---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 955"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "955"
heading: "Prisoners transferred to or from foreign countries"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/955"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 48 — Military Correctional Facilities"
---

# §955. Prisoners transferred to or from foreign countries

- (a) When a treaty is in effect between the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) and a foreign country providing for the transfer of convicted offenders, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may, with the concurrence of the Attorney General, transfer to such foreign country any offender against [chapter 47](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch47.md) of this title. Such transfer shall be effected subject to the terms of such treaty and chapter 306 of title 18.
- (b) Whenever the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) is party to an agreement on the status of forces under which the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) may request that it take custody of a prisoner belonging to its [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) who is confined by order of a foreign court, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may provide for the carrying out of the terms of such confinement in a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) correctional [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) of his [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) or in any penal or correctional institution under the control of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) or which the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) may be allowed to use. Except as otherwise specified in such agreement, such [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) shall be treated as if he were an offender against [chapter 47](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch47.md) of this title.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–144, § 4, Oct. 28, 1977, 91 Stat. 1221; amended Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(28), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2922.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–513 substituted “such” for “said” in two places, “Such” for “Said”, and struck out “, United States Code” after “18”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.