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What Prisoners And Families Can Do

Prisoners who are applying for transfer may be represented by an attorney but legal representation is not required.  Indeed, most applicants to the prisoner transfer program are not represented by an attorney.

Because of limitations imposed by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. §552a, the U.S. Department of Justice cannot provide information about individual prisoner transfer cases without a signed waiver of confidentiality from the prisoner.  To authorize the Department of Justice to discuss a case with an attorney, family member, or with others, including a Congressional representative, the prisoner needs to send a waiver to the IPTU.

Families are free to bring pertinent matters to the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice by writing to the IPTU at:

International Prisoner Transfer Unit
Office of International Affairs
Criminal Division
United States Department of Justice
1301 New York Avenue, NW
3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20530

Updated August 11, 2023