After assembling the documents required in support of extradition, the prosecutor should review them carefully to ensure that all names, dates, and charges mentioned in the affidavit and accompanying exhibits are consistent, and then forward the documents to OIA for review. Prosecutors should not execute affidavits, nor have witnesses do so, until the OIA attorney who covers the country approves the drafts.

Once the drafts have been approved by OIA, the prosecutor should forward the original(s) and an OIA-specified number of copies of the entire package to OIA. OIA can submit the package for translation on behalf of the prosecutor. Translations can take three weeks to complete, even for common languages. The cost of translating the extradition package will be billed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office or State prosecutor’s office requesting extradition. See JM 9-15.900. OIA secures the required certifications on the original extradition documents and transmits it to the Department of State.

[updated April 2018]