Justice Ministry spokesman Folco Galli says "It won't be long" before a decision on the extradition request is made. He refused to be more specific.

The 76-year-old director fled the US on Feb. 1, 1978, the day he was to be formally sentenced for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

He was arrested on Sept. 26 as he came to receive a lifetime achievement award at a Zurich film festival. He has been under house arrest at his chalet in the resort of Gstaad since December, when he was released on $4.5 million bail.

Polanski would be allowed to appeal extradition.