This subpart describes the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) procedures regarding its role in the transfer of offenders to foreign countries and the transfer of American offenders back to the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 4100, et seq., and applicable transfer treaties and conventions.

For the purpose of this subpart, the following definitions apply.

(a) Treaty nation. A country with which the United States has a transfer treaty relationship either through a bilateral treaty or a multilateral transfer convention.

(b) State prisoner. An inmate serving a sentence imposed in a court in one of the states of the United States, or in a territory or commonwealth of the United States.

(c) Departure institution. The Bureau of Prisons institution to which an eligible inmate is finally transferred for return to the country of which the inmate is a citizen or national.

(d) Admission institution. The Bureau of Prisons institution where a United States citizen or national-inmate is first received from a treaty nation.

The transfer treaties and conventions, as well as 18 U.S.C. 4100-4115, impose specific requirements that an inmate must satisfy in order to be returned to his or her country of citizenship or nationality.

Foreign national inmates will be notified about the International Prisoner Transfer Program and the procedures to follow to apply for transfer as follows:

(a) Through information provided in the institution's admission and orientation program; and

(b) Through individual notice given to an inmate who is a citizen or national of a treaty nation. The notice must:

(1) Reiterate the availability of the transfer program;

(2) Provide the inmate with an opportunity to inquire about transfer to the country of which the inmate is a citizen or national; and

(3) Inform the inmates of the procedures set forth in this part.

An inmate who is eligible for and desires to transfer to the country of which the inmate is a citizen or national for service of a sentence imposed in a United States Court must indicate the inmate's interest by completing and signing the appropriate form and giving it to Bureau staff for further processing.

The following is the process by which determinations are made on an inmate's request to be transferred to the country of which the inmate is a citizen or national to serve a sentence imposed in a United States Court.

(a) Warden's determination. Upon verifying that the inmate is eligible for transfer, the Warden forwards all relevant information, including a complete application package, to the Assistant Director, Correctional Programs Division, Central Office.

(b) Central Office and Department of Justice determination.

(1) The Assistant Director, Correctional Programs Division reviews the submitted material and forwards the application package to the Department of Justice for review.

(2) The Department of Justice notifies the inmate of the determinations made.

(a) Treaty nation determination. If the Department of Justice approves the transfer request, the treaty nation will be asked if it consents to the transfer of its citizen or national. The inmate will be informed of the determination made by the treaty nation.

(b) Transfer to departure institution. The Bureau and the Department of Justice will arrange for the inmate to be transferred to an appropriate departure institution.

(c) Consent verification hearing. If the treaty nation consents to the transfer, the United States will arrange a consent verification hearing for the prisoner as required by 18 U.S.C. 4107, 4108. This hearing is held before a U.S. Magistrate Judge or other judicial officer as specified in sections 4107 and 4108. The Bureau must ensure that the prisoner is available and present at the consent verification hearing.

(d) Transfer to departure institution and foreign retrieval of inmate. If the foreign national prisoner gives consent to transfer at the consent verification hearing, the Department of Justice will notify the treaty transfer nation.

The Bureau of Prisons may assume custody of a state prisoner who has been approved for transfer to a treaty nation for the purpose of facilitating the transfer to the treaty nation. Once the state prisoner has consented to the transfer at the consent verification hearing, the Bureau assumes custody of the prisoner. The state is not required to contract for the placement of the prisoner in federal custody, nor to reimburse the United States for the cost of confinement (as would ordinarily be required by 18 U.S.C. 5003).

The Bureau of Prisons is responsible for:

(a) Sending escorts to foreign countries to retrieve American national prisoners who have been approved for transfer to the United States and who have had their consent verified at the consent verification hearing specified in 18 U.S.C. 4108; and

(b) Making logistical arrangements for the transfer and coordinating with the United States Parole Commission for proceedings to determine how the sentence will be administered.