Which Countries Are Not Members of INTERPOL?

INTERPOL currently has 196 member countries, meaning that only a small number of states and jurisdictions remain outside its formal membership structure. Each INTERPOL member country maintains a National Central Bureau (NCB). The NCB connects national law-enforcement authorities with INTERPOL’s international police cooperation network.

Among the 193 United Nations Member States, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Tuvalu are not listed among INTERPOL’s current member countries. This conclusion follows from comparing the current official UN Member States list with INTERPOL’s official membership list.

Taiwan and Kosovo also do not appear on INTERPOL’s official list. However, their international legal and political status differs from that of UN Member States. They should therefore not simply be grouped together as “countries that are not in INTERPOL.”

Which UN Member States Are Not Members of INTERPOL?

As of August 2026, two UN Member States are absent from INTERPOL’s official list of 196 members:

North Korea has been a UN Member State since 17 September 1991, while Tuvalu joined the United Nations on 5 September 2000. Neither appears on INTERPOL’s current list of member countries.

What About Taiwan and Kosovo?

Taiwan and Kosovo do not appear on INTERPOL’s current list of member countries. However, they should be distinguished from North Korea and Tuvalu because neither has the same status as a universally recognised UN Member State.

Therefore, it is more accurate to distinguish between:

• UN Member States that are not INTERPOL members;
• other jurisdictions or entities that are not listed as INTERPOL member countries.

Their absence from INTERPOL’s membership list does not rule out other forms of cooperation. Bilateral, regional or other law-enforcement mechanisms may still apply in a particular case.

Palestine and Vatican City Are INTERPOL Members

This point is important because outdated online sources sometimes identify Palestine or Vatican City State as jurisdictions outside INTERPOL.

That information is incorrect.

Vatican City State has been an INTERPOL member since 7 October 2008 and maintains its own National Central Bureau in Vatican City.

Palestine became an INTERPOL member on 27 September 2017. Its membership was approved by the INTERPOL General Assembly, and it now has its own National Central Bureau.

Both are included in INTERPOL’s current official list of 196 member countries.

Does a Non-Member Country Have an INTERPOL National Central Bureau?

No. INTERPOL states that each member country hosts a National Central Bureau, which serves as the national focal point for INTERPOL activities and connects domestic law enforcement with other member countries and the General Secretariat.

A jurisdiction that is not an INTERPOL member does not participate in the Organization through its own member-country NCB.

However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that international law-enforcement cooperation is impossible. The existence and legal basis of any other form of cooperation must be assessed separately.t Interpol membership status. A lawyer specialising in extradition defence in Thailand can identify which framework applies and what grounds for challenge exist.

Does Being Outside INTERPOL Prevent Extradition?

No. INTERPOL membership and extradition are separate legal issues.

INTERPOL provides mechanisms for international police cooperation and information exchange. Extradition, by contrast, is a legal process governed by the applicable national law and, where relevant, international agreements or other recognised legal arrangements.

For Thailand, extradition matters are handled through the Office of the Attorney General, which acts as the Central Authority for extradition.

Therefore, the fact that a requesting state or jurisdiction is not an INTERPOL member does not by itself determine whether a person can or cannot be extradited.

For the broader legal framework, see our guidance on extradition from Thailand.

Does Non-Membership Mean There Can Be No INTERPOL Red Notice?

TAn INTERPOL Notice is issued within INTERPOL’s cooperation system at the request of a member country’s National Central Bureau or another entity entitled to make such a request under the applicable INTERPOL rules.

A jurisdiction that is not an INTERPOL member does not have its own member-country NCB through which to participate in the system in the same way as a member state.

That distinction should not be confused with broader questions about whether another country may request police cooperation, pursue criminal proceedings or seek extradition through a different legal mechanism.

How Is This Different From the List of INTERPOL Member Countries?

This page focuses specifically on states and jurisdictions outside INTERPOL membership.

For the complete current membership list, including Thailand and the other participating countries, see our guide to INTERPOL member countries.

For a broader explanation of INTERPOL’s structure, National Central Bureaus and international police cooperation, see how INTERPOL works.