Citizenship and Religious Life

[SicutColumba]

I remember taking a road trip a long time ago and stopping at the convent of these sisters for a couple hours. I remember them being really nice and welcoming, and we stopped there again on our way back to Montana:

https://stgertrudes.org/
 

and looking at their vocations inquiry (besides the fact that it seems like they might prefer mature vocations to young ones) they require applicants to be US citizens or permanent residents. How common is this requirement in religious life? I totally understand the reasons for it, it’s not like you want to get deported in the middle of your novitiate, but is it common? Most convents I’m familiar with are European, and a good majority of them have sponsored visas for American inquirers. 

[truthfinder]

I think this depends on the specific community, their experience with international candidates, and how much external (legal) support they have (ie a lawyer able to guide them through the process). I know a Passionist community as well as at least one Carmelite monastery who explicitly said you needed citizenship. Also, I think it’s harder to make a case for a contemplative nun than an active one just because it’s easier to explain what the active one ‘does’. 

[Nunsuch]

This article doesn't specifically address the question being asked here, but it does talk about the number of religious and priests who are immigrants (as well as clergy from other denominations, but the focus is Catholic). It also talks about an organization called the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, which might be of help for citizens of other countries considering a vocation in the US.

https://www.globalsistersreport.org/news/trends-migration/almost-5000-immigrants-us-every-year-are-clergy-or-religious-56219

Edited August 11, 2021 by Nunsuch
added content

[Luigi]

Basically, religious life requires that one commit oneself totally to God, through the order or monastery. If a candidate has commitments to another country, it guess it could inhibit the total commitment some way or another. 

Now, I know do know of some people from other countries who have entered American monasteries or congregations, but I don't know what steps they took, legally, before entering. 

And every so often, you'll see a news blurb on a congregation or monastery's FB page noting that a member has just been made a US citizen. So it seems that some people do enter cross-nationally. 

[gloriana35]

It may differ greatly, according to each country, but I once belonged to a community (based in Italy) which had missionary Sisters in various nations. I can't speak for now, or for any particular country's laws, but those in active ministry who were not citizens of the nations where they served were granted the permission to work there, though only in institutions of their congregations or in religious works that involved Sisters. (Their stipends went to the congregation, so they weren't receiving a salary personally - if Sisters do, I don't know what implications there could be related to taxation.) 

I know that some congregations may have Sisters entering and serving in various countries - some had a central novitiate (i.e., Sisters who would be serving in other countries, often the one of which they were citizens, made novitiate in the generalate for the community.) This was common - I don't know what the arrangements would have been.

Edited August 13, 2021 by gloriana35
add content

[Dymphna]

I've been told by members of religous orders that visa requirements have been getting tighther in the last years, and this seems to concern visas for the US in particular. It's now even difficult to get a visa for a temporal stay in the US for a sister or brother, so I guess it may well be impossible for someone who wants to explore their vocation. So, the community may be just as willing to accept women from other countries as a community in Europe - but they simply can't.

[Luigi]

I've scouted around some. The US offers the R-1 Visa, Temporary Nonimmigrant Religious Workers. I used to know someone in a seminary who was in the US on an R-1 Visa; I suppose it would cover people entering religious congregations. But there may be other categories, too, such as a Student Visa, that could cover people entering religious life.  

Here is the Eligibility list. "You may be eligible to be classified as an R-1 nonimmigrant if you:

- Will be employed by a nonprofit religious organization in the United States (or a nonprofit organization which is affiliated with a religious organization in the United States);

- Have been a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide nonprofit religious organization in the United States for at least two years immediately before filing the petition;

- Will work in the United States in at least a part-time position (an average of at least 20 hours per week);

- Are a minister or will be working in a religious vocation or occupation;

- Will work for the employer who files the petition to classify you as a R-1 nonimmigrant; and

- Will not work in any other capacity except as a religious worker.

- More information on this classification is available on our R-1 Nonimmigrant page.

- Read our policy on R-1 adjudications in Volume 2, Part O, of the USCIS Policy Manual.

[Bonkira]

Being in the visa process with my spouse, it is incredibly difficult, very expensive, and the US has changed quite a bit of how they issue visas, even for religious. If a religious comes to the US on a non-religious visa, a change of status for that visa is very expensive and not guaranteed to be approved. So, a community and the aspirant would need to be able to cover the significant costs, the community would need to be able to prove the ability to provide ongoing financial support and prove the aspirant would not be a public charge, and more, including the services of a lawyer. It's not easy, and I wouldn't think too many communities could foot the $1000+ (really) cost for someone who may not stay.

[gloriana35]

I would doubt, in the situation which Bonkira describes, that the community would pay (at least, not for someone in formation.)