Application for Registration as an Overseas Voter

A person who has no resident registration and is not entered in the list of overseas voters, and who intends to vote from abroad, shall file an application for registration as an overseas voter.

The procedures for application for registration as an overseas voter are as follows (one of the following methods)

• ① Submit an application for registration as an overseas voter to a diplomatic mission (overseas voting manager) by the deadline for application for registration as an overseas voter (60 days before election day)
• ② File an application by visiting a diplomatic mission in person or to an official working at a diplomatic mission that circulates the competent jurisdiction (A citizen of the Republic of Korea may submit, by proxy, an application for registration as an overseas voter of his/her family member. Family members are limited to his/her spouse, and the lineal ascendants or descendants of himself/herself or his/her spouse.)
• ③ File an application by mail or e-mail
• ④ File an application through the website (ova.nec.go.kr)
  
*A voter who is entered in the list of overseas voter finalized for public official elections (the immediately preceding Presidential Election or the Proportional Representation National Assembly members election held due to the expiration of term) may vote without a separate application. (However, where any entered information in the list of overseas voters has been changed, he/she shall file an application for modification registration according to the above methods for application for registration as an overseas voter, and whether he/she is entered therein may be verified on the reporting and application website (ova.nec.go.kr)).

The National Election Commission shall prepare the list of overseas voters for 10 days from the 49th day before election day.

※ An application for withdrawal may be filed until the expiration date of the period for preparing the list of overseas voters.

The National Election Commission shall make the list of overseas voters available for inspection on the Internet for 5 days from the 39th day before election day, and shall receive objections to the list.
*Whether a voter is entered in the list may also be verified at diplomatic missions abroad.
*Where a qualified voter who has filed an application for registration as an overseas voter is omitted from the list of overseas voters, he/she may file a written application for entry therein by the day before the finalization date of the list.

The list of overseas voters shall be finalized on the 30th day before election day.

When voting, an overseas voter shall present the original copy of the document publicly announced by the overseas voting manager of the diplomatic mission having jurisdiction over the country in which he/she resides. Where such document does not bear a photograph, he/she shall also present another identification document bearing a photograph.

*By January 31 of each year, the overseas voting officers shall publicly announce the types of documents necessary for verifying the nationality of overseas voters, such as visas, permanent residency certificates, long-term stay certificates, or alien registration cards issued by the country of residence. Such information may be verified on the website of each diplomatic mission abroad and the website of the National Election Commission (ok.nec.go.kr).