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Serving a defendant abroad isn't one procedure; it's a choice between treaty channels, court officers, local agents and court-approved alternatives. We work out which one your court will accept for the country involved, prepare the request, and return proof you can file.
See which route applies and what the country allows.
Which one fits depends on the country's treaty status, where your case is being heard, and whether you may need to enforce a judgment abroad.
For defendants in the 80-plus member countries.
Each member country has a Central Authority that receives the request, serves the defendant under its own procedure and returns a certificate. Where the Convention applies, U.S. courts expect it to be used.
Most delays come from detail, not law: a missing translation or an incomplete address. We check every package against the receiving country's requirements before it's sent.
Where the country allows it and your court accepts it.
In many non-treaty countries, and in treaty countries that haven't objected, a local agent, lawyer or court officer can hand the documents to the defendant, often within weeks.
It isn't allowed everywhere. Switzerland, Germany and Japan rule it out, and in Switzerland unauthorized service can be a criminal offence. We confirm what the country permits first.
For countries with no service treaty with the U.S.
A letter rogatory is a U.S. court's formal request to a foreign court, sent through diplomatic channels. It is slow, but foreign courts respect it, which matters if you may need to enforce a judgment there.
For defendants in the 14 Latin American countries that are U.S. treaty partners.
This treaty route uses standard forms signed and sealed by the court clerk, passed between Central Authorities. Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru and others take part, and some of them also belong to the Hague Convention, which gives a choice of route.
Spain, Costa Rica and Honduras belong to the Convention but have no treaty relationship with the U.S. under it, so this route doesn't apply there.
For cases before a court in one EU member state, where the person to be served is in another.
Within the EU, service between member states, including Denmark, follows Regulation (EU) 2020/1784, which has applied since July 1, 2022. Each country designates transmitting and receiving agencies that pass documents directly to one another on standard forms, and since May 1, 2025 they must do so through a secure EU electronic system.
The person served can refuse documents that aren't in a language they understand or the official language of the place of service, within two weeks, so translation still matters. The Regulation governs cases in EU courts; U.S. cases served in Europe use the Hague Convention.
The same four stages, whichever route your case needs.
We check the country's rules against your court and deadline, and recommend a route.
Forms, certified translations and the package, in the format the country requires.
We send the request and follow it up until service is completed.
You receive the certificate, affidavit or return, ready to file.
Still unsure which route fits your case? Tell us the country and your deadline.
Start a service requestOnly where the country hasn't objected to service by mail and your court's rules allow it. Many countries, including China, Germany, Japan and Mexico, have objected, so mailed service there can be challenged.
Usually, into the language of the country or region where service takes place. Some countries accept English; others require every page, including exhibits, to be translated. The country checker above and each country guide show what applies.
From a few days, where direct service is allowed, to more than a year for Letters Rogatory or slow Central Authorities. The route matters most, then how complete the request is when it's sent.
Service may still be possible, but engaging or paying anyone there can need OFAC authorization. Counsel should confirm the sanctions position first; a court-ordered method is often the practical route.
A certificate of service under the Hague Convention, an affidavit of service for direct service, or the foreign court's return for Letters Rogatory, each prepared so you can file it.
General information about international service of process, not legal advice. Treaty positions, sanctions and local practice change; confirm the current position for your case.
Send the documents and case details, or call 888-671-6643.
