By Parviz Malakouti-Fitzgerald, Esq.
Emergency evacuation from a danger zone is an option you want - preferably unexercised
How much diplomatic juice can you harness to help you out when you're abroad?
Additional access to consular assistance and diplomatic networks are not often discussed as a benefit of multiple citizenship, but it's important as American citizens trapped in Gaza understand well.
I see about 14 important types of "formal" consular assistance you may be able to get from your country(s) of citizenship while you are in a foreign country.
1. Passport Issuance or Renewal from Abroad
2. Issuance of Emergency Passport or Travel Document
3. Visit & Legal Assistance if You're Detained or on House Arrest (VCCR Art. 36)
4. Emergency Evacuation from Danger Zones
5. Business Development - Economic Liaison
6. Help from Local Honorary Consuls in the Country
7. Authentication of Documents (Apostilles)
8. Registration of Birth, Marriage, Life Events Abroad
9. Liaison with Consulates of Related Countries (UK Commonwealth, EU, etc.)
10. Child Abduction Assistance
11. Registration with Consulate for Safety Alerts
12. Return of Remains of U.S. Citizen to the U.S.
13. Local Social Introductions at Consular Events
14. Pressure on Foreign Police or Judiciary or Prisoner Swap (such as the Brittney Griner - Viktor Bout swap)
An "informal" type of assistance would be if you are connected and therefore attract the personal attention of an ambassador or other high level foreign affairs ministry official to pull strings for you.
Obviously all of the benefits above are not offered by all consulates of every country. Some consulates are better than others, and some countries are more helpful to their citizens than others. As usual in dealing with bureaucracies, your chances of getting meaningful help depend on finding someone in the office who takes "ownership" of your issue and has the power to act on it.
In other words, make a friend in the office quickly.
The United Kingdom has an extensive consular network born of a history of expansive empire
Also, some consular assistance needs can be served, in theory, by ANY country of citizenship (such as benefit 4) whereas others assistance needs can only be served by PARTICULAR countries (such as benefit 7 because a certain country can usually only authenticate its own documents).
I see four types of assistance as being more important than others due to the value and frequency need of these types of help:
1. Issuance of Emergency Passport or Travel Document
2. Visit & Legal Assistance if You're Detained (VCCR Art. 36)
3. Emergency Evacuation from Danger Zones
4. Registration of Birth, Marriage Abroad
People either need these four benefits either often (benefits 1 & 4 above) or critically (benefits 2 & 3 above).
Having more citizenships means you have access to more countries' consulates and diplomatic networks to help you.
Having two citizenships means you have likely two consulates in a foreign capital city to help you. Having three citizenships likely means you have three consulates to help you, and so on.