Someone is missing overseas

Before you report someone missing

It’s easy to lose touch with someone who is travelling. They might not have reliable access to the internet or mobile phone networks, or they may be doing activities that make it hard to stay in touch. In some cases they may not want to be contacted. 

Before you report the person missing, you should: 

• Try contacting them through all the methods you can. 
• Check their social media to see if there have been recent updates. 
• Contact others who might have been in touch with them, like their family or the people they are travelling with. 
• Try contacting third parties, like their airline, bank, or mobile phone company. They may not be able to share details with you for privacy reasons. 

What to do if someone goes missing outside of New Zealand

If someone you know is missing in another country and you are concerned for their safety and welfare, you should contact local police.

If you are in New Zealand

If you are in New Zealand and need to report a person missing overseas, contact your nearest New Zealand Police station to make a missing person’s report.

Find a New Zealand Police station

If you are outside New Zealand

If you are outside New Zealand, contact your nearest local police station to make a missing person’s report.

Find out more on the New Zealand Police website

How a New Zealand embassy can help

Finding people who are missing is a police matter, but if someone is missing overseas and there are concerns for their safety, it’s a good idea to let us know about it. You should contact police before you contact us.

We can’t help you find someone who is missing, but we are there to help New Zealand citizens when they’re having difficulty overseas.

Find a New Zealand embassy

A New Zealand consular officer can:

• Provide a list of local police stations in the destination country

A New Zealand consular officer cannot:

• Help you to locate or contact someone for you
• Investigate someone’s whereabouts
• Get involved in a police investigation

What to do if your child has been taken overseas by their other parent

If you think you child’s other parent is going to take your child overseas without your consent, you should act quickly to contact the Family Court. The Court can order that your child can’t be taken out of New Zealand.  

Find out more about stopping a child leaving New Zealand on the Justice website

If your child has been taken overseas by their other parent without your consent, you should contact a lawyer. You may be able to ask to have them returned to New Zealand under the Hague Convention, which is an international agreement between several countries.

Find out more about returning a child to New Zealand on the Justice website

How a New Zealand embassy can help

Children taken overseas without the consent of their parents is a legal matter, and a consular officer can’t get involved.

A New Zealand consular officer can:

• Give you a list of local English-speaking lawyers.

A New Zealand consular officer cannot:

• Provide legal advice
• Get involved or advocate for you in judicial processes
• Pay travel costs to return your child to New Zealand.