Missing Yemenis: How to Report a Missing Person and What Happens Next

When someone you love goes missing, the hardest part is often not knowing where to turn. This guide explains how to report a missing Yemeni relative to Missing From Yemen, what information helps most, and exactly what happens after you submit. Reporting is free, confidential, and available in Arabic and English.

01When should you report a missing person?

You do not need to wait, and you do not need proof of what happened. You can report if:

• You have lost contact with a relative inside Yemen, for example during fighting, displacement, or a journey between cities.
• A family member left Yemen, for example for Saudi Arabia or further afield, and has not been heard from.
• You believe someone has been detained, or you have heard that they are held or stranded, and you are trying to trace them.

If you are unsure whether to report, report anyway. A record helps, even when the details are incomplete.

02What information helps most

The more you can share, the better the chance that someone recognises your relative. Useful details include:

• Full name, in its original spelling and any other spellings used.
• A clear photo of the person. The report form asks for one, because a photo is the most useful thing for recognising someone.
• Age or date of birth, and gender.
• When and where they were last seen or last made contact. If you only know the month or the year, that is fine.
• What happened, including where they were going.
• Any distinguishing details, such as height, marks, or the clothes they were last wearing.
• A way to reach you: an email address, a phone number or a WhatsApp number.

If you only have some of this, share what you have. You can add more later.

03How to submit a report

You can report a missing person here. The form is short, works on a phone, and is available in your language. It saves as you go, so you can finish it later. You can type what happened or record a voice note.

Before you submit, the form asks you to confirm that the person's family knows about the report, or that you cannot reach them. If the missing person is under 18, it also asks on what basis you are reporting, so that our team can keep children safe.

When you submit, you receive a reference number. Please keep it. If you gave an email address, we also send a confirmation by email.

If you do not have a photo, or the form is difficult for you, contact us and our team will help.

Your contact details are kept private. They are never shown on the public page.

04What happens after you submit

1. Our team reviews your submission. We check the details and prepare the case with care, so that what is published is accurate and respectful.
2. The case is added to the public registry. This is a searchable record that families, communities and volunteers use to look for missing people. A clear, public appeal greatly increases the chance that someone recognises your relative.
3. The appeal is shared. Our agents are alerted, and the case can be shared on social media so it reaches the wider Yemeni community, at home and abroad.
4. Tips come back to us. When someone has information, it is passed to our team, and we contact you privately with anything credible.

Publishing is not instant, because each case is reviewed first. If we need to check something with you, we will get in touch.

05Your privacy and safety

We understand that these situations can be sensitive, and that some families worry about who might see a public appeal. A few things to know:

• Your contact details are never made public, and the identity of the person reporting is never shared.
• You control what you share. If certain details should stay private, do not include them, or tell us in the notes.
• If you have safety concerns about publishing at all, contact us first and we will talk it through with you.

06Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything? No. Reporting and searching are completely free.

Which languages can I use? Arabic and English.

What if I do not have a photo? The online form needs a photo before it can be submitted. If you have none, contact us and our team will look at your situation with you.

Can I update the case later? Yes. If new information comes to light, contact us with your reference number and we will update the record.

I am not the closest relative, can I still report? Yes. Friends and community members can report on a family's behalf, as long as the family knows about the report or cannot be reached.

07You are not searching alone

Every case on the registry is a family holding on to hope. Reporting your relative adds their name to a growing community of people looking out for one another. When you are ready, report a missing person. It takes only a few minutes, and it could be the step that brings them home.