Facing an extradition request, or concerned one may be coming? Our network includes a licensed lawyer in the country where it will be decided.
Direct answer: extradition is the formal legal process by which one country surrenders a person to another to face criminal charges or serve a sentence, governed by a bilateral treaty, a multilateral convention, or in some cases a broader regional framework. It can be challenged on several grounds — treaty scope, procedural defects, or human rights concerns — regardless of which two countries are involved.
Global Lawyers Link is an international legal referral and coordination network, not a law firm licensed in any single jurisdiction.
Our network includes licensed lawyers in the relevant jurisdiction for your matter, working together on strategy from day one. Representation before any court is always handled directly by the network lawyer admitted to practice there.
Nearly every extradition case turns on the same handful of building blocks, whichever two countries are involved.
Extradition is generally only possible where a bilateral treaty or multilateral convention exists between the two countries involved.
The alleged conduct generally must be a crime in both the requesting and the requested country.
Requests are typically routed through diplomatic or Ministry of Justice channels, supported by evidence or an underlying warrant.
An urgent provisional arrest can hold someone pending the full request, but only within a strict treaty deadline.
Extradition is not automatic just because a request has been filed. Several recognized grounds can prevent surrender.
Extradition law varies significantly between countries. For a detailed, country-specific breakdown, see the guide below.
Tell us the requesting and requested countries, and what document you have received. We will confirm what applies and bring in the right network lawyer — in confidence.
Extradition is a formal criminal justice process aimed at prosecution or sentencing; deportation is an immigration action, though the two can sometimes achieve a similar practical result.
Generally no — most countries require a treaty or an equivalent legal basis before they will extradite someone, though a small number can extradite case-by-case without one.
Some countries maintain a nationality bar that prevents extraditing their own citizens, though they may pursue domestic prosecution instead.
This varies enormously by country and complexity, but contested cases with appeals commonly take a year or more to resolve.
Tell us the countries involved, and any documents you have received. We will respond directly and confidentially, and bring in the right network lawyer if representation is needed.
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