Archive · 30 Aug 2026
US Expands Prison Time Credits to Foreign-Sentenced Inmates
The United States is changing how some federal prisoners earn time credits.
Eligible prisoners can start earning credits when their sentences begin, even before they reach their assigned prison.
Some Americans who were sentenced in other countries may also qualify.
Their foreign sentences must be found equivalent to a US sentence.
Prisoners earn credits by completing approved programs and activities.
They can earn 10 or 15 days for every 30 days of successful participation.
The credits may help some people move sooner to halfway houses, home confinement, or supervised release.
The government estimates the changes could save more than $54 million each year.
The new rule begins on September 30.
The Bureau of Prisons will let eligible inmates begin earning First Step Act credits when their prison terms commence, including while awaiting transfer.
The revised rule extends credit eligibility to US citizens and nationals transferred from foreign prisons if their sentences have US equivalents.
Eligible inmates earn 10 or 15 credit days for every 30 days of successful participation in approved programs or activities.
The changes could provide about 24 additional credit days on average and save taxpayers an estimated $54.13 million annually.
The interim final rule takes effect on September 30 and could accelerate transfers to prerelease custody or supervised release.
- Who
- The Bureau of Prisons, eligible federal prisoners, and US citizens or nationals transferred from foreign prisons.
- What
- The Bureau of Prisons expanded First Step Act time-credit eligibility and allowed qualifying prisoners to begin earning credits when their sentences commence.
- When
- The interim final rule takes effect on September 30.
- Where
- In the US federal prison system, including custody transferred from foreign prisons.
- Why
- The Bureau said the changes align its regulations with the First Step Act and recent federal court decisions.
- Average additional credit
- Nearly 24 days for affected prisoners
- Credit rate
- 10 or 15 days for every 30 days of successful participation
- Estimated annual savings
- $54.13 million
- Potential prerelease-custody beneficiaries
- 7,554 inmates annually
- Potential earlier supervised-release beneficiaries
- 11,258 inmates annually
- Potential earlier conventional-prison departures
- 6,486 inmates annually
- Effective date
- September 30