dependent children under 18 (or over 18 if already dependants) can join or remain in the UK.

• Dependant financial requirements:
  • £285 for a partner
  • £315 for the first child
  • £200 for each additional child
  • Funds must be held for 28 consecutive days unless the family has been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months or the sponsor certifies maintenance.
• Dependant rights: Can work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach) and study. Cannot access public funds.
• Children born in the UK: Do not automatically receive British citizenship; you must apply for their dependant visa if they travel outside the UK.

Switching Rules & Ineligibility

You cannot switch to this visa inside the UK if you hold permission as:

• A visitor or short-term student.
• A Parent of a Child Student.
• A Seasonal Worker or Domestic Worker.
• An individual on immigration bail or granted leave outside the immigration rules.

Student visa holders: May only switch if they have completed their course, have a start date after course completion, or have completed at least 24 months of full-time PhD study.

Documents Required

• Valid passport or national identity document.
• CoS reference number.
• Proof of English proficiency.
• Proof of personal savings (e.g., bank statements) or CoS maintenance certification.
• TB test certificate (if applicable).
• Travel history documents (including expired passports).
• Certified translations for any documents not in English or Welsh.

Application Process

1. Apply outside the UK: Submit an online application up to 3 months before your CoS start date, then attend a visa application centre for biometrics.
2. Extend or switch inside the UK: Submit an online application before your current visa expires, book a UKVCAS biometric appointment, and upload your documents.
3. Important Travel Warning: Do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man while an in-country extension or switch is pending; doing so automatically withdraws your application.
4. Visa Delivery: Successful applicants receive an eVisa linked to a UKVI digital account.