Dispatches
The Brief
Short, practical briefings on relocation, protocol and the daily mechanics of life on posting between the longer city guides.
13 Aug 2026 Buying before the posting is confirmed The exemption is tied to the accreditation, not the intention. Buying early can mean buying twice. Logistics 05 Aug 2026 The reciprocity rule Two missions can hold the same accreditation category and still receive different treatment. The difference is not status. It is what their two governments agreed to do for each other. Protocol 30 Jul 2026 The bank account problem The obstacle is rarely eligibility. It is timing, and which document a bank is willing to accept before the official one arrives. Using France as a worked example. Relocation 08 Jul 2026 Moving schools, keeping pace Curriculum continuity is the schooling question that matters most for families on a rotating posting. It rarely gets asked early enough. Relocation 02 Jul 2026 The two-year rule The VAT relief on a diplomatic vehicle is real. So is the condition attached to it. The two often get separated. Logistics 25 Jun 2026 Who decides your privileges Two people in the same mission can have very different immunities. Understanding why matters before you assume. Protocol 18 Jun 2026 Arriving without the card The status document takes weeks. The practical consequences start on day one. What to expect in the gap. Relocation 11 Jun 2026 The diplomatic lease clause It is not automatic, it is not guaranteed, and if it is not in the lease before you sign, it is very hard to add afterwards. Logistics 04 Jun 2026 The first week, in order A posting is confirmed and a hundred things need doing. A short argument for sequence over speed. Relocation 21 May 2026 Diplomatic plates, in plain terms What the green plates signal, what they don't, and why the relief is rarely as simple as it sounds. Logistics 12 May 2026 Two conventions worth knowing by name Privileges and immunities don't come from custom alone. A brief note on the documents underneath them. Protocol