An R-1 is a foreign national who is coming to the United States temporarily to be employed at least part time (average of at least 20 hours per week) by a non-profit religious organization in the United States (or an organization which is affiliated with the religious denomination in the United States) to work as a minister or in a religious vocation or occupation.
The requirements for the R-1 Visa including proving you are a member of a specific religious order; Chrisitan, Muslum, Jewish and other major faiths, to be considered. Additionally, or religious organization must have been in the U.S. at least 2 years before an application is filed.
This R-1 visa requires that full cooperation of the religious order you are a member of. They will file an I-129 petition for nonimmigrant worker on your behalf. That is because you will be working with them. Documentation is required from BOTH you, the religious worker, and your religious organization. Immigration officials will want to see financial documents and other supporting evidence by the religious organization, and diplomas and certificates from the religious worker.
I have filed many hundreds of R-1 Visa petitions on behalf of churches and religious organizations with great success. I represent religious organizations and make certain that the applications are approved. In the several decades that I have been filing these petitions for my clients, I have received a 100% R-1 Visa APPROVAL RATE.
USCIS, the organization responsible for this R-1 type of visa, allows the holder of this visa to remain in the U.S. for as much as 30 months or two and a half years. The good news, with proper documentation, additional extensions may also be granted for another two and a half years per extension. However, there is a limit of 5 years for total time in the United States.
With an R-1 Visa, spouses and children that are under 21 years of age and not married, can qualify for an R-2 Visa. This allows them to join you in the United States, and even attend school. They are not permitted to work on the R-2 Visa.