The Consular Newsletter (May 18-24, 2026)

This week, the United States steps up airport Ebola screening, while Israel weighs opening an embassy in Somaliland in a reciprocal move.

The essential news on consular affairs, diplomacy, migration, security, and travel for professionals and researchers / This week, the United States steps up airport Ebola screening, while Israel weighs opening an embassy in Somaliland in a reciprocal move.

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A. Announcements

• Do you have an analysis, essay, opinion, or story to share on consular affairs, diplomacy, migration, security, or travel? The Consular Magazine is open to all, from students to professionals and researchers.

• Media and research organizations can contribute to The Diplomatic and Consular Networks Database and Rankings.

B. Video of the week

C. Consular affairs

Multiple continents

• ‘Entry into the Kyrgyz Republic is closed’: US professor denied entry to Kyrgyzstan. The Diplomat

• 9 deportees from US arrive in Sierra Leone under third-country agreement. PBS News

• Ex-judges sound alarm about feds ‘micromanaging’ immigration courts. The New Bedford Light

• In Greenland, protesters denounce opening of bigger U.S. Consulate. The New York Times

• Iran to base World Cup camp in Mexico after switch from Arizona. Reuters

• Iran’s World Cup team arrives in Turkiye amid US visa uncertainty. Al Jazeera

• Iran-backed Kata’ib Hezbollah Commander charged in Toronto Consulate, synagogue attacks. The Medialine

• Iranian family detained for relative’s key role in 1979 US Embassy hostage crisis seeks release. Bozeman Daily Chronicle

• Nasir Ahmad Andisha: Taliban efforts to take control of Afghan consulates in Europe are concerning. Hasht-e Subh Daily

• Philippine consulate should be serving its people, not UC Berkeley. The Daily Californian

• The U.S. threatens to revoke the Palestinian U.N. ambassador’s visa. NPR

• US launches charm offensive in Greenland with chocolates and Trump caps. Euractiv

Africa

• Ghana authorities postpone evacuation of citizens from South Africa ova xenophobia afta number increase from 300 to 800. BBC

• Ghana High Commission denies abandoning man at OR Tambo Airport in evacuation row. Modern Ghana

Americas

• American tests positive for Ebola; U.S. to screen travelers at airports. The Washington Post

• Confusion and worry after abrupt change to Green Card process. The New York Times

• Kate Cassidy breaks down in tears after claiming TSA agent denied her passport because photo didn’t match her appearance. People

• More Americans inquiring about Canadian citizenship due to Bill C-3: Immigration lawyers. Global News

• Most people seeking green cards must now apply from outside US. BBC

• Trump’s face doesn’t belong on U.S. passport, senators tell Rubio. CNBC

• US to revoke passports over unpaid child support, warning issued to delinquent parents. Caribbean National Weekly

Asia

• Arrest of 69 Chinese workers alarms embassy. Philstar

• FIA warns citizens against obtaining multiple passports. Pakistan Today

• Official found dead at Indian Mission in Bangladesh, autopsy awaited. NDTV

• Tourist police join foreign networks to boost Pattaya safety. The Nation

Europe

• Europe’s visa backlog crisis: what’s really going on. TNT Magazine

• Greens candidate claims she was told to withdraw over student visa. BBC

Middle East

• ‘Except Israel’ to be reinstated in passports. The Daily Star

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

• Arab League condemns Somaliland’s plan to open embassy in occupied al-Quds. Press TV

• Chad: opening Consulate General in Benghazi marks a new step toward strengthening ties with Libya. The Libya Observer

• Foreign minister opens new Swiss embassy in Athens. SwissInfo

• Israel said weighing closure of Istanbul consulate, left empty for over 2 years. The Times of Israel

• Official reopening of the Haitian Embassy in Benin. Haiti Libre

• Rubio inaugurates new consular wing in New Delhi embassy for stricter visa screening ‘to protect US borders’. Firstpost

• Somaliland says it will open an Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel to reciprocate. Haaretz

F. Passport, visas, and migration fraud

• ‘Tali Shani’ passport used in Mike Ozekhome’s London property case was forged – Witness. Premium Times

• Attorney lifts veil on jay peak visa fraud recovery efforts. Law360

• Domino’s franchise banned from hiring migrant workers for 12 months after visa breach. New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

• Ex-staff say university fired them for raising visa concerns. Law360

• Six Nigerians arrested over alleged romance scams, visa overstays in Thailand. Peoples Gazette

• The modern passport has eliminated fraud, forgery, and heroes who can bend the rules to save lives. Reason

• Vance: DOJ probing Ilhan Omar for immigration fraud, sys ‘Something fishy’ in marriage allegations. VINnews

G. The passport and visa database and rankings

• Green Cards: USCIS Says H-1B Visa workers may not have to leave US to apply. Newsweek

• Thailand cuts visa-free stay period for more than 90 countries including UK. BBC

• More: TBA.

H. Consular jobs and internships

• Canada in Makati, Philippines / Consular Assistant (deadline: May 27)

• United Kingdom in Perth, Australia / Consular Services Officer (deadline: May 31)

• More: link.

I. Migration laws, regulations, and policies

• [Japan] 在留カード等読取アプリケーション／失効情報照会 サポートページ. MOJ / ISA

• [United States] U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will grant ‘Adjustment of status’ only in extraordinary circumstances. DHS / USCIS

• More: link.

J. Perspectives

• Adjustment of status versus immigrant visa processing: the role of temporary intent (by Robert Webber)

• America’s immigration shift: Green Card applicants may soon be forced to leave the U.S. (by GEA Talent)

• Are you an expat or an immigrant? (by Ellie is Based in Paris)

• Argentina: the passport everyone’s talking about (by Alessandro Palombo)

• Basic migration falls to the tens of thousands (by Fraser Nelson)

• H-1B visa workers are not undercutting US peers (by Yash Kumar Singhal)

• How Australia actually selects and integrates migrants (by Joseph Noel Walker)

• Inside the influence network of Iran’s diplomatic missions on X (by Factnameh)

• Inside the new immigration shockwave: what Trump’s reported Green Card policy shift could mean for millions (by The Allen Analysis)

• Passport applications and a furious ex-husband. What could go wrong? (by Shaunna Lee)

• The bank account as border checkpoint (by Steven Boardman)

• The Somali diaspora (by David Sean Rogers)

• The Vatican’s medals and the Iran diplomatic controversy (by Borgo Pio)

• The weight of a passport and the art of the side-step (by Dominus Owen Markham)

• Toward a better immigration court system (by Trinidad Raj)

• USCIS told people they have to leave the US for a green card. Is that true? (by Karen Crawford)

K. Get daily news

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

• 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.

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

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