Friday 29 June 2007 - San José, Costa Rica

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.