Information on Overseas Absentee Voter Registration

The resumption of continuing registration/certification of qualified overseas absentee voters for purposes of the May 10, 2010 national elections and subsequent national elections thereafter.

Application For Registration As Overseas Absentee Voter (OAV)

Who may register?

All citizens of the Philippines who intend to vote abroad, at least eighteen years of age on the day of the elections and not otherwise disqualified by law may register.

The following shall be disqualified from registering:

• Those who have lost their Filipino citizenship in accordance with Philippine laws,
• Those who have expressly renounced their Philippine citizenship and who have pledged allegiance to a foreign country; except dual citizens as referred to under Republic Act No. 9225, otherwise known as the “Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003”.
• 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, including those who have committed and been found guilty of Disloyalty as defined under Article 137 of the Revised Penal Code, such disability not having been removed by plenary pardon and amnesty; Provided, however, That any person disqualified to register under this subsection shall automatically acquire the right to register upon expiration of five (5) years after service of sentence; and provided, further, That the Commission may take cognizance of final judgments issued by foreign courts or tribunals only on the basis of reciprocity and subject to the formalities and processes prescribed by the Rules of Court on execution of judgments;
• 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; and,
• An immigrant or a permanent resident who is recognized as such in the host country, unless he executes upon filing of an application for registration as overseas absentee voter, an affidavit declaring that:
  • He shall resume actual physical permanent residence in the Philippines pursuant to Section 5 of R.A. 9189; and,
  • He has not applied for citizenship in another country.

Requirements for Filing of Application for Registration

Every applicant shall be required to submit a valid Philippine passport to establish his identity. In the absence of a valid passport, a certification of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that it has 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. In addition;

• In case of a seafarer, a photocopy of his Seaman’s Book or any other pertinent document; or
• In case of a dual citizen, the original or certified true copy of the Order of Approval of his application to retain or reacquire his Filipino citizenship or Oath of Allegiance issued by the Post (Embassy, Consulate or Foreign Service Establishment and other Philippine government agencies maintaining offices abroad having jurisdiction over the places where the overseas absentee voters temporarily reside) or the Bureau of Immigration.

Where to register

The applicant shall personally appear before the representative of the Commission on Elections at the Philippine Embassy in Oslo with address at 4th Flr., Nedre Vollgate 4, 0158 Oslo, Norway. In case of a seafarer, he may file his application personally at any Post or at the designated registration centers in the Philippines.

When to register

All applications shall be filed from 1 December 2008 to 31 August 2009 from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday – Friday.