The making of a suspicious bureaucrat: role-learning and decision-making at a Schengen visa consulate in West Africa

In the scholarly debate on Europe’s externalisation of migration management, the implementation of the Schengen visa policy in major migration-sending countries in West Africa remains relatively understudied. Drawing on the theoretical framework of street-level bureaucracy and employing a personal narrative approach, this article offers a reflective and analytical examination of the first-hand account of a consular officer based in Dakar, Senegal. Building upon the notion of suspicion previously identified in visa decision-making and migration policy implementation, the article interrogates the processes through which consular officers are socialised into their role and how they gradually cultivate a suspicious stance towards applicants. In doing so, it contributes to the literature by unpacking the various socialisation mechanisms at play and by distinguishing among the different sources and categories of suspicion.