Underthe special immigrant provisions, the INAdefines ministers of religion and religious workers as follows:
(C) an immigrant, and the immigrant's spouse and children if accompanying or following to join the immigrant,who -- 
(i) for at least 2 years immediately preceding the time of application foradmission, has been a member of areligious denomination having a bona fide nonprofit, religious organization in the UnitedStates;
(ii) seeks to enter the United States -- 
(I) solely for the purpose of carrying on the vocation of a minister of thatreligiousdenomination,
(II) before October 1, 2003, in order to work for the organization at the requestof the organization in aprofessional capacity in a religious vocation or occupation, or
(III) before October 1, 2003, in order to work for the organization (or a bona fide organization which is affiliatedwith the religious denomination and is exempt from taxation as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) ofthe Internal Revenue Code of 1986) at therequest of the organization in a religious vocation or occupation; and
(iii) has been carrying on such a vocation, professional work, or other workcontinuously for at least the 2-yearperiod described in clause (i); (5)
The regulations further define religious occupation as "an activity which relates to a traditional religious function." PDF version

	Legislation

Bills ( H.R. 2152 / S. 1580 ) to extend the religious worker provision through September 30, 2008, have been introduced in bothchambers. 2152 reported onSeptember 10, 2003, and the House passed H.R. 2152 on September 17, 2003. Although the extension of the religious worker provision has a broad base of support, efforts to make it a permanent immigration category have not succeeded. Some have criticized the religious worker provision as vulnerable to fraud.
A provision in immigration law that allows for the admission of immigrants to performreligious work is scheduledto sunset on September 30, 2003. Although the provision has a broad base of support, some have expressed concernthat the provision is vulnerable to fraud. The foreign religious worker must be a member of a religious denomination that has a bona fidenonprofit, religious organization in the United States, and musthave been in the religious vocation, professional work, or other religious work continuously for at least 2 years. Bills (H.R. 2152/S. 1580) to extend the religious worker provision through September 30, 2008, have been introduced in both chambers. The House passed H.R. 2152 onSeptember 17, 2003. This report will be updated as legislative activity warrants.