Comparison
Extradition vs Deportation — how are they different?
Both processes send someone from one country to another, but the legal basis, due-process protections and political dimensions are very different. Confusing the two is a classic way to misread a news story about an international fugitive.
| Extradition | Deportation | |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | A foreign criminal charge or conviction | A violation of immigration law in the removing country |
| Governed by | Bilateral or multilateral extradition treaties | Domestic immigration law |
| Citizenship | Many countries refuse to extradite their own citizens | Only applicable to non-citizens |
| Dual criminality required? | Usually yes — the alleged offence must be a crime in both countries | No — no foreign criminal charge is needed |
| Where the person goes | The state that requested them | Usually their country of nationality or a safe third country |
In practice
In some high-profile cases, a country that has refused extradition has simply deported the target to the requesting country instead — a shortcut that bypasses the treaty framework. International courts consider this 'disguised extradition' and have ruled it unlawful in several cases. The key difference in practice: extradition includes judicial review and treaty-based safeguards such as prohibitions on the death penalty; deportation usually does not.