Digital Consular Services: Innovations and International Legal Standards

Abstract

This article examines the emerging field of digital consular services how consular operations of states are being transformed by digital technologies, such as online portals, biometrics, artificial intelligence and blockchain and assesses them against the backdrop of international legal standards. It reviews the innovations in consular service delivery, explores the challenges and risks (data protection, jurisdiction, diplomatic immunity, digital identity), and situates these developments within existing international legal frameworks (Vienna Conventions, e-governance norms, eIDAS, etc.). The article argues that in order to harness the potential of digital consular services effectively and lawfully, states must adapt both their domestic legal regimes and promote international cooperation to update legal standards. The article ends with recommendations for policy-makers and consular practitioners.