Filipinos Overseas Can Now Vote Online via Internet Voting

For many overseas Filipinos, casting a vote in the national elections has often been a logistical challenge.

Whether you’re in the Middle East, the U.S., or anywhere else, traveling to a Philippine Embassy or Consulate during a limited one-month period to cast your vote is often not an option.

Thankfully, the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) is here to offer a more convenient alternative for eligible voters abroad.

The OVCS is an internet-based voting system designed for overseas Filipinos who are registered to vote.

By using this online system, you can now vote from the comfort of your home or wherever you might be working or residing, without the need to physically visit your embassy or consulate.

This process makes it easier, faster, and more efficient to participate in the democratic process, especially for those who are working long hours or live in regions far from consular offices.

To access the system, however, you must first pre-register or pre-enroll, which ensures that your identity is verified, and your vote is counted.

Keep in mind that this system is only available in select countries and will only be accessible to those who have completed their registration and pre-enrollment.

The good news is that this system is available at no extra cost to voters—provided they are eligible and have completed all necessary steps for pre-enrollment.

Table of Contents

COMELEC internet voting — Screengrab: COMELEC

Overview

Historically, overseas voting has been a cumbersome process. For many Filipinos abroad, the typical election cycle involves traveling to a Philippine embassy or consulate to cast a vote during a designated period (usually one month).

While some voters can make time, others face significant barriers: limited time off work, long distances to travel, or simply not being able to make it to the embassy within the specified timeframe.

The OVCS was introduced to remove these obstacles by providing internet-based voting for select Filipino overseas voters.

Instead of waiting in long lines at consular offices or worrying about missing your chance to vote, eligible voters can now vote from anywhere using the official online portal, available on various devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

This system is particularly important because it addresses the growing need for more inclusive and accessible elections, ensuring that Filipinos abroad—who make up a significant portion of the electorate—can have a voice in the country’s national elections.

How Does the OVCS Work?

Before you can cast your ballot online, the first step is to pre-register or pre-enroll. This step is mandatory for all eligible overseas voters. The pre-enrollment process is designed to ensure that only registered and verified individuals can vote.

This process typically begins several months before the election, and you should check your embassy’s official website or your consulate for details on when this process opens.

Once pre-enrollment is completed, you’ll be provided with the necessary credentials to log into the online voting platform when the voting period begins.

Pre-Enrollment Period

The pre-enrollment for internet voting period is from March 10, 2025 (Monday) to May 7, 2025 (Wednesday). During this period, overseas Filipino voters can enroll in the Overseas Voting and Counting System (OVCS) through various methods such as self pre-voting enrollment using their own internet-capable device, voting kiosks at Philippine Posts, or field/mobile pre-voting enrollment scheduled by the post.

Voting Period

The voting period for overseas Filipinos will typically run from April 13 to May 12. However, it is important to keep in mind that this period can vary depending on the embassy or consulate, so always confirm the exact dates through the relevant embassy announcements.

Once the voting period is live, you can access the online voting portal and cast your vote for the senators and party-list groups of your choice.

Which Countries Offer the Online Voting Option?

Not every country offers the OVCS for overseas voting, and the program is limited to select Philippine embassies and consulates.

As of 2025, the following Philippine diplomatic missions have confirmed the implementation of the OVCS:

Asia & Pacific Region

Bangkok – Thailand
Beijing – China (Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Tibet, Sichuan)
Brunei – Brunei Darussalam
Canberra – Australia (Canberra, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia)
Chongqing – China (Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan)
Dhaka – Bangladesh
Dili – Timor-Leste
Guangzhou – China (Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang, Hainan, Hunan)
Hanoi – Vietnam
Hong Kong – Hong Kong SAR
Islamabad – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Jakarta – Indonesia
Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia
Macau – Macau SAR
Manado – Indonesia (North & East Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua, West Papua)
MECO Kaohsiung – Taiwan (Kaohsiung, Chiayi, Tainan, Pingtung)
MECO Taichung – Taiwan (Miaoli, Changhua, Taichung, Nantou)
MECO Taipei – Taiwan (Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan)
Melbourne – Australia (South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria)
Nagoya – Japan (Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi)
New Delhi – India, Nepal, Bhutan
Osaka – Japan (Ehime, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto)
Phnom Penh – Cambodia
Port Moresby – Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Solomon Islands
Seoul – South Korea, Mongolia
Singapore – Singapore
Sydney – Australia (New South Wales, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna)
Tokyo – Japan (Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Fukushima, Gunma, Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Iwate)
Vientiane – Laos
Wellington – New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, French Polynesia
Xiamen – China (Fujian, Jiangxi)
Yangon – Myanmar

Europe

Athens – Greece, Cyprus, North Macedonia
Barcelona – Spain (Outside Barcelona, Aragon, Andorra, Comunidad Valenciana, Cataluña)
Berlin – Germany (Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Saxony)
Berne – Switzerland, Liechtenstein
Brussels – Belgium, Luxembourg
Budapest – Hungary, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria
Copenhagen – Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland
Frankfurt – Germany (Hessen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, Baden-Württemberg)
Geneva – Switzerland (Geneva, Vaud)
Istanbul – Turkey (Marmara, Balikesir, Bursa, Istanbul, Sakarya, Tekirdag)
Lisbon – Angola, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Gibraltar
London – United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands
Madrid – Spain (Outside Madrid, Canary Islands)
Milan – Italy (Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia)
Moscow – Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan
Oslo – Norway, Iceland
Paris – France, Monaco
Prague – Czech Republic
Rome – Italy (Tuscany, Lazio, Puglia, Calabria)
Stockholm – Sweden, Finland
The Hague – Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire
Vatican – Vatican City
Vienna – Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia
Warsaw – Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine

Middle East & Africa

Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
Amman – Jordan, Palestine
Cairo – Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, Eritrea
Doha – Qatar
Dubai – United Arab Emirates (Sharjah, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah)
Jeddah – Saudi Arabia (Western Region, Makkah, Medina)
Kuwait – Kuwait
Manama – Bahrain
Muscat – Oman
Nairobi – Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Rwanda
Pretoria – South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia
Rabat – Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Senegal
Riyadh – Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, Eastern Region)
Tel Aviv – Israel
Tripoli – Libya, Algeria, Chad, Tunisia

North & Latin Americas

Agana – Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau
Brasilia – Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, French Guiana
Buenos Aires – Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay
Calgary – Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan)
Chicago – USA (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri)
Honolulu – USA (Hawaii, American Samoa)
Houston – USA (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico)
Los Angeles – USA (Arizona, Nevada, Southern California)
Mexico – Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador
New York – USA (Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)
Ottawa – Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Maritimes)
San Francisco – USA (California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Montana)
Santiago – Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Falkland Islands
Toronto – Canada (Ontario, Eastern Ontario, Manitoba)
Vancouver – Canada (British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories)
Washington D.C. – USA (Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland)

If your country is not listed or does not offer the online voting option, you will need to vote in person at the designated embassy or consulate, or, in some cases, through postal voting.

Step-by-Step Guide for Pre-Enrollment for Overseas Voters (2025 Elections)

Verify Your Registration as an Overseas Voter

Check the Certified List of Overseas Voters (CLOV) on your Philippine Embassy or Consulate’s official website to confirm your registration status. If not listed, you must update your registration in future registration periods.

Ensure Your Device is Compatible for Online Voting

Your device must have a built-in camera or be able to connect to an external camera. It should be capable of connecting to the internet, running on any operating system (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS), and using any web browser. Update your software for optimal performance.

Check If Your Embassy or Consulate Facilitates Internet Voting

Visit the official website of your Philippine Embassy or Consulate to confirm if they are one of the 77 posts offering internet voting.

Begin the Pre-Enrollment Process

Go to the pre-enrollment page on your Philippine Embassy or Consulate’s website. Provide your email address or mobile number and create a password.

Complete the Internet Voting Enrollment Form

Fill out the form with your personal details (full name, date of birth, address, etc.) and ensure it matches the information in the National Registry of Overseas Voters.

Submit the Form and Receive One-Time Password (OTP)

After submitting the form, check your email or SMS for the OTP. Enter the OTP in the system and submit.

Capture Your Facial Image for Identification

Use your device’s camera to take a clear, well-lit photo of your face. Ensure your face is fully visible with no obstructions.

Upload a Clear Photo of Your ID

Take a high-quality photo of your valid ID (e.g., passport) ensuring all details are legible.

Capture a Video of Yourself Displaying Your ID

Record a video showing your ID in front of the camera. Make sure both your face and the ID are clearly visible.

Submit Your Information and Complete Pre-Enrollment

After completing the photo and video verification, click continue and submit to finish the pre-enrollment process.

Receive Pre-Enrollment Confirmation

Once pre-enrollment is successful, you will receive a confirmation email or SMS with instructions and a link to access the online voting portal.

Participate in Test Voting (Optional)

During the pre-enrollment period (March 10 – April 12, 2025), access the test voting portal using your credentials to familiarize yourself with the voting process.

Voting Period

On April 13, 2025, use the link sent to your email or SMS to access the voting portal and cast your vote. Voting will close on May 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM Philippine Standard Time.

Important Reminders for Pre-Enrollment and Voting

Only overseas voters at the 77 posts offering internet voting can participate.
Eligible voters include illiterate, senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.
Ensure your device is updated and meets the technical requirements.

The Voting Process

Once you’ve completed the pre-enrollment process and the voting period begins, you’ll receive instructions to access the online voting portal. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to cast your vote:

Login to the official online voting portal using your pre-enrollment credentials.
Select your candidates—the portal will display a list of senators and party-list groups that you can vote for.
Submit your vote once you’re sure about your selections.
After submitting, you’ll receive a confirmation of your vote.

The online system is designed to be user-friendly, but should you encounter any technical issues, there will be support channels available through your embassy or consulate’s website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my country does not offer online voting?
- You can still vote by mail or in person at the embassy or consulate designated for your region. Check with your local embassy for details on your voting options.
Do I need to pay anything to vote online?
- No, voting through the OVCS is free of charge. However, you may need to pay for your own internet access if applicable.
Can I vote from any device?
- Yes, you can cast your vote using any device with an internet connection, such as smartphones, tablets, or computers.
Is my vote secure?
- Yes, the online system is built with strong security measures to protect your vote. It is critical that you follow all instructions and keep your login credentials secure.

Video: Comelec’s guide to internet voting for Filipinos abroad

The pre-enrollment process for internet voting begins on March 10, 2025, and ends on May 7, 2025.
Overseas voters must be registered at one of the 77 Philippine embassies or consulates that facilitate online voting.
During pre-enrollment, voters will need to provide a valid ID, undergo live photo capture, and verify their identity.
The online voting system will require a device with a built-in camera, and it’s recommended that it is updated to the latest software.
Test voting will be available before the official voting period, which starts on April 13, 2025, and ends on May 12, 2025.

Conclusion

The introduction of the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) marks a significant step forward in making the electoral process more accessible for Filipinos abroad. By allowing eligible voters to participate from anywhere, the system not only saves time but also empowers the overseas Filipino community to engage in the democratic process without the usual barriers of time and distance.

As the system expands, more and more Filipinos around the world will have the opportunity to shape the future of their country in a way that fits their busy, global lives. Make sure you are registered, pre-enrolled, and ready to cast your vote during the next election cycle.