What is tracing?

The Tracing Agency seeks to help people in locating missing relatives when contact is lost due to war, internal conflict or natural disaster.

The Australian Red Cross accepts enquiries from Australians regarding missing relatives overseas, and also accepts enquiries from abroad with respect to missing relatives in Australia.

When a tracing request is accepted, assistance does not necessarily depend upon the length of separation.

To uncover and link information, Australian Red Cross networks with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world, and harnesses the expertise of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva.

Although the Tracing Agency is centralised through the Australian Red Cross National Headquarters in Victoria, there is a divisional Tracing Agency in NSW.

Tracing Agency services


Tracing

• The Tracing Agency seeks to assist people in locating missing relatives when contact is lost due to war, internal conflict or natural disaster.
• Every year, hundreds of people visit Australian Red Cross NSW to lodge reports of missing family members.
• The Tracing Agency also receives hundreds of requests from people overseas trying to locate loved ones in Australia.

Message service

• A basic communications service at times when all other lines of communication are down.
• Short messages containing only personal news can be sent to and from anywhere in the world to a disaster or conflict zone.
• Red Cross will attempt to establish contact with the addressee by making enquiries through a variety of channels.

Detention centre program

• Offers tracing services to detained asylum seekers to assist in re-establishing contact between family members separated by war, conflict or natural disaster.
• Red Cross tracing caseworkers in each state are able to access detention centres around Australia for tracing activities.

Health and welfare enquiries

• When there is no one else to provide information about their welfare, Australian Red Cross will attempt to obtain a Health and Welfare Report to ease the anxiety of relatives.

Travel documents

• When refugees, stateless or displaced people lack the necessary travel documents to resettle permanently in a country where they are welcome, the International Committee of the Red Cross will provide such documents, and the Australian Red Cross will collect and return these documents to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Certificates of captivity

• For former civilian detainees or prisoners of war who have been incarcerated overseas, Australian Red Cross can obtain a Certificate of Captivity if a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited them while incarcerated.
• This important document is proof of their incarceration, which the claimant may wish to use to substantiate a claim for compensation or pension.

International disaster enquiries

• When a disaster occurs, normal lines of communication may be disrupted for some time. Families concerned about the welfare of relatives in a disaster zone can call upon Australian Red Cross for assistance.
• When a disaster occurs in another country and the International Committee of the Red Cross is able to accept enquiries, information is channelled back through the Australian Red Cross.

Information and referral

• Australian Red Cross can provide useful information to families and individuals about a broad range of services, as well as referrals to other public and private agencies.

If you would like further information about any of these services, contact 02 9229 4143 or email nswtracing@redcross.org.au.

Extra resources are constantly required by the Red Cross Tracing Agency, and donations are greatly appreciated.