GUIDE: How can overseas Filipinos enroll for internet voting?
With the 2025 midterm polls a couple of months away, the Commission on Elections has urged overseas Filipinos to exercise their right to vote.
For the coming elections, Comelec embraced online voting for the first time as a convenient way for overseas Filipinos to cast their ballots.
The poll body opened the enrollment period for Filipinos abroad to sign up for the online voting and counting system on March 20.
But before voters like OFWs can cast their vote from anywhere in the world on May 12, there are a few crucial steps. This pre-enrollment phase ensures that your identity is verified and your registration is up-to-date, allowing you to participate seamlessly in the upcoming elections.
As Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in an interview with reporters, the enrollment will take less than two minutes to accomplish.
Pre-enrollment process
Registered Overseas voters within the jurisdiction of Internet Voting Posts (77 embassies and consulates) must complete pre-voting enrollment in the system. This process verifies their identity and registration status before they are eligible to vote during the overseas voting period.
The COMELEC Office for Overseas Voting announced that the official pre-enrollment link for internet voting for the upcoming election is now open until May 7. The month-long voting period for overseas voters will be from April 13 (local time) to May 12, 7 p.m. (Manila time).
To cast your vote, you need to verify your overseas voter registration. You'll need to visit the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate to register as an overseas voter before you can pre-enroll for online voting. Once registered, you'll still need to verify your details.
During pre-enrollment, the system will ensure that your voter records are current. This ensures that you're in the system and eligible to vote online.
According to the COMELEC, the official enrollment link is only available on the agency's official website and other social media accounts of Philippine embassies and consulates. The list of Philippine Embassies and Consulates adopting Internet Voting can be found here.
Please note that only registered voters at Philippine Embassies and Consulates that offer Internet Voting are eligible to enroll. Voters based in the Philippines will be excluded from the enrollment process.
Pre-enrollment can be done on your own device and through the voting kiosk at one of the 77 posts.
COMELEC also advised overseas votes to "remain vigilant against fraudulent websites, emails, and social media pages posing as official sources."
Requirements
To verify your identity, you'll need to have your official documents ready, which include a Philippine Passport (Regular, Official, and Diplomatic), a Philsys ID, a Philippines Driver's License, an IBP Card, and a Seaman's Book.
If the identification document you present has expired, there's no need to worry—the system will still accept it. Even though the ID has expired, it remains valid proof of identity for the pre-voting enrollment process.
Verification process
An automated verification process will be used for validation. Voters will undergo the multi-step authentication process which involves ID image and facial capturing.
Applications that fail this process will be flagged as "for further verification" and will undergo manual validation by the SBEI of the Post or the OFOV. In either case, the enrollee will be notified of their enrollment status via a notice or prompt.
Other reminders for the actual online voting period
The link to the actual voting website will be sent via the email address the voters have provided during the pre-enrollment period.
Overseas voters can use any electronic device—mobile phones, laptops/desktops, and tablets—to vote online as long as they can access the Online Voting and Counting System.
If overseas voters encounter difficulties or technical problems during the voting period, they can vote at the OVCS voting kiosk available at the Philippine embassy or consulate.
To check if you are eligible to vote, you can look through the Certified List of Overseas Voters available at the COMELEC, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Posts websites.
There will be a total of 18,272 national and local political positions in the 2025 elections, which is an increase of 200 positions compared to the 2022 polls.
