Registration/Certification Application FAQs

The requirements for registering for an Overseas Voter Certification are the following:
a. A valid Philippine passport. In the absence of a valid passport, a certification of the DFA that it has reviewed the appropriate documents submitted by the applicant and has 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;
b. Accomplished registration form prescribed by the Commission;
c. Applicants who availed themselves of the 'Citizen Retention and Reacquisition Act' (Republic Act No. 9225) shall present the original or certified true copy of the order of approval of their application to retain or reacquire their Filipino citizenship issued by the post or their identification certificate issued by the Bureau of Immigration, and
d. In case of seafarers a photocopy of their Seamans Book or any other pertinent document.

A person can apply for an overseas certification at any post abroad or at designated registration centers outside the post or in the Philippines approved by the Commission. For an updated list of registration centres in the Philippines, please check COMELEC (www.comelec.gov.ph) and DFA-OVS (www.dfa-oavs.gov.ph) website.

An in-house Resident Election Registration Board in every post and in the OFOV processes, approves or disapproves all applications for registration and/or certification as overseas voters, including the deactivation, reactivation and cancellation of registration records.

Any interested party may file a petition for exclusion not later than one hundred eighty (180) days before the start of the overseas voting period.

If the application has been disapproved, the applicant or the authorized representative shall have the right to file a motion for reconsideration before the RERB within a period of five (5) days from receipt of the notice of disapproval. The motion shall be decided within five (5) days after its filing on the basis of documents submitted but not later than one hundred twenty (120) days before the start of the overseas voting period.

Within ten (10) days from receipt of notice denying the motion for reconsideration, the applicant may file a petition for inclusion with the proper Municipal/Metropolitan Trial Court in the City of Manila

Any overseas voter whose registration has been deactivated may file with the RERB at any time, but not later than one hundred twenty (120) days before the start of the overseas voting period, a sworn application for reactivation of registration stating that the grounds for the deactivation no longer exist.

The RERB shall deactivate and remove the registration records of the following persons from the corresponding book of voters and place the same, properly marked and dated, in the inactive file after entering any of the following causes of deactivation:

a. Any person who has been sentenced by final judgment by a Philippine court or tribunal to suffer imprisonment for not less than one (1) year, such disability not having been removed by plenary pardon or amnesty: Provided, however, That any person disqualified to vote under this paragraph shall automatically reacquire the right to vote upon the expiration of five (5) years after service of sentence, as certified by the Clerks of Courts of the Municipal, Municipal Circuit, Metropolitan, Regional Trial Courts or the Sandiganbayan;

b. Any person declared by competent authority to be insane or incompetent, unless such disqualification has been subsequently removed by a declaration of a proper authority that such person is no longer insane or incompetent;

c. Any person who did not vote in two (2) consecutive national elections as shown by voting records; and

d. Any person whose registration has been ordered excluded by the courts.

In the event of change of voting venue, an application for transfer of registration record must be filed by the overseas voter with the OFOV, through its Chairperson, at least one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the start of the overseas voting period: Provided, That those who would eventually vote in the Philippines should register within the time frame provided for local registration in the municipality, city or district where they intend to vote: Provided, further, That those who have registered in the municipality, city or district where they resided prior to their departure abroad need not register anew: Provided, finally, That transferees shall notify the OFOV, through its Chairperson, of their transfer back to the Philippines at least one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the next national elections for purposes of cancelling their names from the CLOV and of removing their overseas voter's registration from the book of voters

An overseas voter can file an application under oath for change of name or correction of entries with the RERB personally or through and authorized representative.