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How to report a person who's gone missing or a child who's run away - including if you lose contact while they're abroad

What to do if a British national goes missing abroad, reporting it to the police and how the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and others can help.

• Updated: 31 August 2022

Manage the finances or property of a missing person, someone kidnapped or taken hostage, or in a foreign prison and not able to communicate. Apply to the High Court to be a guardian. You'll need a guardianship order.

• Overview

  You can apply to be a guardian and manage the finances or property of…

• Who can apply

  You can apply if you’re the missing person’s: husband, wife or civil…

• Apply to be a guardian

  You can make a claim yourself or use a legal representative. Fill in the…

• How much it costs

  You must pay either: a £528 application fee if you apply to the Chancery…

• After you've applied

  The court will send copies of your form back to you, with ‘acknowledgement…

• When you’re appointed as a guardian

  The guardianship order will tell you when you can start to make decisions…

• Make decisions

  The Office of the Public Guardian will supervise you while you act as a…

• Keeping records, giving gifts and claiming expenses

  You must keep financial records and accounts. Follow the rules for gifts…

• Complete your report

  You must write a report for the Office of the Public Guardian each year…

• Make a decision that's not covered by the order

  You must apply to the High Court if you need to change your guardianship,…

• When the guardianship ends

  Your guardianship ends automatically if one of the following things…

Get a declaration of presumed death if a person has been missing for at least 7 years or you think they've died - form N208, certificate of presumed death, appeal, complain

How to divorce or end a civil partnership if your partner’s gone missing, you do not know their whereabouts or they are presumed dead

Change or cancel a presumption of death certificate where there's clear evidence the missing person is still alive or that they died on a different date to what's on the certificate.

Report your missing or lost dog to the council's dog warden service

The Missing Children and Adults strategy focuses on vulnerable people who go missing within England and Wales.

• Updated: 1 December 2011

Guidance to provide assistance to applicants, guardians, organisations and courts when dealing with the affairs of missing people.

• Updated: 28 June 2019

Form BOR1422 is used when clearing missing or delayed baggage through UK customs controls at ports or airports.