The transfer program for international prisoners began in 1977 with bilateral prisoner transfer treaties between the United States and a few countries. Today, the United States has bilateral treaties with several countries and is party to two multinational conventions which provide the basis for allowing the transfer of prisoners from the imprisoning country to the home country. To see the current list of countries with which the United States has transfer treaties, please click here.
The rehabilitative benefits are numerous and include being able to get visits from family and friends, language issues, and reintegration into one’s own cultural environment.
The length of the person’s sentence remains the same, but it is carried out according to the laws of the receiving country.