If a UK mosque, church, gurdwara or temple wants to employ you to lead worship and preach, the route is the Minister of Religion visa (T2). If the role is non-pastoral, or you are joining a religious order, the Religious Worker visa (Temporary Work) may fit instead. Both need a job with a Home Office-licensed sponsor and a certificate of sponsorship (CoS), and only the Minister of Religion route can lead to settlement.
Imams and other religious workers from Pakistan are a real part of this route’s applicants, so this guide focuses on getting the right route and the right documents.
Which route fits your role?
Home Office sponsor guidance draws the line at pastoral duties. The Minister of Religion route is for mainly pastoral roles, which includes preaching and pastoral work, as well as missionaries and members of religious orders. The Religious Worker route is for supporting the activities of a religious institution, such as non-pastoral placements or work in a religious order, and must not include the core duties of a minister: leading a congregation in the rites of the faith and preaching the essentials of the creed.
In practice, an imam who will lead daily prayers and deliver the Friday sermon needs the Minister of Religion visa. Someone coming to support a religious institution without leading the congregation may fit the Religious Worker route.
| Minister of Religion (T2) | Religious Worker (Temporary Work) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical roles | Leading worship, preaching, pastoral care, missionaries, members of religious orders | Non-pastoral roles and religious orders; no leading the congregation |
| Length of visa | Up to 3 years and 1 month (or CoS period plus 14 days, if shorter); can be extended | Up to 24 months (or 28 days more than the CoS period) |
| English | CEFR B2, unless exempt | No English requirement listed on GOV.UK |
| Fee (from outside the UK) | £819 per person | £340 per person |
| Settlement | Possible after 5 years | No |
| Family | Partner and children can come | Partner and children can come |
Fees and figures are from GOV.UK at the time of writing: see the Minister of Religion and Religious Worker pages. Our Religious Worker visa guide covers that route in more depth.
What both routes need
- A CoS from a licensed sponsor, used within 3 months of being assigned.
- At least £1,270 in your bank account for 28 days in a row, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS. Family members need £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each other child.
- The immigration health surcharge, usually £1,035 a year per person.
- A TB certificate from a Home Office-approved clinic, because you are coming from Pakistan for more than 6 months.
- Being 18 or over, and pay of at least the UK minimum wage.
For the Minister of Religion route you also show your travel history over the last 5 years. For the Religious Worker route, you usually cannot get the visa if you held a Religious Worker or Charity Worker visa in the last year, unless you were outside the UK for the whole of that time.
The sponsor’s side
The mosque or organisation must hold a sponsor licence and must pay the CoS fee itself. GOV.UK says a sponsor’s licence may be revoked if it asks the sponsored worker to pay the fee or any costs linked to its application. If a committee member or agent asks you for money “for the CoS”, stop and get advice.
English: plan for B2
The Minister of Religion visa needs English at B2. You can prove it with a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider, or with a degree taught in English (a Pakistani degree needs an Ecctis assessment). Most qualifications from religious seminaries in Pakistan are not taught in English, so they will usually not help here; plan for a test. See our English requirements guide.
Common mistakes we see from Pakistan applications
- Wrong route. Applying as a Religious Worker for a role that includes leading prayers and preaching.
- Paying for the CoS. The sponsor must pay. A request for money is a red flag.
- Preparing for the wrong English level. B1 is not enough for a new Minister of Religion application.
- Funds deposited at the last minute. The £1,270 must be held for 28 consecutive days.
- Role description that doesn’t match experience. Keep evidence of your religious training and past roles, with certified translations of Urdu or Arabic certificates.
- Family documents not ready. Dependants need a registered nikahnama, NADRA Family Registration Certificate and birth certificates, each with a certified English translation.
Previously refused? Read common UK visa refusal reasons before reapplying.
Document checklist
- CoS reference number from your sponsor.
- Valid passport, plus expired passports for your travel history.
- English evidence (Minister of Religion route).
- Bank statements covering 28 days, unless the sponsor certifies maintenance.
- TB certificate from an approved clinic.
- Certified translations of any document not in English.
FAQ
Can an imam from Pakistan get a UK visa?
Yes, through the Minister of Religion visa, if a licensed UK sponsor offers a genuine pastoral role and you meet the English, funds and other requirements.
Do I need IELTS?
For the Minister of Religion route you need B2 English, usually through an approved test such as IELTS for UKVI. GOV.UK does not list an English requirement for the Religious Worker route.
Does the Religious Worker visa lead to settlement?
No. It is a temporary route of up to 2 years. Only the Minister of Religion route can lead to settlement, after 5 years, subject to the rules at the time.
Can my wife and children come with me?
Yes, on both routes, if they meet the relationship and funds requirements.
Applying from Pakistan? Send us a few lines about your case and we will tell you which route fits and what to prepare.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules and fees change; check GOV.UK before you apply.