🛡️SafetyUpdated: May 2026

🔍 Family member missing — what do I do now?

Direct answer

Missing person: IMPORTANT: 24-hr wait rule abolished. Report IMMEDIATELY. (1) Danger / child / vulnerable person: 112 immediately. Police respond direct. (2) No direct danger: call 0900-8844 or report online politie.nl. (3) Provide police: recent photo, name + birthdate + height + clothing + last contact place + medical condition + behavior patterns (suicidal? Dementia? Often runs away?) + mobile phone (police can locate via provider). (4) AMBER Alert: for children <14 in immediate life danger. Police decide + push to millions of phones, highway boards, social media. Success rate 70%+ within 24 hrs. (5) Burgernet: police send to neighbourhood participants (sms + email + app). For 18+ missing + criminality. Sign up free at burgernet.nl. (6) Vermist.nl: Slachtofferhulp Nederland project: supports family + spreads search + maintains aftermath database. Call 0900-0101. (7) Social media: after police consultation. Share photo + name via FB/Insta neighbourhood groups + local media. Not before police agreement (can harm investigation). (8) For dementia/care-dependent: Centrum voor Vermisten in Geheugen 0800-1234 advice. GPS track tag suggest on future risk. (9) International missing: Interpol via police + Dutch Embassy host country. (10) Self-missing adult: police inform person “alive” to family if found, but share location only with found person consent. Privacy 18+ respected.

Wait

No 24h rule — direct

Acute

112

Child <14

AMBER Alert

Step by step

1
Report immediately — no 24h wait
112 on danger/child/vulnerable. Else 0900-8844 / politie.nl. Photo + details ready.
2
Provide full profile
Name, photo, clothing, height, birthdate, last contact place, behavior, medical.
3
AMBER + Burgernet via police
For children <14: AMBER Alert. 18+: Burgernet. Millions reached.
4
Slachtofferhulp + Vermist.nl
0900-0101 free family support + searches.
5
Social media after police OK
Not before police consent. Then: targeted neighbourhood/community groups.

All contacts

Politie 112 (spoed)Child, danger, life threat

On acute

📞 112

Politie 0900-8844Adult no immediate danger

Standard route

📞 0900-8844 🔗 politie.nl

Slachtofferhulp Vermist.nlFamily support + search

For guidance

📞 0900-0101 🔗 vermist.nl

Centrum Vermisten in GeheugenOn dementia/memory loss

For dementia-specific

📞 0800-1234

Frequently asked questions

24-hour rule: does it still exist?

NO — abolished. Police take every missing person report seriously immediately. “Wait 24 hours” myth lives in TV but is wrong. Early hours crucial for finding. Don't doubt — report direct.

What if they want to leave?

Adult voluntarily leaving + not in danger: police will pass “alive” message to family but NOT share location without found person consent. Privacy 18+. On doubt about voluntary: reporting helps police check safety.

Sources

🔎 Common search queries

Recognise your own search? Our answer above covers all of these variants.

“missing person Netherlands report”
“no 24 hour wait abolished”
“AMBER Alert children under 14”
“Burgernet missing search”
“Slachtofferhulp Vermist.nl support”