Bishop's Visa Denial A
Misunderstanding
A press release by the
U.S. Embassy in Costa
Rica informs that
monseñor Ángel
Sancasimiro and two
other bishops were never
denied a visa to travel
to the United States and
that the Embassy bases
its visa requirements on
established regulations
and not on the political
situation in the country
where the Embassy is
located.
"The Bishops were not
denied a U.S. visa. They
were asked to provide
additional information
on the nature of their
visit, as it is not the
same a travelling as a
tourist than for
representation of Costa
Rica, to which the
Consular section has
specific procedures.
It is not true that the
Bishops were denied a
visa, all that was asked
is for more details on
their reasons for their
trip as it is required
under U.S. law", said
the press statement.
Apparently it was all a
misunderstanding.
According to the curate
general of the San José
archdiosis, Guid
Villalta and the press
director of the
Conferencia Episcopal de
Costa Rica, Glenn Gómez,
said that the Bishops
already have a visa to
the U.S.
"What happened is that
the Bishops were
obtaining new passports
and the person in charge
of the Departamento
Jurídico de la
Conferencia believed it
to be more convenient to
have the visa
transferred to the new
passports.
However, the U.S.
Consulate requires, from
everyone to have a
specifica travel date
when requesting a
transfer of the visa to
a new passport", said
Gómez.
Gómez added that the
Bishops are not planning
any travel and that the
U.S. government has
never refused them a
visa.
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