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The Hague Service Convention is a multilateral treaty established in 1965 that has been ratified by 79 countries (as of June 2021). This treaty governs the transmittal of judicial or extrajudicial documents to a foreign country that is also a member to the Hague Convention. A judicial document is a legal document issued in the course of a civil or commercial lawsuit, Such as a summons, a writ, or a judgement. Examples of extra-judicial documents: extra-judicial settlements (for divorce, estates, etc.)
The timeframe for service depends on the destination country’s timeline and resource availability. Certain countries are able to complete service of process in 90 days however the majority of countries will require 180 days or more to complete service. The estimated time for Canada is 100 days, for Mexico is one year, and UK (England) is 6 months. Times may vary, contact our customer service department for more information.
The Hague Convention is mandatory doctrine when service must be made upon a defendant who resides in a foreign country. Using a method that is not allowed by the Convention constitutes an invalid service.
Yes, when the recipient country is a member to the Hague Convention on Service Abroad and has not made an objection to private process service under Art. 10 (b).
