International Tracing Services

Armed conflict and natural disaster leave millions of people around the globe in urgent need of humanitarian assistance every year. Adding to the physical losses, the confusion and chaos surrounding war and natural disasters often separates families when they need each other most.
Red Cross tracing services and Red Cross Messages help families locate each other, send communication and learn each other's fate. Often these services, which are conducted between people living in the United States and their relatives living in foreign countries, may be required for several years.
American Red Cross International Family Tracing Services accepts tracing cases and traces sought persons when:

    Families have been separated as a result of either armed conflict or disaster.
    As much as possible, families should have tried normal channels of
       communication before requesting Red Cross tracing services.
    The family member making the inquiry provides essential information on the
      sought person.
    The family member making the inquiry is a close family relative, who has been
       in direct contact with the sought person before the conflict or disaster occurred.

About you:
    Your full name and address
    Your relationship to the person sought
    The reason for loss of contact
    The reason for your inquiry

About the person you are trying to trace:

    Full name
    Date and place of birth
    Nationality
    Last known address
    Date and circumstances of last news

The American Red Cross cannot accept requests when there is insufficient information to conduct a search; or when it is for genealogical research; or tracing regarding legal matters such as wills, child custody etc.; or the tracing of birth parents or third party requests.