Postal Voting for Overseas Absentee Voters
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When is the registration period for the 2013 national elections?
From November 02, 2011 to October 31, 2012
2. Who are qualified to register as Overseas Absentee Voters?
- All Filipino citizens abroad who are at least 18 years old on 14 May 2013, and who are not otherwise disqualified by law;
- Those who have reacquired or retained their Philippine citizenship under R.A. 9225 and other Filipino citizens with dual citizenship;
- Immigrants or permanent residents of other countries who are recognized as such in their host countries.
3. What is the difference between an Application for Registration as an Overseas Absentee Voter and an Application for Certification as an Oversea Absentee Voter?
An Application for Registration as an Overseas Absentee Voter is filed if you are not yet a registered voter in the Philippines.
An Application for Certification as an Overseas Absentee Voter is filed if you are already a registered voter in the Philippines
4. Do I need to personally show up at the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General to register and vote?
Yes, you must personally appear at the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General or the identified registration site to register so that your biometrics may be captured.
To vote, however, you need not appear anymore as the ballots will be mailed.
5. What does capturing of biometrics mean?
Biometrics capture means that your photograph, signature and thumb mark will be electronically recorded using special digital equipment. Hence, you must be personally present for your biometrics to be taken.
6. What are the other registration sites for Filipinos in the U.S.?
The Philippine Embassy/Consulates General will conduct several mobile registrations at various areas within their consular jurisdiction to coincide with their consular outreach missions in 2012. Notices will be put out as soon as the areas are identified and schedules have been programmed.
For North East residents below is the address for New York Embassy
Address: 556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036 (click here for location map)
Telephone: (212) 764-1330
Email: phcongen.newyork@gmail.com
7. What requirements must I present or submit when I register as an Overseas Absentee Voter?
a. A valid Philippine passport. In the absence of a passport, a Certification from the Department of Foreign Affairs, issued through the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General, asserting either of the following:
- that you have submitted document that will warrant the issuance of a passport; or
- that you are a valid passport holder but are unable to produce it for valid reasons.
b. An accomplished OAV Form No. 1 that may be obtained at the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General or mobile registration site at the time of registration, or may be downloaded, in advance, from the websites of the COMELEC (www.comelec.gov.ph), the Department of Foreign Affairs (www.dfa.gov.ph), or the Philippine Embassy (www.philippineembassy-usa.org) / Consulate General, during the registration period.
c. If you are a Seafarer, you must also submit a photocopy of your Seaman’s Book or any other document that will prove that you are a seafarer.
8. May I submit my accomplished OAV Form No. 1 and come back on another day to have my biometrics captured?
No, everything must be done on the same day, otherwise your application will not be deemed filed.
9. Do I still need to file an application to vote in absentia to be able to vote?
No, as the application to vote in absentia is already incorporated in the OAV Form No. 1.
10. How will I know if my application for registration/certification has been approved or disapproved?
You may check the website of the COMELEC or with the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General.
If your application has been disapproved, you will receive a Notice of Disapproval of your application from the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting in Manila.
11. What should I do if my application has been disapproved?
Within five (5) days from receipt of Notice of Disapproval, you or your authorized representative may file a Motion for Reconsideration before the Resident Election Registration Board of the COMELEC, based in Manila, which shall hear and act on all applications for registration/certification as overseas absentee voter.
12. What should I do if my name has been omitted, misspelled or erroneously written in the National Registry of Absentee Voters?
There will be a period within which you, or your authorized representative, may file an application for reinstatement or correction of your name with the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting in Manila.
13. I registered as an Overseas Absentee Voter in 2009 but was not able to vote in the 2010 National Elections. Do I need to apply for certification to vote abroad?
No, because your name is already listed in the Certified List of Overseas Absentee Voters (CLOAV) and the National Registry of Overseas Absentee Voters (NROAV).
14. I am a registered Overseas Absentee Voter but failed to vote in the last 2 Philippine elections of 2007 and 2010. Can I still participate in the upcoming national elections in 2013?
No, as your name will have been deleted from the CLOAV. You will need to register again.
15. I would like to register as an Overseas Absentee Voter but know that I will be in another country by May 14, 2013. Can I still vote in the 2013 elections?
Yes, you may register as an Overseas Absentee Voter and subsequently file a Letter-Request for Transfer of Registration Record (OAVF No. 1B) with the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General.
16. I intend to register as an Overseas Absentee Voter but know that I will be in the Philippines on May 14, 2013. Can I go ahead and register, and then vote in the 2013 elections in the Philippines?
Yes, you may register as an Overseas Absentee Voter and then file a Letter-Request for Transfer of Registration Record (OAVF No. 1B) before the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting in Manila. Upon receipt of approval of the request for transfer of registration record, you have to go to the office of your local election officer and submit CEF 1B (Local Application for Transfer) and have your biometrics taken.
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