Religious Worker visa (Temporary Work)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa Name	Religious Worker visa (Temporary Work)
Stay Duration	Up to 24 months
Visa Cost	£340 per applicant
Healthcare Surcharge	Usually £1,035 per year
Eligibility Timing	Apply up to 3 months before start
Processing Time	3 weeks outside UK; 8 weeks inside
Work Rights	Sponsored religious work; limited second jobs allowed
Study Rights	Allowed; some courses require ATAS certificate
Public Funds / Medicare	No access to public funds
Travel Facility	Enter up to 14 days before start
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family Sponsorship	Eligible partner and children can apply
Visa Record	eVisa (digital immigration status)

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Purpose & Overview

The Temporary Work - Religious Worker visa allows individuals to undertake religious work in the UK in a non-pastoral role or within a religious order. It replaces the previous T5 (Temporary Worker) Religious Worker visa. The work performed must directly relate to the sponsor organisation's work.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, you must:

• Be aged 18 or over at the time of application.
• Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number issued by an authorised UK sponsor.
• Ensure your job pays at least the National Minimum Wage and complies with UK working hours rules (applications will be refused otherwise).
• Have not held a Religious Worker or Charity Worker visa in the past 12 months, unless you can prove you were outside the UK for that entire period.

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

• A CoS is a unique electronic reference number provided by your licensed sponsor containing details of the role and your personal information.
• It remains valid for 3 months from the date of assignment.

Financial Requirements (Personal Savings)

• You must have at least £1,270 in personal savings available.
• Funds must have been held for at least 28 consecutive days, with Day 28 falling within 31 days of applying.
• Exemptions: You do not need to show proof of savings if:
  • You have been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months, or
  • Your employer certifies maintenance on your CoS up to £1,270 for your first month (completed under the ‘Additional data’ section).

Length of Stay & Entry

• Initial stay: Up to 24 months, or up to 28 days longer than the duration specified on your Certificate of Sponsorship (whichever is shorter).
• Entry timing: You may enter the UK up to 14 days before your job start date.
• Extensions: You can apply to extend your visa up to the maximum total stay of 24 months (or the CoS period plus 14 days, whichever is shorter).

Visa Costs & Surcharges

• Application fee: £340 per person (same fee whether applying inside or outside the UK).
• Immigration Health Surcharge: Usually £1,035 per year per person.
• Maintenance savings: £1,270 for the primary applicant, plus relevant funds for dependants.

Conditions & Rights

Permitted Activities

• Working for your sponsor in the job outlined on your CoS.
• Studying (an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate may be required for specific courses).
• Working a second job for up to 20 hours per week outside main job hours, provided the work is:
  • In the same sector and at the same level as your primary role, or
  • Listed on the Skilled Worker immigration salary list.
• Bringing eligible dependants (partner and children).

Prohibited Activities

• Accessing public funds.

Dependants (Partner and Children)

Eligible family members can apply to join or stay in the UK. If successful, their visas generally expire on the same date as the main applicant’s visa.

Eligible Dependants

• A spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner (must prove a recognised marriage/civil partnership, or at least 2 years of living together, or a 2-year relationship with ongoing commitment if living apart).
• Children under 18.
• Children over 18 who currently hold permission as your dependant.

Dependant Financial Requirements

Unless exempt (e.g., residing in the UK with a valid visa for 12+ months or covered by sponsor certification), the required funds held for 28 consecutive days are:

• Partner: £285
• First child: £315
• Each additional child: £200

Dependant Rights and Restrictions

• Permitted: Work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach), study, and travel abroad.
• Prohibited: Public funds and the State Pension.

Children Born in the UK

Children born in the UK do not automatically become British citizens. Parents must apply for the child’s dependant visa with a full UK birth certificate showing both parents' names if they plan to travel in and out of the UK.

Required Documents

• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number.
• Valid passport or accepted identity/nationality travel document.
• Proof of personal savings (e.g., bank statements), if required.
• Proof of relationship for accompanying dependants.
• Tuberculosis (TB) test results (if applying from a country where testing is mandatory).
• Certified translations for any documents not in English or Welsh.

How to Apply

Applying from Outside the UK

1. Submit the online visa application up to 3 months before your job's start date.
2. Prove your identity via the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app or attend an appointment at a visa application centre to provide biometric details (fingerprints and photo).
3. Dependants must complete separate applications (dependant partner / dependant child) using your Global Web Form (GWF) or Unique Application Number (UAN).

Extending or Switching Inside the UK

1. Apply online to extend prior to the expiry of your existing visa. You must make a new application if you change jobs or sponsors.
2. Dependants must extend or switch (dependant partner in UK / dependant child in UK) before their current leave expires. Dependants on a Student visa can only switch if they have completed their course or studied for a PhD for at least 24 months.
3. Provide biometrics via the ID check app or at a UKVCAS service point.

Decision Times

• Outside the UK: Usually within 3 weeks.
• Inside the UK: Usually within 8 weeks.
• Faster decisions may be available via priority processing services for an additional fee.
• Successful applicants receive an eVisa accessed via a UKVI account.

Important Travel Warning

If applying from inside the UK (extensions or switching), you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man while awaiting a decision. Doing so will result in your application being automatically withdrawn.