HomeWhat Happens If the US Requests Extradition From Dubai?
Since the UAE and the United States have no bilateral extradition treaty, the process unfolds differently than it would with a treaty partner — here is what actually happens, step by step:
- The US submits a diplomatic request, not a treaty claim. Because there’s no treaty, the request goes through official diplomatic channels under the principle of reciprocity, governed by UAE’s Federal Law No. 39 of 2006 on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters. The UAE evaluates it case-by-case rather than applying pre-agreed treaty terms.
- An arrest can happen before extradition is decided. If there’s an active Interpol Red Notice or the UAE authorities act on the request directly, provisional detention can follow quickly — often before the underlying legal questions are resolved. This arrest is not the same as extradition itself; it simply starts the clock on judicial review.
- The outcome depends on which of these grounds apply. If none of the blocking conditions are met, the UAE can proceed with extradition. If any apply — especially UAE nationality, political character, or fair-trial/death penalty concerns — the request is likely to be refused or converted into a domestic prosecution instead.
- UAE courts test the request against several conditions. For the case to proceed toward actual extradition, all of the following generally need to hold:
- Dual criminality — the alleged conduct must be a crime under both US and UAE law, typically carrying a minimum sentence of at least one year.
- Not political in nature — UAE courts examine whether the request is connected to political persecution.
- No risk of an unfair trial or the death penalty — this can be grounds to block the request.
- Nationality — if the person holds UAE citizenship, extradition is legally barred under Federal Law No. 39 of 2006 under any circumstances; they would instead face domestic prosecution in the UAE if the US provides sufficient evidence.
In short: an arrest can happen fast, but extradition itself is a separate, contested judicial process — and there are concrete legal grounds a person facing this situation can raise to fight it at each stage.
