UK Religious Worker Visa Checklist — Documents, Fees & Eligibility
The Religious Worker visa is a Temporary Work visa for people doing religious work in a non-pastoral role or a religious order in the UK. It replaced the T5 (Temporary Worker) Religious Worker visa. This checklist sets out the sponsorship, savings, fee and document rules the Home Office publishes on gov.uk. Verified against gov.uk, October 2026.
What the visa is for
You can apply if you want to do religious work in a non-pastoral role or religious order and you meet the other eligibility requirements. The work you do in the UK must relate to your sponsor organisation's work. You must be 18 or over when you apply.
This route is not for pastoral work. If your role is pastoral, or your purpose does not fit this visa, check the other work routes on the Home Office site before applying.
The certificate of sponsorship
You must have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor before you can apply. Your sponsor issues a reference number, and the certificate is valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned to you — if you do not apply within that window, it expires and your sponsor must issue a new one.
Documents you must provide
- A valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality.
- Your certificate of sponsorship reference number, issued by your licensed sponsor.
- Proof you have enough personal savings — see the savings rule below (unless your sponsor certifies maintenance).
- A tuberculosis (TB) test result if you are applying from a country where the Home Office requires it.
- A certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh.
The savings rule
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account, and the money must have been available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must fall within 31 days of the date you apply. If your certificate of sponsorship says your sponsor will cover your first month's living costs ('sponsor certifies maintenance'), you do not need to show these savings.
Fees and the health surcharge
| Application fee | £340 per person (same inside or outside the UK) |
| Healthcare surcharge | usually £1,035 per year |
| Partner / children (dependants) | each pays the fee and surcharge, and shows extra savings: £285 for a partner, £315 for one child, £200 for each additional child |
How long you can stay, and applying
You'll get a visa to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months, or up to 28 days longer than the time on your certificate of sponsorship — whichever is relevant. You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job. You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work.
Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you'll usually get a decision within 3 weeks if you're outside the UK, or 8 weeks if you're inside the UK.
The one-year cooling-off rule
You cannot get a Religious Worker visa if you were given a Religious Worker or Charity Worker visa in the last year, unless you can prove you were outside the UK for the whole of that time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Religious Worker and Charity Worker visas?
Both are Temporary Work visas for non-pastoral roles. The Religious Worker visa covers religious work in a non-pastoral role or religious order; the Charity Worker visa covers voluntary charity work. The savings, fee and certificate-of-sponsorship mechanics are similar, but the sponsor and the work must match the route.
How long is the certificate of sponsorship valid?
Your certificate of sponsorship is valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned to you. You must apply within that window or your sponsor must issue a new one.
How much do I need to have saved, and for how long?
At least £1,270, held for at least 28 days in a row, with day 28 within 31 days of applying — unless your sponsor certifies that they will cover your first month's living costs.
Can I bring my partner and children, and how much does it cost?
Yes, dependants can join you. Each person pays the £340 application fee and the health surcharge, and you must show extra savings: £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each additional child.
What does 'non-pastoral role' mean?
It means religious work that is not pastoral — for example a role within a religious order rather than leading a congregation. The Home Office sets the definition, and your sponsor's work must relate to the role.
Can I apply again if I held this visa recently?
Not if you were given a Religious Worker or Charity Worker visa in the last year, unless you can prove you were outside the UK for the whole of that period.
Check any passport photo you need for the application against the rejection reasons guide and the passport photo checker, and browse the photo size chart. Full image guidance is in the at-home photo guide and the digital file requirements.
Source note: eligibility, the certificate of sponsorship rules, the £340 fee, the £1,035-a-year health surcharge, the £1,270 savings rule, the 24-month stay and the decision times are from the Home Office page gov.uk/religious-worker-visa and its eligibility and documents sub-pages (checked October 2026). Always confirm the current fee and requirements on gov.uk before applying.