What to do if a family member is missing abroad

Step 1: Gather information

Gather information about the missing person to give to the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This includes:

• name and address
• passport number
• name and address of local contact
• purpose of the trip and destination
• names of fellow travellers
• travel insurance details
• details of plane tickets, money, credit cards, transport and medicines.

Step 2: Contact the police

If you are abroad yourself, report the missing person to the local police. If you are in the Netherlands, report the missing person to the Dutch police. In an emergency call 112. If it is not urgent, call 0900 8844.

Step 3: Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Report the missing person to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Call Netherlands Worldwide on +31 247 247 247. We can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from anywhere in the world.

If you are in the country where the person is missing, you can also report the missing person to the Dutch embassy or consulate using this contact form.

If there are any developments in the search, the ministry will let you know. If the missing person contacts you, immediately call Netherlands Worldwide on +31 247 247 247.

Step 4: Contact the travel insurance provider

If the missing person has travel insurance, contact the insurer’s emergency support centre. They can tell you whether any of the costs of the search can be claimed.

If you are contacted by the press

Be careful about giving journalists information about the missing person or the search. You can tell journalists to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Communications Department (COM) instead.

If you need help

If you are finding the situation difficult to deal with, contact Victim Support Netherlands for help.

Contact Victim Support Netherlands (information in Dutch)
Find out how Victim Support Netherlands can help you (information in Dutch)