S. 1298 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Apr 3, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExtends visas for religious workers
Right now, religious workers who come to the U.S. on a temporary visa can stay for up to five years. This bill would let the Department of Homeland Security extend that visa while the worker waits for their application to become a permanent resident to be reviewed and decided. Religious workers with pending applications would also get more job flexibility, like the ability to switch to a different employer, and wouldn't have to spend a year living outside the U.S. if their visa expired while they were here.
How it affects you
This change directly affects religious workers from other countries who are waiting for their permanent residency applications to be processed. Instead of having their temporary visa expire while they wait, they could stay in the country and potentially change jobs if needed. Most other Americans would not be directly affected by this policy.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Apr 3, 2025)
Religious Workforce Protection Act
This bill allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend the nonimmigrant visa status of certain religious workers.
Under current law, if specified conditions are met, nonimmigrant religious workers may receive a visa for a period not to exceed five years. The bill allows DHS to grant an extension until the individual’s application for adjustment of status to permanent resident or an immigrant visa has been processed and a decision has been made. To be eligible for the extension, the individual must be (1) the beneficiary of a certain type of immigrant petition, and (2) eligible for such immigrant status absent the application of certain numerical limitations.
Such individuals who have pending adjustment of status applications are also granted certain job flexibilities, such as the ability to change employers. Individuals who have previously departed the U.S. due to the expiration of their visa are exempt from the one-year foreign residence requirement to renew their visa.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 1298
A BILL
Religious Workforce Protection Act
Sponsor: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) · Introduced Apr 3, 2025 · Immigration · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 3, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.”
Sections
Sections · 4
- Sec. 1Short titleNo change
- Sec. 2Extension of nonimmigrant status for religious workers caught in long backlogs for lawful permanent residenceNo change
- Sec. 3Limited job flexibility for certain religious workers with long-delayed applications for lawful permanent residenceNo change
- Sec. 4Exemption to 1-year foreign residence requirement for certain nonimmigrant religious workersNo change