Will the attorney traveling to country X need a special visa?

Typically no, the one exception to this rule that we know of is Japan. But you will definitely need a valid passport – make sure that yours is up to date, with at least six months of validity left on it. When traveling with an American passport, you can get into a lot of countries without needing to apply for a visa beforehand. To check on the requirements for a particular country, simply Google “visa requirements for X,” where X is your country of interest, in order to find out what is needed. The U.S. State Department can also provide guidance.

Some countries require that you apply for a formal visa in advance, and it can take several days to several weeks to process your request. Specific documents, such as letters of invitation from the witness or client in the foreign country, may also be required. In such cases, we recommend working through a competent visa processing agency in order to expedite your visa application to the greatest extent possible.

The only country we know of that requires a special “deposition visa” is Japan.