ICC Note: The England and Wales branch of the missionary organization “Youth With A Mission” is facing the threat of losing over 350 workers and their families as British immigration offices have suspended the ministry’s visa sponsor status. Though YWAM initially erred in two areas that were audited, there was immediately a corrective action plan submitted to the government and the license was suspended for reasons unconnected to the original inspection. The UK Visas and Immigration offices could potentially revoke the license by January 20 and demand that the missionaries leave the country within a period of 60 days. In 2014 the UKVI revoked the licenses of two other faith-based organizations.
By Morgan Lee
01/06/2015 United Kingdom (Christianity Today) – The England and Wales office of YWAM (Youth With A Mission) may lose more than 350 missionaries and their families by April in the wake of British immigration officials suspending the ministry’s visa sponsor status.
“Whilst we recognize and support the [UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) office’s] legitimate right to concern over compliance to the rules, we do not feel that the issues raised in the letter from the UKVI justify such a draconian outcome as losing our license would produce,” wrote YWAM Harpenden in an “urgent request” sent Friday and highlighted by the Evangelical Alliance UK (EAUK).
Following a September audit related to the UK’s attempt to reduce immigration numbers, UKVI officials found that YWAM had erred in two out of the seven areas audited. While the missions organization says it “immediately” submitted a corrective action plan to the government, the UKVI warned that YWAM could be downgraded, limited in its visa sponsorship capacity, or lose its license over the errors.
On December 23, YWAM learned that its license had been suspended for 20 business days, for reasons unrelated to the initial inspection. Should the ministry prove unsuccessful at resolving concerns by January 20, the UKVI may revoke its license and require missionaries to leave the country within 60 days, YWAM stated. The ministry is asking supporters to write members of Parliament by tomorrow [January 7].
Mark Vening, a missionary at YWAM’s Wrexham office, told CT that YWAM had operated for 44 years “hand in glove” with the UK government. In fact, six years ago, YWAM and other Christian groups worked with the British government on a special provision which allowed religious nonprofits to issue two-year visas, rather than the standard one-year nonprofit visa, he said.
