Anytime you have concerns for the safety and welfare of someone and their whereabouts are unknown you can report them missing to your local police. You DO NOT have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing.

More than 38,000 missing persons reports are submitted to police each year in Australia. Over 98% of people reported missing are located, and almost all of those found are found alive and well.

Half of missing person reports between 2008-15 involved young people aged 13-17. The 13-17 age group was reported missing at a rate six times more than the rate recorded for other age groups.

More than 38,000 missing persons reports are submitted to police each year in Australia compared with 300,000 in the United Kingdom and 8,000 in New Zealand.

In Australia, anyone can be reported as missing if their disappearance is out of character and there are concerns for their safety and welfare.

Reasons for going missing are many and varied. They include anxiety and depression, misadventure, homelessness, dementia, domestic violence, becoming a victim of crime, and drug/alcohol abuse. See 'Why people go missing' for more information.

Going missing is not a crime. If you have been reported as a missing person and make contact with police, your privacy will be maintained.

Approximately one third of missing persons go missing more than once. Each time a person goes missing, it is treated as an individual report.

Each time a person goes missing it is treated as an individual report and the priority is to find the person safe and well as soon as possible.

Of the 38,000 missing persons reports submitted to police annually, more than 98 per cent are located, and almost all of those found are found alive and well (usually within one week). However there remains more than 2,600 long-term missing persons, who have been missing for more than three months.

When located, a missing person must give permission before their whereabouts are released or disclosed to their family. In the case of a located missing child, information and decisions regarding their circumstances and their location may be made in consultation with relevant agencies.

If you have been reported as missing it means that someone is concerned about your safety and welfare. It is not a crime to go missing. You should attend the nearest police station with identification so that Police can ascertain that you are safe and well. See If you are (or have been) reported missing for more information.

If you have information on a missing person you should report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Crime Stoppers will refer the information to the relevant missing persons unit or the investigating officer on the case.

If you can’t contact or find a loved one, and you hold genuine fears for their safety, you should report them missing to your local police immediately. A police report needs to be made in person at your local police station. Alternatively, if you have simply lost touch with someone, and there are no concerns for their welfare, police will not conduct an investigation into their whereabouts as they do not meet the criteria for a missing person. There are other search agencies who work to reunite families who have lost contact or been disconnected.

You do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone as missing. If you have serious concerns for the safety and welfare of a person, and their whereabouts are unknown, then you may immediately report them missing to your local police. Police will take a report where there are concerns for safety and welfare and their whereabouts are unknown.

No. If you have concerns about a missing person you can visit your local police station to file a missing persons report - even if the missing person lives in another State or Territory. If the investigation has to be conducted in another town, state or territory the case may be transferred to another police jurisdiction to search for the missing person.

Where there are concerns for the safety and welfare of an Australian missing overseas, a missing person's report should be made with local State or Territory police, who will then lodge the report with DFAT. Depending on the circumstances the report may also be lodged with Interpol to facilitate international cooperation in investigating the whereabouts of the missing person.

In cases where there are genuine fears for the person's safety, or concerns for their welfare, a missing person report can be made at any Police station within Australia. See the Australians missing overseas page for more information.