The essential news on consular affairs, diplomacy, migration, security, and travel for professionals and researchers / This week, Japan eyes raising some tourist visa fees by more than 400 percent, while Manhattan consulates evacuate over tower collapse fears.
A. Announcements
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B. Video of the week
C. Consular affairs
Multiple continents
22 Iranian crew of US-interdicted tanker handed over to Iranian consulate in Karachi. Anadolu Agency
Award-winning Sudanese journalist says UK visa denial prevented him from attending ceremony. Anadolu Agency
Belgium issues visas to Taliban delegation for EU meeting. Reuters
DR Congo superfan denied US visa to support team at World Cup. Reuters
Death toll of Chinese citizens in Venezuela earthquakes rises to 9: Chinese embassy. Global Times
Embassy says 12 Indians among 13 killed in Qatar gas plant explosion. China Daily
EU targets Somalia with visa curbs as president pushes back on returns. Al Jazeera
France appears to consider freeing consular agent in exchange for journalist held in Algeria. Le Monde
Seafarer’s body returned from Venezuela with ‘missing’ organs; Indian embassy seeks probe. The Times of India
Syria approves deportation of detained German journalist Eva Michelmann after months in custody. The Syrian Observer
U.S. grants consular accreditation to Syrian Embassy in Washington. Syrian Arab News Agency
Africa
500 Malawians stranded in Joburg after repatriation buses lacked permits. GroundUp
Diplomatic facade? How a businessman’s claimed consular role sparked questions over Malawi’s oversight. Nyasa Times
FG secures release of six Nigerians detained in Côte d’Ivoire without trial. TheCable
Ghana High Commission urges citizens in South Africa to stay indoors. Modern Ghana
Kenya races to evacuate citizens as anti-immigrant tensions rise in South Africa ahead of June 30 ‘deadline’. Daily Nation
Second batch of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa arrives in Lagos. Channels
Uganda repatriates second batch of citizens from South Africa. The Whistler
Americas
Man serving life for Consulate murders dies in custody. KTSM
Mexican governor Esteban Villegas says his US visa has a yellow alert. El País
Ottawa reverses some orders for ‘lost Canadians’ to surrender certificates. Global News
Trump reveals new images of passport with his portrait to mark America’s 250th. The Washington Post
Venezuelan Canadians seek restored consular access as Canada weighs Caracas mission. New Canadian Media
Wisconsin dairy farms could gain new hiring option under visa changes. Wisconsin Public Radio
Asia
1 year in prison for gang member who forced 2 Thai women into prostitution in Hong Kong. South China Morning Post
20 months on, Assam withholds Bangladesh consular access amid crackdown. The Assam Tribune
Chinese Embassy in Thailand renews travel advisory, warning against risks in Thai-Myanmar border areas. Global Times
Japan says two nationals detained in China over alleged smuggling of export-controlled goods. TRT World
Japan to raise some tourist visa fees more than 400 percent. The New York Times
Passport is not a citizenship document: senior MEA official. The Hindu
Visa-free ‘dividends’: China drawing a boom in foreign visitors this summer. South China Morning Post
Europe
Italian passport becomes a safe haven for Britons after Brexit. Italianismo
Madness of the passport queues has got to stop. The Times
Why are there holiday delay warnings over the EU’s new border system? BBC
Middle East, Oceania, and Pacific Islands
Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter.
D. Honorary consuls
Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter.
E. The diplomatic and consular networks database and rankings
Canada opens consulate in Phoenix after more than decade-long hiatus. Arizona’s Family
This North Korean embassy is in a really odd location. CNN
The Syrian Embassy in Washington was granted consular accreditation. Syrian Future Movement
More: link
F. The passport and visa database and rankings
Billionaire sex-for-visa claim at WiseTech tests investor limits. Bloomberg
Canada subjects immigration language tests to greater scrutiny. CIC News
H-1B visas skyrocket despite Trump Admin crackdown. Newsweek
More: TBA
G. Passport, visas, and migration fraud
Hackers steal passport and driver’s license data of 3 million Texans. Malwarebytes
Kenya deports Somalia’s second deputy prime minister over alleged passport fraud. CNBC Africa
Thousands of immigrants got scammed by an attorney exploiting humanitarian visas, lawsuits say. The Associated Press
More: link
H. Migration laws, regulations, and policies
[Japan] 外国人が日本語や我が国の制度・ルール等を学習するプログラムの検討に関する「法務大臣政務官ＰＴ報告書」（令和８年７月）. MOJ / ISA
[Indonesia] Pengaktifan pengesahan gambar bagi permohoan eVisa vdr. MOHA / Immigration Department
[New Zealand] Group and tour escort visitor visa applications moving to enhanced Immigration Online. MBIE / Immigration
More: link.
I. Consular jobs and internships
[Job] France in Oran, Algeria / Agent Visas (deadline: July 13).
[Job] United Kingdom in Cairo, Egypt / Pro Consul (deadline: July 15).
[Job] United Kingdom in Perth, Australia / Consular Services Officer (deadline: July 26).
More: link
J. Perspectives
A new parliamentary position on remote work by holders of a “Visiteur” visa in France (by John B Howard)
Docket politics and the immigration courts: why mega masters are only new-ish (Part 2) (by Austin Kocher)
From visa drama to World Cup hero: the resurgence of Breel Embolo (by Fox in the Box FC)
Ghana demands justice after citizen killed in South Africa anti-migrant protests (by Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku)
How migration data shapes - and distorts - the UK debate (by Fraser Nelson)
Migrants : l’UE en mode « send them back » (by David Carretta, Christian Spillmann, and Oliver Grimm)
Minister Leitão Amaro blames left for migration pressure (by Portugal Decoded)
My upcoming Portuguese residency permit renewal (by Barbara Grassey)
Non-EU-citizen flying in or out of Europe this summer? Get ready to wait (by Dave Keating)
Passports: is the President’s office being demeaned? (by RN BHASKAR)
The Supreme Court’s birthright ctizenship ruling leaves Trump only hard choices (by Ilya Shapiro)
The World Cup of visas: beyond stories (by The Beauty of Movement)
Un tribunal italien rappelle qu’un signalement Schengen ne suffit pas à justifier un refus de visa (by Avv. Fabio Loscerbo)
Visa vie (by Tom Portsmouth)
What the diplomatic visa reveals about the colonizer’s playbook (by C.T. Luna)
While South Africa was debating borders, I was ovulating! (by Noluvuyo Gqadu)
K. Get daily news
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LinkedIn for consular jobs and internships.
LinkedIn for honorary consuls.
LinkedIn for migration, laws, regulations, and policies.
LinkedIn for passports, visas, and migration fraud.
LinkedIn for the diplomatic and consular networks database and rankings.
LinkedIn for the passport and visa database and rankings.
K. Partners
Incubating partner: Yonsei University. Country research partner for The Diplomatic and Consular Networks Database and Rankings: (Albania) Albanian Institute for International Studies.
The views expressed are solely those of the author(s), not of the Center.
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