General
General frequently asked questions about voting abroad.
When is voting day for the next National Elections for South Africans abroad?
The election timetable will be announced by the President of the Republic of South Africa and the provincial Premiers during the Government Gazette prior to the upcoming national elections.
What documentation do you need to take with you to your mission to vote?
Please take BOTH your South African ID (green, bar-coded South African ID book, smart ID card, or valid Temporary Identity Certificate) AND your valid South African passport with you to the mission that you indicated you would be voting at in your VEC 10 application. Both documents are essential. Only original documents can be accepted – no copies.
What address will appear on the voters' roll for you?
Once you have submitted your VEC 10 notification, the address of the mission at which you will be voting will appear as your address at
registertovote.elections.org.za.
What if you registered to vote but your name is not on the voter' roll?
If you registered to vote at your mission prior to the national elections, but you are not listed as being a registered voter, then please email [email protected] with a scan of your identity document AND passport and proof that you registered, so that the Electoral Commission can investigate the matter.
What if my ID and passport have different surnames, for example, one still has my maiden name.
The Electoral Commission uses your identity number and checks it against the National Population Register (NPR). We then get your name as it's reflected on the NPR (the Department of Home Affairs automatically changes your name when you get married), and that is the name that appears on the voters' roll. You can apply for a new ID/passport reflecting your changed name if you want to. These new documents can be applied for at any South African mission abroad or at the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa.
Where can you find a list of South Africa's foreign missions, including high commissions, embassies and consulates, worldwide?
Voter Registration Abroad
Frequently asked questions about voter registration abroad.
Who needs to register to vote abroad?
To vote in South Africa's elections, you must be registered as a voter. First-time voters who are not currently on South Africa's voters' roll must apply for registration at their nearest South African embassy, high commission or consulate-general. Voters who live abroad, but were previously registered in South Africa, are still registered to vote and are not required to re-register.
What do I need to register to vote abroad?
You must:
- Be a South African citizen;
- Be at least 16 years old;
- Have a valid South African ID – either the green barcoded ID book OR smart ID card or Temporary ID Certificate
- Be a valid South African passport.
Where can I register abroad?
You must apply in person for registration at your nearest South African embassy, high commission or consulate-general (visit
www.dirco.gov.za/webmissions/index.html
for locations and contact info) during their normal office hours before proclamation of the next national elections. Please note that it is not possible to register or vote at honorary consuls' offices.
I am already a registered voter, but my given address is in South Africa. Do I need to provide the IEC with my new address where I live abroad?
Yes. By law the Electoral Commission is obliged to have an up-to-date and complete address recorded for each voter. Please email the Electoral Commission at [email protected] and provide us with your ID number, full names, and new address so that your information can be updated on the voters' roll. Please note that to be eligible to vote out-of-country, voters will still need to inform the Chief Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission via the completion of an online Notification and application to CEO for special votes abroad form (formerly the VEC 10 form) – to be available on this website – of their intention to vote, and by indicating the mission at which they will be voting, once the next national election is proclaimed.
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