OVERSEAS VOTING

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

PERIOD OF FILING OF APPLICATION – Applications for Registration/Certification transfer of registration records, change of name due to marriage or court order/correction of entries in the Voter’s Registration Record, reactivation, and change of address may be filed from December 09, 2022 to September 30,2024 local time of the host country.

WHO MAY REGISTER – All citizens of the Philippines, who are abroad or will be abroad during the thirty (30) day voting period, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the day of the elections and not otherwise disqualified by law, may register.

WHO ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO REGISTER. – The following shall be disqualified from registering:

1. Those who have lost their Filipino citizenship in accordance with Philippine laws;
2. Those who have expressly renounced their Philippine citizenship or who have pledged allegiance to a foreign country; except dual citizens as referred to under R.A. No. 9225, otherwise known as “The Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003′;
3. Those who have committed and are convicted in a final judgment by a court or tribunal of an offense punishable by imprisonment of not less than one (1) year, such disability not having been removed by plenary pardon or amnesty; Provided, however, That any person disqualified to register under this subsection shall automatically acquire the right to vote upon expiration of five (5) years after service of sentence;
4. Any citizen of the Philippines abroad previously declared insane or incompetent by competent authority in the Philippines or abroad, as verified by the Philippine embassies, consulates or Foreign Service establishments concerned, unless such competent authority subsequently certifies that such person is no longer insane or incompetent.

WHERE TO FILE THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION/CERTIFICATION – Applications may be filed at any Post abroad or at designated registration centers outside the Post or in the designated registration centers in the Philippines as approved by the Commission. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION/CERTIFICATION – Every applicant shall accomplish OVF No. 1 and submit the following:

1. A valid Philippine Passport (bring also one (1) photocopy of the data page of the Passport);
2. In the absence of a valid Passport: a Certification issued by the Post that it has received and reviewed the appropriate documents submitted by the applicant and found them sufficient to warrant the issuance of a passport, or that the applicant is a holder of a valid passport but is unable to produce the same for a valid reason;
3. If you are a Seafarer: a photocopy of your Seaman’s Book or any other document that will prove that you are a seafarer should also be submitted in addition to “1” and “2” above; 
4. If you are a Dual Citizen: please submit your Dual Citizenship certificate or the Order of Approval (original and photocopy) in addition to “1” and “2” above;
5. Personal appearance is required, since the registrant will need to provide their biometrics.

Applicants for all OV-related application MUST set an appointment using this link: https://frankfurt-pcg2.appointlet.com/s/appointment-schedule

Under “Type of Transaction/Service Needed” select Overseas Voting Registration

For purposes of Application for Transfer from Post to Philippine Municipality/City/District, the application shall be filed at the local Office of the Election Officer in the city/municipality/district where the overseas voter intends to vote in the Philippines, subject to rules and regulations on local voter registration. On certain types of application, registered Overseas Voters with complete biometric data may also avail of COMELEC-OFOV’s Virtual Frontline Services (VFS).

COMELEC’S VIRTUAL FRONTLINE SERVICE (VFS)

Registered Overseas Voters with complete biometric data may file the following types of applications through the COMELEC-OFOV’s Virtual Frontline Services (VFS), provided that no changes to their biometric data shall be made. (Based on Section 28-32 of COMELEC Resolution No. 10833)

1. Transfer (Post to Post or Country to Country);
2. Reactivation of OVRR;
3. Reinstatement of Names Inadvertently Omitted from the NROV;
4. Change of Address; and
5. Correction of Entries or Change of Names.

Multiple types of applications may also be filed through the VFS provided that the applications only include the abovementioned types (e.g. Transfer with Reactivation and Correction of Entries).

Applicants may file their requests or applications through electronic mail by sending the scanned copy of the accomplished OVF No. 1 to the OFOV’s email address for Overseas Voters’ Concerns (ov.concerns@comelec.gov.ph), including in the said email a scanned copy of the Philippine Passport or Seafarer’s Record Book, and other supporting documents.

Virtual/Online Remote Appearance as a Substitute for Physical/In-Person Appearance. – In cases where the filing of a sworn application or an application under oath is required by law, the OFOV’s Election Officers and designated Administrative Officers are authorized to conduct interviews with the applicants to verify their identity and to administer oaths using video conferencing software.

Printouts of Accomplished OVF 1 Regarded as Equivalent to the Original. – Considering that the mode of submission of the accomplished and signed OVF 1 is via email, the electronic files containing the accomplished and signed OVF 1 attached to the email sent by the applicants shall be regarded as functional equivalents of their paper-based counterparts. Their printouts shall likewise be considered as equivalents of the original, after their contents and due execution have been verified and confirmed by the Election Officers of the OFOV during the interviews conducted by video conference.