Consular Protection and Assistance

he rising international migration phenomenon highlights the significance of consular assistance and protection for the protection of migrants’ rights. This entry argues that these institutions play a vital role in securing migrants’ rights in the host country, both in crisis situations and in daily life. It starts by providing a definition of the contemporary consular assistance and protection of migrants based on the relevant legal frameworks, such as the Global Compact for Migration, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and other international and regional norms, and international jurisprudence. It continues by exploring the changes that have occurred in the scope of protection (for example, its extension beyond citizens), the modalities of exercise – digital shift, and the nature of consular protection rights, which have evolved under the impact of international human rights law. It concludes by mentioning the future challenges and trends in consular protection, such as the evolving relationship between consular protection and human rights, the increasing inter-state consular cooperation agreements, the impact of the digital shifts in consular affairs, and the emergence of new actors – non-nationality states and international organizations – in providing consular assistance to migrants.