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Travel.State.Gov > Legal Resources > Judicial Assistance Country Information  > Sudan Judicial Assistance Information

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Judicial Assistance Country Information

Travel.State.Gov > Legal Resources > Judicial Assistance Country Information  > Sudan Judicial Assistance Information

Sudan

Sudan
Republic of Sudan
Do not travel to Sudan due to armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping

Reissued with updates to the security situation and post departure status.

Do not travel to Sudan due to armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping.

On April 22, 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations, and the Department of State ordered the departure of U.S. direct hire employees and eligible family members from Embassy Khartoum due to the continued threat of armed conflict in Sudan. The U.S. government cannot provide routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Sudan, due to the current security situation.

Armed conflict is ongoing throughout Sudan and includes heavy fighting between various political and security groups. The situation is violent, volatile, and extremely unpredictable, particularly in the capital city Khartoum. Electrical and communication disruptions, including internet and cell phone service, can occur at any time.  Khartoum International Airport and Sudan’s border with Chad are currently closed.

Country Summary: Armed conflict, crime, such as kidnapping, armed robbery, home invasion, and carjacking occur.

Members of known terrorist groups and individuals sympathetic to these groups in Sudan could attack with little or no warning, targeting foreign and local government facilities, and areas frequented by Westerners.

Violence continues along the border between Chad and Sudan and areas that border South Sudan (including the disputed Abyei area). Armed opposition groups are active in Central Darfur state and parts of Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. Intercommunal clashes can occur throughout the country and can result in the declaration of localized States of Emergency.

Read the country information page for additional information about travel to Sudan.

If you decide to travel to Sudan:

  • Exercise extreme care in all parts of the country, including Khartoum.
  • Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
  • Have a personal emergency action plan that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.
  • Monitor local media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans.
  • Be aware of your surroundings.
  • Stay alert in areas frequented by Westerners.
  • Review your personal security plan and visit our page on travel to high-risk areas.
  • Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
  • Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
  • Share important documents, log-in information, and points of contact with loved ones so that they can manage your affairs if you are unable to return as planned to the United States. Find a suggested list of such documents here.
  • Develop a communication plan with family and/or your employer or host organization so that they can monitor your safety and location as you travel through Sudan. This plan should specify who you would contact first, and how they should share the information.
  • Avoid demonstrations and public gatherings. Even events intended to be peaceful can become violent.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Review the Country Security Report for Sudan.
  • Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations.  Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
... [READ MORE]

Hague/Inter-American

Party to Hague Service Convention?
No
Party to Hague Evidence Convention?
No
Party to Hague Apostille Convention?
No
Party to Inter-American Convention?
No
Service of Process by Mail?

DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A SPECIFIC CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE APPROPRIATE FOREIGN AUTHORITIES OR FOREIGN COUNSEL.

 

ALL / ALL /

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy Khartoum

Kilo 10, Soba
Khartoum, Sudan
Telephone: +249-187-0-22000; (Sunday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +249-18 702 2000
Email: Our navigator assistant at the following link will guide you to the information you need.

List of Attorneys

List of attorneys – U.S. Embassy in Sudan

 

Is Sudan a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters?

No.

How should requests be completed?

Sudan is not a party to the Hague Service Convention. 

Sudanese authorities have advised the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Department of State that, in the absence of any other international agreement, service of process in Sudan may be accomplished by making a formal request via letters rogatory.  U.S. litigants seeking to serve process in Sudan by other methods may wish to consult legal counsel in Sudan for guidance. 

Does Sudan permit service via postal channels?

No.

Does the nationality of the individual being served in any way affect the methods of service of process available?

No.

Service on a Foreign State:  

See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Service of Documents from Sudan in the United States: 

See information about service in the United States on the U.S. Central Authority for the Service Convention page of the Hague Conference on Private International Law Service Convention site.    

Prosecution Requests:   

U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance.

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters:  

Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

OBTAINING EVIDENCE IN CIVIL AND COMMERCIAL MATTERS

Is Sudan a party to the Hague Evidence Convention?

No.

How should letters of request be completed? Do they require transmittal via diplomatic channels?

All requests for obtaining evidence, including requests to compel evidence or to take voluntary depositions, must be submitted via the letters rogatory process.

Is Sudan a party to the Hague Evidence Convention?

No.

How should letters of request be completed? Do they require transmittal via diplomatic channels?

All requests for obtaining evidence, including requests to compel evidence or to take voluntary depositions, must be submitted via the letters rogatory process.

Are foreign attorneys permitted to take depositions of willing witnesses without the involvement of the host government or courts?

No.

Sudan is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters. Sudanese authorities do not permit foreign persons, such as American attorneys, to take depositions for use in a court in the United States. The Government of Sudan asserts that only Sudanese judicial authorities are competent to perform acts of a judicial nature in Sudan.

All requests for obtaining evidence must be submitted via the letters rogatory process.

It is the U.S. Department of State’s understanding that the Sudanese prohibition on taking depositions by foreign persons extends to telephone or video teleconference depositions initiated from the United States to depose a witness in Sudan.  The State Department advises U.S. citizens contemplating participation in such a proceeding, without Sudan’s concurrence, obtained through diplomatic channels, to consider carefully the possible legal consequences of doing so.  Interested parties should also consult a local attorney.

May consular officers conduct depositions of willing witnesses?

Yes, Sudan allows consular officers to conduct depositions of willing witnesses.  Letters rogatory may also be used as a pathway for taking depositions.

May a local attorney petition a court to order the production of documentary or other physical evidence, or must this be requested via letters rogatory?

This must be requested via letters rogatory .

May local attorneys directly petition a court to conduct the deposition of an unwilling witness or must this be requested via letters rogatory?

This must be requested via letters rogatory.

Is Sudan a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents?

No.

Last Updated: September 19, 2018

Assistance for U.S. Citizens

U.S. Embassy Khartoum
Kilo 10, Soba
Khartoum, Sudan
Telephone
+249-187-0-22000
Emergency
+249-187-0-22000
Fax
No fax
Email
ACSKhartoum@state.gov.
Website
https://sd.usembassy.gov/embassy/khartoum/

Sudan Map

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