What to do if someone goes missing in Mexico?

Asked by: Melvin Sipes I  |  Last update: March 17, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (1 votes)

Finding a Missing Person on the Border
  1. Call emergency services if the person is actively lost in the desert. ...
  2. Contact non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Mexico and the US. ...
  3. Call the consulate or embassy of the person's home country. ...
  4. Contact the Office of Refugee Resettlement if the person a refugee.

What happens to unclaimed bodies in Mexico?

According to the General Health Law [3] the unclaimed bodies,3 and those whose identity is unknown, are considered as unknown persons,4 and therefore, after 72 h, the law dictates those remains must be buried and deposited in the cemeteries [4].

How do you locate someone in Mexico?

The first step is to call the US embassy in Mexico. Provide every detail that you can about the missing person, anyone they might be with, and where they may have been taken. Secondarily, it is important to reach out to the law enforcement community based in the United States.

Does Mexico have a missing person database?

According to the National Registry of Missing Persons, which is administered by the National Search Commission (Comisión Nacional de Búsqueda, CNB) and incorporates data from Federal and State attorney general´s offices and local search commissions, by the end of July 2023 more than 110,000 active cases of missing ...

What happens if an American goes missing in a foreign country?

As concerned relatives call in, Consular officers use the information provided by the family or friends of a missing person to locate the individual.

What to Do When a Person Goes Missing: The First 72 Hours

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How to report a U.S. citizen missing in Mexico?

If you are worried about a U.S. citizen relative or friend who is traveling or living abroad and have reached out with no response, you can contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. You can also call our Overseas Citizens Services office in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747.

What happens if a U.S. citizen gets kidnapped in another country?

The U.S. Department of State provides advice, guidance, and assistance to its embassies and consulates and, through the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, facilitates the exchange of information between U.S. embassies and consulates and victim service providers. Immediate assistance, in person or on the telephone.

What happens if someone goes missing in Mexico?

Notify your country's embassy in Mexico.

The embassy can get in touch with local authorities and give you any information they have about the person. Find your embassy's phone number online from an official government site. Contact the US Embassy by calling 011-52-55-5080-2000.

How to locate a missing person in Mexico?

Mexican phone numbers: from the United States dial 01152 first; from Mexico dial 01 first. El Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes is a group that assists families in their search for a migrant who has gone missing in Mexico. Their phone number is 55-55-27-54-23 and their email is desaparecidos@sjmmexico.org.

How many US citizens go missing in Mexico?

WHY?” More than 550 Americans are reported as missing in Mexico, a little-known facet of a broader tragedy that has honeycombed this country with mass graves. Soaring violence and government dysfunction have fueled a crisis that's left at least 112,150 people missing, according to government records here.

How do I contact someone in Mexico?

When calling a Mexican mobile phone or landline from the U.S. or Canada you must enter the "+" sign when using a mobile phone, then the country code for Mexico, which is 52, and then the 10-digit phone number including area code. Dialing from a mobile phone: +52 xx xxxx-xxxx.

How to find someone detained in Mexico?

Call the consulate

Often the consulate will only provide information about a detained person to an immediate family member of theirs, such as a parent, sibling, spouse, or child. You will need their full name and birth date. The consulates of Mexico have a nationwide 24-hour hotline.

How do I find a family member in Mexico?

You will need the full name and birth date of the missing person. Often the consulate will only provide information to an immediate family member such as a parent, sibling, spouse, or child. The consulates of Mexico have a nationwide 24-hour hotline. To call from within the US dial 855-463-6395.

How do I claim a body in Mexico?

Legal Requirements for Claiming a loved one's Body in Mexico

Be prepared to provide passports, birth certificates, or marriage certificates. When a U.S. citizen dies in Mexico, the U.S. Embassy or Consular Agent has to prepare a Report of Death from the local Mexican death certificate.

What airlines transport dead bodies?

Southwest Cargo provides professional and reliable transportation for funeral homes and mortuary services. We're committed to transporting your client's loved ones with the utmost care and respect.

What happens to bodies that are not claimed?

In most cases, local governments use direct cremation to dispose of unclaimed bodies and the cremains are stored for a set period of time. After being stored the cremains may be scattered. The Cremation Society of North America has estimated that there are currently 2 million unclaimed cremated remains in the U.S.

Can a missing person be tracked by their cell phone?

Police are able to access GPS data for a person's mobile phone, so it is important that you share the mobile phone number of the missing person with them.

Where do the most people go missing from?

The Alaska Triangle

According to official numbers, the Alaska Triangle has a missing persons rate that is double the USA national average. While there is no one reason this area claims so many disappearances, the harsh conditions and remote access make search and rescue efforts extremely difficult.

What to do if someone is missing in a foreign country?

Reach out to international aid organizations: They sometimes work to find people who are overseas. You can try contacting one of these organizations because they might have a network of contacts in the crisis area.

What usually happens when someone goes missing?

Typically, police and investigators can use license plate scanners, online databases, social media, and interviews to gather information on where a potential missing person might be. Police departments employ different types of technology to find the last known whereabouts of missing persons.

What to do if you get stopped in Mexico?

If you get pulled over while driving in Mexico, remain calm and show your proof of insurance to the police officer, just like you would in the U.S. If you get a ticket, politely request a written citation that can be paid by mail or at the police station.

What happens if you get stuck in Mexico without a passport?

The short response to that is no. The only way you are permitted to depart Mexico without a passport book or card is a closed-loop cruise.

What is the penalty for international kidnapping?

Such an offense is punishable by a fine under Title 18, imprisonment for not more than three years, or both. The Federal offense for international cases was created to augment the already existing remedies available through State law in parental abduction cases, including the use of the UFAP warrant.

What to do if stranded in a foreign country?

If you are overseas and in need of emergency assistance contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you are concerned about a loved one overseas, please call: From the U.S. & Canada - 1-888-407-4747. From Overseas - +1 202-501-4444.

Can a U.S. citizen be deported for a crime?

Can Naturalized US Citizens Be Deported for a Felony? A naturalized US citizen cannot be deported for breaking the law unless they break the law to become a US citizen or get convicted of treason. However, permanent residents of the US can get deported for committing certain crimes and felonies.