O Globo newspaper published lies about the UCKG
In a biased article, O Globo newspaper alleged the UCKG’s involvement in issuing fraudulent passports, but an official document from the U.S. embassy in Brazil reported that the church is abiding by the law and praises the institution’s organization.

On February 2nd, O Globo newspaper published an article in its website based on a study done by the U.S. Embassy in Brazil, alleging that the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God was involved in fraudulent visa petitions for its religious workers. In this report, the embassy highlights two paragraphs, addressed specifically towards UCKG missionaries with visas, emphasizing the organization and punctuality of the institution which keeps all of its members’ required documentation up to date.

The newspaper wrote a tendentious article, quoting only certain pieces of a message sent by the former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Clifford Sobel, misleading its readers to think that there are irregularities in the permanent residency of the UCKG’s missionaries residing in the United States.

The American embassy report, which is emphasized on the issuance of R1 type passports granted to UCKG missionaries, clarifies that even though a large number of visas were issued to members of the Church between the years 2003 and 2005, no irregularities were found. “Although at the time of the visa interview all Universal Church missionaries indicated they were only planning on staying in the U.S. for one year, none of them has left the country and all were still employed by the church in 2006 … Everyone we spoke to had a correct understanding of U.S. immigration laws regarding religious visas, such as the allowed period of stay, when and how the extension needed to be filed and when the church, if still requiring their services, would petition for their permanent residence in the U.S., “stated the report, which indicates that the UCKG missionaries residing in the U.S. are within the legal stay period granted by the embassy.

It also stated: “All of the above suggests that the Universal Church operations are extremely well organized and provide assistance to its members at all stages of the visa application process.”

According to Sobel, a call-back survey conducted by the embassy, of 100 R1 visas issued between 2003 and 2005, confirmed that 15% are fraudulent and 80% of those fraudulent cases were residents of the Brazilian state of Goias. The report also names all of the churches involved in these fraudulent cases, in which the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is not mentioned. The fraudulent cases usually refer to missionaries who remain illegally in the United States, even after their visa expires and, in some cases, no longer belong to the religious institution that sent them to that country.

Click here to view the full American Embassy report published in WikiLeaks

Inahiá Castro – Arca Universal