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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 risk of unrest, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, landmines, and health threats.

There was no change to the advisory level. The “health” risk indicator was added. Advisory summary was updated.

Advisory summary
The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations in April 2023 due to the outbreak 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.

To report an emergency regarding a U.S. citizen in Sudan, contact U.S. Embassy Cairo at +20-2-2797-3300. Or contact the Department of State at +1-888-407-4747 from the United States and Canada or +1-202-501-4444 from elsewhere in the world.

Unrest - Armed Conflict
Armed conflict continues in Sudan. This includes heavy fighting among the Sudanese Armed Forces, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, and various armed militias. The situation is violent, volatile, and extremely unpredictable, particularly in the Kordofan and Darfur regions, as well as in the capital region, including Khartoum and Omdurman.

Khartoum International Airport is currently closed to commercial traffic, while commercial service to the Port Sudan International Airport has been limited at times due to drone strikes. Electrical and communication disruptions can occur at any time. This includes internet and cell phone service interruptions.

Crime
Crime, including kidnapping, assault, armed robbery, home invasion, looting, and carjacking, is a common threat throughout the country. Checkpoints might occur at any time, some of which may be legitimate security checkpoints, others may intend to loot, others may present a risk to particular populations.

Terrorism
Members of known terrorist groups and individuals sympathetic to these groups can attack with little or no warning. They may target foreign and local government facilities as well as areas frequented by travelers.

Landmines
Landmines are a threat, as much of Sudan is an active war zone. There are widespread reports of unexploded ordnance posing a threat in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country, even after fighting has ended in those areas.

Health
Medical services in Sudan are extremely limited. Adequate medical treatment for routine and emergency procedures is often not available. Even minor health issues could require medical evacuation at the traveler’s expense. Make sure you have medical or travel insurance that includes medical evacuation. Review our information on Travel Insurance. Check with your doctor about required vaccines and shots for high-risk exposure before you go to Sudan. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information for Sudan.

For U.S. citizens in Sudan:

  • The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to leave Sudan.
  • Travel within Sudan is conducted at your own risk. The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety traveling to airports, borders, or during any onward travel. You should consider your personal security situation before traveling anywhere in Sudan. Only attempt to depart Sudan or travel within Sudan if you believe it is safe for you to do so.  
  • Exercise extreme caution in all parts of the country, including Khartoum.
  • Have a plan to leave in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government help. Review our information on crisis and evacuations.
  • Review our information on crime, including for victims of crime.
  • There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in Sudan. Visit the U.S. Department of State's Country Reports on Terrorism to learn more.
  • Review our information on terrorism and travel to high-risk areas.
  • Landmines and unexploded ordnance exist throughout Sudan. The locations of landmines and unexploded ordnance are often not known, marked, or easy to recognize.
  • Monitor local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans.
  • Stay aware of your surroundings.
  • Draft a will. Designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries or draft a power of attorney.
  • Develop a communication plan with your family, your employer, or your host organization. List how and when you will confirm you are safe (text or call). Specify how often you will do this.
  • Establish a proof of life protocol with your loved ones. If you are taken hostage, your loved ones will know specific questions (and answers) to ask the hostage-takers to confirm you are being held captive and alive.
  • Make sure your insurance includes specific coverage for medical evacuation from Sudan.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. government. Enrolling helps the U.S. government contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency.
  • Review the Country Security Report for Sudan.
  • Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for the latest Travel Health Information for Sudan.
  • We highly recommend that you buy travel insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancelation coverage.
... [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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