+357 96 447475 [email protected]
viber telegram mail

Interpol Black Notice

An INTERPOL Black Notice is used to seek information on unidentified bodies. It does not concern living suspects and is not an accusation against anyone. We assist families and other parties with legal questions related to Black Notices, including the identification of a relative who died abroad and access to data held by INTERPOL.

Do you need legal advice?

Anatoly Yarovyi
By Anatoly Yarovyi — Senior Partner
Updated: 29 Oct 2026

What is Interpol’s Black Notice?

INTERPOL uses the Black Notice “to seek information on unidentified bodies”. Under Article 91 of INTERPOL’s Rules on the Processing of Data (RPD), Black Notices are published to identify dead bodies — for example, after an accident, a disaster or a death abroad, when the person cannot be identified through national means.

A Black Notice is not a search for a suspect and does not imply that anyone has committed a crime. It should not be confused with a Red Notice (wanted persons) or a Yellow Notice (missing persons and persons unable to identify themselves).

How is a Black Notice requested?

The request is made through a member country’s National Central Bureau (NCB), and the notice is published by INTERPOL’s General Secretariat. Under Article 91 of the RPD, a Black Notice may be published only if the discovery of the body has been recorded by the police, the body has not been identified, and enough data are provided for identification — at least a good-quality photograph, fingerprints and/or a DNA profile.

⚖️ INTERNATIONAL LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENCE

Our dedicated international human rights lawyers uncover procedural violations and challenge abusive cross-border alerts. We build proactive defense strategies to safe-keep your personal data and protect your global freedom.

Get Free Case Assessment

🔒 Strict Confidentiality · Response Within 24 Hours

Before publication, the General Secretariat checks that every request complies with INTERPOL’s rules.

How We Can Help

Because a Black Notice concerns an unidentified deceased person, there is usually nothing to “remove” in the sense of clearing a person’s name. Legal help is more often needed by families: for example, to make sure that information about a missing relative reaches the competent authorities, to obtain information through official channels, or to deal with the legal consequences of a death abroad.

Access to Data and the CCF

Any person can apply directly to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF) for access to, or correction or deletion of, data concerning them that is processed in INTERPOL’s Information System (RPD Article 18). Requests are free of charge and, since 26 March 2026, are submitted through the CCF’s online portal.

We review the circumstances, help families prepare requests and correspondence with the competent national authorities and, where appropriate, with the CCF, and coordinate with lawyers in the countries concerned. Contact us for a confidential consultation.

Interpol Black Notice FAQ

What is an Interpol Black Notice?
An Interpol Black Notice is issued to seek information on unidentified bodies — specifically to help identify deceased individuals whose identity cannot be established through domestic means. The notice shares physical descriptions, photographs, fingerprints, DNA profiles, and other identifying information with law enforcement agencies across all Interpol member states.
No. A Black Notice is purely an identification tool for unidentified human remains. It carries no implication of criminal conduct against any living person. Its sole purpose is to assist law enforcement and families in identifying a deceased individual, often in cases involving accidents, disasters, or unresolved deaths across borders.
Only the National Central Bureau (NCB) of an Interpol member state can submit a Black Notice request to Interpol's General Secretariat. Law enforcement agencies or coroners working with unidentified remains must submit the case through their national NCB, which then evaluates and forwards the request to Interpol for international circulation.
Black Notices remain active until the deceased individual is positively identified, the case is closed, or the requesting member state withdraws the notice. There is no fixed expiry date. Once identification is confirmed, the requesting NCB is responsible for notifying Interpol so the notice can be removed from the system.
Yes, in certain situations. Families of missing persons may need legal help to request that a Black Notice be issued or to obtain information about an active one. In cases where a Black Notice relates to contested circumstances of death — such as potential homicide or disputed identity — legal representation can be critical in coordinating with international authorities and protecting family interests.