Points are awarded as follows:

You need certificate of sponsorship (CoS) from a licenced sponsor to apply for Tier 2 Minister of Religion visa. If your prospective employers do not have the Tier 2 Minister of Religion sponsor licence, they can apply for the Tier 2 Minister of Religion sponsor licence.

Yes, an application for switching into Tier 2 Minister of Religion category, renewal/extension of Tier 2 Minister of Religion visa or ILR as Tier 2 Minister of Religion can be submitted through Same Day Visa Service (also known as premium service). We can provide Same Day Service for your application to be decided in one day.

You can prove your knowledge of English by either:

• passing an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening
• having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD

You may be able to meet the English language requirement in other ways or need a higher level of English in some circumstances.

You won’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of majority English speaking country.

For switching into Tier 2 Minister of Religion visa category from inside the UK, you must meet the Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) eligibility requirements and must already be in the UK under any of the following visas:

• Tier 1 visa
• Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa
• Tier 2 (General) visa
• Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa under the Immigration Rules in place before 6 April 2010 and you’re applying to change sponsor
• Tier 4 visa - if you have an eligible qualification
• a dependent partner of someone with a Tier 4 visa
• a representative of an overseas business

To apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as Tier 2 Minister of Religion, the applicant must have spent a continuous period of 5 years lawfully in the UK, of which the most recent period must have been spent with leave as a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) Migrant, in any combination of the following categories:

• as a Tier 1 Migrant, other than a Tier 1 (Post Study Work) Migrant or a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Migrant,
• as a Tier 2 (General) Migrant, a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) Migrant or a Tier 2 (Sportsperson) Migrant,
• as a Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) Migrant, provided the continuous period of 5 years spent lawfully in the UK includes a period of leave as:
  • a Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) Migrant granted under the Rules in place before 6 April 2010, or
  • a Work Permit Holder, provided that the work permit was granted because the applicant was the subject of an Intra-Company Transfer,
• as a Representative of an Overseas Business,
• as a Highly Skilled Migrant, or
• as a Work Permit Holder.

You should use application form SET (O) to apply for ILR as a Tier 2 Minister of Religion.

You can challenge the refusal of your application under Tier 2 Minister of Religion category by filing an Administrative Review (AR) against the Home Office UKVI decision to refuse your application.