Serving a sentence abroad and considering a transfer closer to home? Our network includes a licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Direct answer: prisoner transfer is a separate legal process from extradition — it allows someone already convicted and sentenced abroad to serve the remainder of their sentence in their home country, usually under a bilateral treaty or a multilateral instrument such as the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. It generally requires the consent of the prisoner and both governments, and typically takes many months to arrange.
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.
Transfer treaties share a common structure, but the details — and the timelines — vary significantly between countries.
In most treaty frameworks, the prisoner, the sentencing state, and the receiving state must all agree before a transfer can proceed.
Many treaties set a minimum remaining sentence — commonly six to twelve months — below which a transfer will not be considered.
Some treaties let the receiving state simply continue enforcing the original sentence; others allow it to convert the sentence to a local equivalent.
Even straightforward applications commonly take six to eighteen months from request to actual transfer.
Not every sentenced prisoner qualifies, and a poorly prepared application is one of the most common reasons for delay or refusal.
Tell us what has happened and where. We will confirm what applies and bring in the right network lawyer — in confidence.
Yes — even where eligibility criteria are met, both the sentencing and receiving states typically retain discretion to refuse a transfer.
It depends on the treaty and model used — some frameworks continue enforcing the original sentence unchanged, while others allow the receiving state to convert it to a local equivalent.
In most systems a prisoner can initiate the request, though a properly prepared application — usually with legal assistance — is significantly more likely to succeed.
This varies by treaty; in many cases any pending appeal must be resolved, or formally waived, before a transfer can be completed.
Tell us what has happened, the country 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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