The Consular Newsletter (February 02-08, 2026)

This week, Canada and France opened Greenland consulates, while three African states agreed to U.K. migrant returns after visa-penalty threats.

Every week, the Consular Newsletter updates consular officials, diplomats, migration lawyers, researchers, and travel industry professionals with the latest major news on consular affairs and diplomatic networks.

---

A. Announcements

• Your organization can sponsor this newsletter. Please feel free to contact the Center.

• Support consular research by becoming a Partner, Member, or Donor.

B. Video of the week

C. Consular affairs

Multiple continents

• Canada and France open Greenland consulates after Trump demands. BBC

• Chinese embassy in France says it is yet to receive notification from France on probe into alleged spying involving Chinese nationals. Global Times

• Icicles hang outside the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk. Reuters Connect

• Israeli bobsled team loses passports and ‘thousands of dollars’ in robbery before Milan Cortina Olympics. The Athletic

• Three African countries agree to UK migrant returns after visa penalty threat. BBC

• US Embassy in London denies visas to executives over minor offences. Financial Times

• US virtual embassy tells Americans to leave Iran ‘now’ amid increasing restrictions and risks. TRT World

Africa

• Algeria reassesses diaspora strategy in historic consular summit. APA News

Americas

• University to cover U.S. passport fee for qualifying students. Suny Cortland

• What it takes to get an H-1B visa in Trump’s America. Rest of World

Asia

• Indian High Commission warns employers against passport confiscation. Monitor

• Victim slams South Korean consulate for handling of assault in Japan. The Korea Herald

Europe

• Russia reverses decision to issue internal passports in Abkhazia. The Moscow Times

Middle East

• Saudi Arabia launches ‘camel passport project’ to regulate sector. Anadolu Agency

Oceania and Pacific Islands

• Stay tuned for next week's newsletter.

D. The diplomatic and consular networks database and rankings

• In diplomatic U-turn, Vilnius rues Taiwan de facto embassy row with Beijing. South China Morning Post

• Indian Consulate will open in Malaysia, bring our nations closer’: PM Modi. NDTV

• Starmer faces a hysterical backlash over new Chinese embassy. South China Morning Post

• Statement: Panama Consulate in Venezuela. Migración Panamá

E. Migration laws, regulations, and policies

A non-exhaustive selection

• Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter.

F. Passport, visas, and migration fraud

• Dutch benefits agency illegally obtained passport photos to investigate welfare fraud. NL Times

• Living in Ghaziabad but using Delhi address on passport? Cops might visit you soon. News18

• N.J. man admits using fake passport to steal from bank accounts. NJ

• NC students killed by driver who overstayed visa. The Carolina Journal

G. Honorary consuls and current jobs

• “Epstein” files, Pacolli proposed it and Hoxhaj appointed the Thai princess as Honorary Consul. KOHA

• Access jobs: link

H. Perspectives

• Canada and France set to establish diplomatic presence in Greenland amid Trump threats (by M.P. Seaman)

• Greenland: make America go away (by Joseph S. Furey)

• Guest post: an immigrant’s take on Nubank (by Andrew M. Dresner)

• How India is funding its place in the world (by Vanshika Saraf)

• It will take more than visa sanctions to stop European censorship of Americans (by John David Rosenthal)

• Japan’s immigration boom is real—even if it still avoids the word “immigrant” (by Mark Kennedy)

• Making your work legible, for hiring, funding, and visa! (by Atal Agarwal)

• My visa is about to expire.. what do I do? (by Clara immigration)

• Returning to Jay’s strange passport (by Jack Reid)

• The Italian diaries: a spring return (by Jamie Walsh)

• These Palestinian students have been accepted to Canadian universities. Canada won’t help them get here (by Rachel Gilmore)

• Trump’s designs on Greenland might be as much about out-manoeuvring the Canadians, as the Russians (by Ian Proud)

• USA: making friends at the San Diego Mexican consulate (by Sherry V. Chidwick)

I. Get daily news

• Bluesky, Facebook, KakaoTalk, Line, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Substack, Telegram, Threads, Viber, VK, WhatsApp, and X for consular affairs.

• LinkedIn for the diplomatic and consular networks database and rankings.

• LinkedIn for migration, laws, regulations, and policies (a non-exhaustive selection).

• LinkedIn for passports, visas, and migration fraud.

• LinkedIn for honorary consuls.

J. Supporting consular research

The Center warmly thanks its Partners, Members, and Donors for their support.

Incubating partner: Yonsei University

Country research partner: (AL) Albanian Institute for International Studies

Support consular research by becoming a Partner, Member, or Donor. Media professionals interested in contributing to The Diplomatic and Consular Networks Database and Rankings, please feel free to contact the Center.

---

The views expressed are solely those of the author(s), not of the Center.

---