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Australian Electoral Commission
Overseas voting centres will be available during the early voting period which is the two weeks leading up to election day. Not all overseas voting centres will open for the full two-week period and the opening dates and times will vary.
A list of overseas voting centres for the election are available below. These centres may provide in-person voting and accept your completed postal vote. Check the opening days and times at the overseas voting centre near you as well as any entry requirements for the centre before you visit.
If you’re overseas and unable to vote in-person or by postal vote, you should complete and submit an overseas notification form.
It is not compulsory to vote if you are outside Australia. However, if you do not inform the AEC, we will write to you asking you to explain why you did not vote
For the 2025 federal election, the AEC in partnership with DFAT and Austrade will offer in-person voting in a majority of Australian embassies, consulates and high commissions. They may also collect your completed postal vote and return it to Australia for you.
Not all overseas voting centres will open for the entire two week early voting period and overseas voting services may be subject to change at short notice. The voting options for Australians who are overseas during the federal election are dependent on the local security environment.
Some Australian embassies, consulates and high commissions require you to make an appointment to enter and/or request ID documents like a passport or driver’s licence. You may also be required to pass through security screening to enter the building.
Please visit the website of the Australian embassy, consulate or high commission near you for further details. Check:
Once in the overseas voting centre, you do not need to provide ID documents to cast your vote.
If you’re overseas and unable to make it to an in-person voting centre, you can apply for a postal vote.
Postal vote packs will be sent from Australia, so you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
If you are a registered general postal voter, you will be sent ballot papers as soon as possible after the declaration of nominations.
If you are not a registered general postal voter, apply for a postal vote for this election.
You will receive a postal voting pack that includes all the information you need to complete your ballot papers and return them to the AEC.
Once you receive your postal voting pack, complete and return your ballot papers as soon as possible so they can be counted.
The AEC can only legally count postal votes that are completed on or before election day and received by the AEC in Australia by the 13th day after voting day. We work closely with couriers and use diplomatic mailbags to expedite the mailout and return of overseas postal votes.
You can help by:
The sooner you complete and send your postal vote, the more likely it can be received and included in the count.
You do not need to pay to receive your postal vote pack. However, the cost of returning your postal vote to an overseas voting centre or to the AEC in Australia via courier or mail is your responsibility.
Many overseas voting centres will accept completed postal votes via local mail or in-person drop-off.
The overseas voting centre will forward your postal vote via diplomatic mail to the AEC in Australia. This helps get your vote back to the AEC as soon as possible. Overseas postal vote return locations are available.
If you wish to return your postal vote to Australia using the local mail service in your country, you can do so by addressing your envelope to:
Divisional Returning Officer
(insert applicable address for your state below)
State/ Territory |
Address |
|---|---|
Australian Capital Territory |
Queanbeyan OPC |
New South Wales |
Sydney Olympic Park OPC |
Northern Territory |
Eaton OPC |
Queensland |
Hendra OPC |
South Australia |
Enfield OPC |
Tasmania |
Moonah OPC |
Victoria |
West Footscray OPC |
Western Australia |
Welshpool Kurnall OPC |
If you wish to return your postal vote to Australia using a courier, you can arrange the return with a company of your choice. The envelope/satchel must be addressed to:
Australian Electoral Commission
Shop M01
131 Monaro Street
Queanbeyan NSW 2620
The cost associated with returning your postal vote direct to the AEC in Australia by courier is your responsibility.
If you’re overseas or going overseas and want to vote, you need to ensure you’re correctly enrolled to vote.
The form below will help you understand your enrolment and voting options while you are overseas.
You can keep your details on the electoral roll so you can vote in federal elections while overseas.
By completing this form, you are not required to vote in electoral events but can remain on the electoral roll. If you don't have an Australian driver's license, Australian passport number, Medicare Card number or Australian citizenship number, please use the paper form.
As a registered overseas elector, you are required to vote in electoral events. You must register as a general postal voter to automatically receive your postal ballot to your overseas address, it is essential you keep this up to date.
Failure to vote will result in removal from the electoral roll. Registration is valid for 6 years, and you can extend for a period of 12 months.
Your name will be removed from the electoral roll and you won’t be able to vote in any federal elections held while you are overseas.
Should you return to Australia you will need to re-enrol. If you don’t have an Australian driver’s licence, Australian passport number, Medicare Card number or Australian citizenship number, please use the paper form.
You can keep your details on the electoral roll so you can vote in federal elections while overseas.
By completing this form, you are not required to vote in electoral events but can remain on the electoral roll. If you don't have an Australian driver's license, Australian passport number, Medicare Card number or Australian citizenship number, please use the paper form.
As a registered overseas elector, you are required to vote in electoral events. You must register as a general postal voter to automatically receive your postal ballot to your overseas address, it is essential you keep this up to date.
Failure to vote will result in removal from the electoral roll. Registration is valid for 6 years, and you can extend for a period of 12 months.
You need to enrol to vote first, then complete the overseas notification form.
You can keep your details on the electoral roll so you will be able to vote in federal elections while overseas.
By completing this form, you are not required to vote in electoral events but can remain on the electoral roll. If you don’t have an Australian driver’s licence, Australian passport number, Medicare Card number or Australian citizenship number, please use the paper form.
If you have been overseas for less than three years, you can enrol to vote from outside Australia..
If you have been overseas for more than three years you are not eligible to enrol.
If you are the spouse, defactor partner or child of a person who is registered as an overseas elector, you can enrol to vote in federal elections if:
Voting in a federal election is not compulsory for Australians overseas. If you are unable to vote you should complete and submit an overseas notification form.
If you do not inform the AEC, we will write to you asking you to explain why you did not vote.
To be eligible to enrol to vote from overseas, you must be:
If you are overseas and intending to return to Australia within six years, you can register as an overseas elector. If you are already enrolled, you can register up to three months before, or within three years after, you leave Australia.
If you are not already enrolled, and have been overseas for less than three years, you must first enrol to vote.
If you are going overseas for a short period of time and plan to return to your address in Australia you can still enrol and vote.
If you are already enrolled, complete and submit an overseas notification form. This form provides you with the option to keep your details on the electoral roll so you will be able to vote in federal elections while overseas.
If you don't have an Australian driver's licence, Australian passport number, Medicare Card number, or Australian citizenship number, please use the paper form.
If you are moving overseas indefinitely your name will be removed from the electoral roll and you will not be able to vote in any federal elections held while you are overseas.
Should you return to Australia to live permanently, you may re-enrol after you have been at your residential address for a minimum of one month.
If you are moving overseas indefinitely, and do not intend to return to Australia, please complete and submit an overseas notification form.
If you don't have an Australian driver's licence, Australian passport number, Medicare Card number, or Australian citizenship number, please use the paper form.
If you are the child of a person who is registered as an overseas elector you can enrol and vote in federal elections if you:
You can update your overseas postal address and contact details by completing and submitting our online form. To update your details, you must already be registered as an overseas elector.
This form cannot be used to update your enrolled address. You can update your enrolled address when you return to Australia.
To complete your postal vote, you will need a witness. Your witness needs to be enrolled to vote and can be anyone who knows you, including a family member, a friend, or a neighbour. Your witness will make sure you fill out your own ballot paper – this is one of the ways the AEC makes sure that postal voting is secure.
If you are outside Australia, other acceptable witnesses include:
If you cannot show the unsigned postal vote certificate and blank ballot papers to an authorised witness, please complete the Overseas postal vote: witness declaration alternative. Or refer to the How to complete your overseas postal vote pamphlet for instructions on what to do.
No. Australia’s electoral laws do not allow for online voting.
Australians who are working in Antarctica can vote by telephone, in accordance with the requirements of referendum legislation.
The AEC acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.