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Consular services to citizens abroad: Insights from an international comparative study

Knowledge Platform

Consular services to citizens abroad: Insights from an international comparative study

This report explores the ways in which seven countries have organised their consular services for citizens residing or traveling abroad. The study, commissioned by the Netherlands House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer), identifies insights about how other countries have organised and implemented their consular services, and uses this as an opportunity to outline ways in which the Dutch can consider in improving the provision of these services to their citizens abroad. The insights relate to: policy and legal frameworks; the organisation of the consular network; travel advice and travel documents; and support to distressed citizens, such as those in crisis situations, those requiring acute medical support or repatriation, or those in detention. Taking into account the national contexts and policy frameworks of different countries that shape their engagement with citizens abroad, insights and possibilities in this context are understood as practices, experiences and ideas from other countries that could potentially be used in a meaningful exchange of views between the House of Representatives and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Even though the study does not seek to draw specific conclusions or make policy recommendations, its findings can contribute to a further improvement of consular services.

Date of Publication
Type of Resource
Target Audience
All
Author
Stijn Hoorens
Fook Nederveen
Tuure-Eerik Niemi
Victoria Jordan
Kate Cox
Marc Bentinck
Source / Publisher
RAND Europe
Language
English
Other
Other Language
Dutch
Geographic Scope
Country
Country
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK)
Workstream Output
No
Regional Review Process
No
GCM Objectives
Cross Cutting Theme
Whole-of-government approach
Status
Published

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).