Voting & Legal Assistance
In The Land of the Morning Calm
In The Land of the Morning Calm
April 2, 2024
Retirees living in Korea are authorized base Client Legal Services, as available.
Client Legal Services offers a variety of legal services in the following areas: Legal Assistance, Marriage Services, A-3 Visa/SOFA Stamp Services, Immigration and Naturalization Services, Tax Services, SOFA Liaison Services, and Claims Services. Not sure about all bases, but it is confirmed Osan AB offers Notary Services.
In order to vote in U.S. elections, all overseas U.S. citizens need to have completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in the year you are voting in. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, you must complete an FPCA each year to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.
Go to https://www.fvap.gov
Installation voter assistance offices serve as a Voter Registration Agency under the NVRA (National Voter Registration Act) and provides the following voting related services:
How can I drop off my ballot at the Embassy/Consulate?
In-Person: During business hours, please call Embassy Seoul 02-397-4114 and ask for U.S. Citizen Services. Embassy staff will meet the voter at the main entrance to the embassy to collect the voting envelope. The envelope must have either a U.S. postage-paid label or have sufficient U.S. postage affixed, for it to be delivered to your local election office from the U.S. sorting facility where it will be mailed.
By Mail: In order to mail election-related materials to the United States, you will need two envelopes: (1) Address the first (outer) envelope to the U.S. Embassy Seoul at mailing address:188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03141Attention: American Citizen Services (Ballot), (2) Address the second (inner) envelope to your local state election office and enclose your ballot inside. The second (inner) envelope should have either a U.S. postage-paid label or have sufficient U.S. postage affixed, for it to be delivered to your local election office from the U.S. sorting facility where it will be mailed. Seal the second (inner) envelope, place it inside the first (outer) envelope, and mail the package to U.S. Embassy Seoul.
Normal transit time from Seoul to the United States is 7-10 business days.
Registering to Vote and submitting a ballot is fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world! Follow a few simple steps:
Register to Vote: Start by confirming your voter registration with your state. Some states require absentee voters to register annually, so you may need to re-register. Go to FVAP.gov to connect to your state’s voter portal to register to vote, request a ballot, and more.
Request Your Ballot: Most states provide the option to request ballots through their state election portals, which you can easily access via FVAP.gov. You can also choose to complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives), including primaries and special elections, during the calendar year in which it is submitted. FPCA forms that are correctly filled out and include a signature and date are accepted by all local election officials in every U.S. state and territory. FVAP’s easy online assistant can assist you with completing the FPCA. Whether you request your ballot through your state’s portal or the FPCA, we encourage you to select the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax) when available. This is the fastest way to get your ballot and ensures you have it in time to return a completed form before your state’s deadline.
Receive and Complete Your Ballot: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office, and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. Most states allow you to confirm your ballot delivery online.
Return Your Completed, Signed Ballot: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through international mail, professional courier service, or through U.S. Embassy Seoul’s diplomatic pouch. The diplomatic pouch provides mail service from embassies and consulates to a U.S. sorting facility. You will need to place your ballots in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. postage, in order for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities once received by the U.S. sorting facility.
If you plan to use the diplomatic pouch, drop off your ballots at the Embassy’s American Citizens Services section (see instructions for sending in ballots by mail or in person above). Please note that all visitors to the Embassy are subject to security screening and you will not be permitted to bring electronic devices, including cell phones, inside the facility. It can take up to two (2) weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy or consulate via diplomatic pouch. All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots accordingly. Ballots will be received and forwarded whenever submitted but you may want to consider using a courier service if submitting your ballot close to or after the stated delivery time for pouch mail.
Researching the Candidates and Issues: Online Resources. Go to the FVAP links page for helpful resources to aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain online. You can also read national and hometown newspapers online, or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP's Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook (@DODFVAP), Twitter (@FVAP), and Instagram (@fvapgov).
Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Mission Korea’s Voting Assistance Officer at 02-397-4114, or at VoteSeoul@state.gov
Relevant Links
