The Consular Newsletter (January 19-25, 2026)

This week, Western countries map consular plans for Greenland, while the U.K. clears China’s new London embassy with conditions.

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.

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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

• Indian officials slam Iran’s refusal to allow consular access to detained tanker crew. Baird Maritime

• Nuuk resident stages a daily protest in front of the US Consulate. The Associated Press

Americas

• Could Mexico be influencing America via their consulates? NewsRadio 740 KTRH

• Employee stranded abroad? Navigating U.S. visa delays and international remote work risks. The National Law Review

• State Department unjustifiably invokes “public charge” to freeze immigrant visa processing for 75 countries. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Asia

• Over 1,400 Indonesians left Cambodian scam groups in five days: Embassy. Barron’s

• Reported scam center survivors stranded as embassies struggle to help. Camboja News

Africa, Europe, Middle East, Oceania, and Pacific Islands

• Stay tuned for next week's newsletter.

D. The diplomatic and consular networks database and rankings

• Concerns grow over planned Chinese embassy in London, with close proximity to extensive fiber optic network. DCD

• South African Consulate signs 31K-SF lease at 805 Third Avenue. Commercial Observer

• Staff at Danish Embassy in Washington not prepared for what’s left outside. Newsweek

• Syria decides to reopen its Consulate General in Erbil. Kurdistan24

• UK approves China plan for new embassy in London subject to conditions. Reuters

E. Passports, visas, and migration fraud

• Minnesota fraud allegations put national spotlight on H-1B visa enforcement failures. The Dallas Express

• Pakistan, US mull joint operation against visa fraud. The Express Tribune

F. Honorary consuls and current jobs

• Peru terminates duties of Honorary Consuls in Pasto, Riga and Perth. Andina News Agency

• Access jobs: link

G. Perspectives

• How did Serbia avoid Trump’s immigrant-visa ban? (by Nicholas Kralev)

• I flew to New York City without my passport—and nade a new friend (by Chi-Jing Leow)

• If the US loses the AI race, blame immigration policy (by Rob May)

• Keep the expats far away (by Kate Van G)

• Keeping an eye on the embassy (by Tom Griffin)

• Labour is leaving Britain to pay the price for cosying up to Xi Jinping (by Esther Krakue)

• Let’s get rid of passports (by Tim Leunig)

• Liberia mpox outbreak prompts CDC travel notice (by Robert Herriman)

• London greenlights China’s massive embassy complex, Plus China casts itself as the guardian of globalization at Davos🙄-- China Boss News 1.23.26 (by Shannon Brandao)

• Morning call: immigrants welcome here? (by George Eaton)

• My Italy travel takeaways (by Trish Lambert)

• No. 121: stop listening to the diaspora (by ananya)

• On being Iranian in the diaspora while watching your people risk everything for change (by پرنیا)

• Strategy: do not carry passport after arrival - carry when moving to new location (by Andy Lee Graham)

• The diaspora is dead, long live the diaspora (by Adam Hummel)

• The diaspora stage: how Michael Brun’s Bayo Tour reconnected Haitian identity across continents (by Randy Paul)

• The ninth visa (by Howard Yu)

• The O-1 visa and OnlyFans: autonomy, risk, and extraordinary ability (by Lara Shemtob)

• To Greenland and back (by Lawrence Freedman)

• Trump’s policies towards trans people, explained (by Ozy Brennan)

H. Get daily news

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

• The diplomatic and consular networks database and rankings via LinkedIn.

• Passports, visas, and migration fraud via LinkedIn.

• Honorary consuls via LinkedIn.

I. 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.

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

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