Written by Cheryl Ng, Advocate & Solicitor
There is no fixed answer
We will not offer you an average, because there is no reliable one. What we can do is tell you which parts of the process have deadlines and which do not.
The two stages that most often take the longest — the time before the Minister acts on a request, and the time before a contested committal hearing is heard — have no statutory period at all.
What the law does fix
After arrest, one must be produced before a Magistrate as soon as practicable, and remanded in cycles of not more than seven days.
Where one has been provisionally arrested, the Minister’s notice must arrive within a reasonable time, judged on all the circumstances. Where a treaty sets a window, that informs what is reasonable — two months from apprehension under the treaty applied to the United States, and 45 days under the treaty with Indonesia.
After committal, one cannot be surrendered for at least 15 days, or until any review is determined. A review must be filed within 15 days of the committal order. Judicial review of a Minister’s decision must be brought within three months of that decision, though the court may extend that period.
If one is not conveyed out of Singapore within two months of the last relevant decision, one is entitled to apply for discharge, unless reasonable cause is shown for the delay.
Different periods apply on the Malaysia track. See Malaysia and Brunei.
What actually drives the length
Whether the committal hearing is contested. Whether the decision is reviewed in the High Court. Whether a question of law goes to the Court of Appeal. Whether the Minister’s decisions are judicially reviewed. And whether one consents to surrender, which removes the committal hearing altogether.
Once we have seen the papers we can usually give you a realistic view of the next few months, which is more useful than a figure for the whole case.
If someone close to you has been arrested in Singapore on another country’s request, the steps taken in the first days can make a real difference. Contact us to arrange a discussion about your situation.
The information on this page is general in nature and may not reflect the latest developments. Extradition arrangements change, and the law develops over time. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice, and reading it does not create a solicitor–client relationship. For advice on your own situation, please contact us.