How to Find International Addresses
By David Sarokin
Not that long ago, finding the address of someone who lived in Paris, Moscow, Sydney or Singapore meant traveling to a foreign country to find directory resources, or at the very least, visiting a major library with a collection of international phone books. These days, you can look up an international address online. Most major countries have white pages listings of names and addresses, and many of these phone directories are accessible over the Internet. There are even online tools that will translate directories in foreign languages to English and make them easier to use.
Visit Numberway.com, a comprehensive collection of links to online phone directories around the world.
Select the area of the world in which you want to search for an address.
Select the country in which you want to search.
Select the phone directory in which you want to search, after reading the descriptions provided.
Many countries will have only a single white pages (residential) directory but some will have two or more directories to choose from. The major national directory is usually listed first at Numberway, followed by smaller directories that may be less comprehensive or are regional in scope.
Select the language in which you want to search. Most European white pages, and many white pages from other areas of the world, offer users a choice of languages for the search interface. English is usually designated as "EN" or may be indicated by a small flag of either the U.K. or U.S.
You can use online translators like Google Translate or Babel Fish to translated telephone directory search pages if the site does not provide an English interface. Copy and paste the directory's web address into the translator and select the "From" and "To" languages in order to see the page in English.
Search for the address you are seeking by entering the person's name in the relevant fields. If known, you can also enter city information.
Each white pages directory is different in terms of its search interface so follow the directions provided on the site.
References
Tips
- If white pages searches don't provide what you need, try the country's yellow pages for business listings, in case the person you're seeking is listed under a business name.
Writer Bio
David Sarokin is a well-known specialist on Internet research. He has been profiled in the "New York Times," the "Washington Post" and in numerous online publications. Based in Washington D.C., he splits his time between several research services, writing content and his work as an environmental specialist with the federal government. David is the author of Missed Information (MIT Press, 2016), a book exploring how better information can lead to a more sustainable future.