Options for Coming to the U.S. as a M-ssionary

There are three major options for coming to the U.S. as a m-ssionary.   The simplest is the B-1 visa.  This is a visitors visa for people who want to come to the US for a temporary stay.   Normally, people come on a B visa for a short visit, but, it is possible, in some cases, to come on a B-1 visa as a m-ssionary for as long as a year.   And, it can be extended for at least one more year.  However, there are a number of restrictions and other aspects that can make this less than desirable.   The first is that it can be hard to get a B-1 m-ssionary visa.   You need to satisfy the officer at the consulate, and the officer at the border, that you are just coming for a temporary stay.   If they think that you might be thinking of staying, or that you don’t have enough ties to your home country, they may not let you have the visa or enter the U.S..   The second weakness is that you never know, when you request to be allowed to enter on a B-1 visa, how long you will be allowed to stay.   The third aspect is that you cannot work on a B-1 visa.   There are options for being supported, but you can’t be paid for services.

The second aspect is an R-1 R-ligious Worker Visa.   This allows a person to come to the US for up to five years to serve in a r-ligious position on behalf of a denomination of which he has already been a member for two years.   After he has completed the five years, he needs to stay outside of the US for one year before he can return.

The third possibility is an immigrant R-ligious Worker visa.   This allows a person to come to the US permanently to serve in a r-ligious position on behalf of a denomination of which he has already been a member for two years, and for which he has worked as a r-ligious worker for two years.   This position is somewhat in flux right now, and it is uncertain if it will continue to be available.

 

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