What Is...
International Extradition?

International Extradition is the formal diplomatic legal process by which a country requests the assistance of another country in arresting and returning a person who is facing criminal charges in the first country but is now thought to be living in the second country. Extradition requests are generally authorized by extradition treaties between the two countries. Both the United Kingdom and the United States have extradition treaties with more than 100+ countries. The process of international extradition is regulated and conducted between their respective governments and the government of a foreign country.

The extradition process begins when the requesting country submits a formal request for extradition to either the United Kingdom’s Home Secretary or the United State’s Secretary of State. The request comes through diplomatic channels, often from the requesting country’s embassy in London or Washington, D.C.

The requesting country usually also requests that a provisional arrest be made by the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.K. Home Office, so that the fugitive remains in the relevant country pending extradition proceedings.

Fighting extradition from the United Kingdom or the United States can feel like an overwhelming and impossible task to overcome and accomplish. A defendant can considerably increase their chances of successfully fighting and winning their international extradition case, by engaging the support of Extradition Specialists who will utilize and share their specialized extradition expertise with your personal legal team, ensuring your defense put together and present the most compelling and relevant arguments to the court at every opportunity.