R-1 종교비자, 실사 받은 적 없는 교회도 급행신청 할 수 있다.

 

발표일시: 2023년 3월 2일

 

연방 이민국 (USCIS)은 종교비자신분 (R-1) 심사에서 필수적으로 실시해왔던 현장실사 (On-Site-Inspection)를 중단하기로 정책을 변경했다. 단, 이민법 규정에 대한 준수여부를 확인하기 위해 필요한 경우 무작위로 선별해 현장실사를 실시하기로 했다.

 

이민국은 지난 12년동안 종교계에 대한 현장실사를 실시한 결과 이민규정을 위반하는 사례가 크게 감소한 것으로 나타나 더 이상 필수요건으로 할 필요성이 없어졌다고 밝혔다. 하지만 앞으로도 종교계의 종교비자신분 (R-1) 신청에서 과거의 폐단을 없애고 이민규정에 대한 준수여부를 가리기 위해 필요한 경우 무작위 현장실사를 시행할 것이라고 덧붙였다.

 

종교계에 대한 현장실사가 필수요건에서 제외됨으로써 앞으로는 실사를 받은 적 없는 종교단체의 종교비자신분 신청에도 급행신청 (Premium Processing Service)이 허용된다. 따라서 과거 종교비자 (R-1 Visa), 종교신분 (R-1 Status), 종교이민 (EB-4)을 신청한 적이 없는 교회들도 급하게 목회자를 청빙해야 하는 경우 청원서 (Petition)에 대한 급행신청을 통해 빠른 시간내에 임용할 수 있게 됐다.

 

 

종교계 케이스에 이렇게 기쁜 소식은 일찍이 없었다!

- 스마트 이민정보 -

 

[이민국 공지사항]

 

March 2, 2023

Policy Alert

SUBJECT: On-Site Inspections for Religious Worker Petitions

 

Purpose

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding on-site inspections for special immigrant and nonimmigrant religious worker petitions.

 

Background

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows qualified noncitizens who will work for a bona fide nonprofit religious organization or affiliated organization solely as a minister or in a religious vocation or occupation to qualify as a special immigrant or to enter the United States temporarily under the R-1 nonimmigrant visa classification.

 

Regulations provide USCIS with authority to verify the evidence submitted with religious worker petitions through any means it determines appropriate, up to and including an on-site inspection of the petitioning organization before or after issuing a decision.2 In the recent past, USCIS has used this authority to conduct pre-approval compliance review on-site inspections on petitioners for religious workers.

 

To assess the efficacy of on-site inspections, USCIS conducted a large-scale review of the results of these inspections over the past 12 years. While pre-adjudicative religious worker site visits uncovered a significant decline in levels of non-compliance, USCIS has determined that conducting random onsite inspections to monitor compliance, coupled with the ability of an officer to refer religious worker petitions for a compliance review at any time during the application lifecycle, will add value and program efficiencies to the overall process and help ensure program integrity.

 

This guidance, contained in Volume 2 and Volume 6 of the Policy Manual, is controlling and supersedes any related prior guidance on the topic.

 

Policy Highlights 

• Clarifies that, as a matter of policy, USCIS no longer conducts mandatory pre-approval compliance review on-site inspections of all petitioners for religious workers.

• Explains that USCIS randomly selects religious worker petitions for compliance review on-site inspections, which normally occur after the approval of the petition, and which include inspections of the work locations to verify the religious worker’s work hours, compensation, and duties.

• Provides that USCIS may also conduct “for cause” inspections at any time in cases where there is suspected non-compliance with the terms of the religious worker petition or for fraud.

• Clarifies that, if applicable, USCIS may issue a request for evidence or notice of intent to deny based on the findings of a pre-adjudication inspection, or a notice of intent to revoke based on the findings of a post-adjudication inspection, and the petitioner will have an opportunity to respond. 

 

Summary of Changes

Affected Section: Volume 2 > Part O > Chapter 1 > Section B, Background

• Revises the last sentence.

Affected Section: Volume 2 > Part O > Chapter 3 > Section C, Verifications and Inspections

• Removes Subsection 1 (Pre-Approval Inspection) and Subsection 2 (Post-Approval Inspection).

• Makes minor technical and stylistic edits and adds paragraph at the end of Section C.

Affected Section: Volume 6 > Part H > Chapter 2 > Section A, General Requirements.

• Revises the last sentence.

Affected Section: Volume 6 > Part H > Chapter 2 > Section B > Subsection 3, Verification of Evidence

• Removes the two italicized subheadings (Pre-Approval Inspection and Post-Approval Inspection) and related content.

• Makes minor technical and stylistic edits and adds paragraph at the end of Subsection 3.

 

스마트 이민정보

Smart Immigration USA

 

** 상담 요청을 하시면 케이스 진행 안내문 (비용 관련 내용 포함)을 보내드립니다.

스마트이주공사

 

Smart Korean Consulting

 

The Sann Law Group,PC