Absentee Voting Information for U.S. Citizens in Thailand
Voter registration deadlines vary by state.  Some states require voters to be registered 30 days before an election.  Check the Federal Voting Assistance Program website (www.FVAP.gov) to find more information on the deadline in your state.  Whether you are a first-time voter or have voted absentee in previous elections, you should complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) each year to ensure you are able to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.

If you have already completed a FPCA in 2024, you should soon receive your blank ballot, or instructions for how to access your ballot.  Please check your state’s voter registration verification website, or contact your local election office, to check the status of your absentee ballot request.  Using the FPCA ensures that your state will send your ballot to you at least 45 days before the election.

Once you have completed your ballot, you can return it to your local election officials free of charge by dropping it off at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate or mail it directly at your own expense.  Transit time to the United States can take up to 20 days.  You are encouraged to return your ballot as soon as possible. The recommended vote-by date from the State Department is October 4, 2024.

HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OVERSEAS VOTING. Please help spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues that U.S. citizens overseas may be eligible to vote from wherever they are.  Now is the time.
If you have never voted while overseas before, it’s not too late. The process is easy — just follow these steps:

1. Complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
The FPCA allows you to register to vote and request your absentee ballots in one step.  If you submit an FPCA, your local election officials will send you an absentee ballot for all elections for federal offices (presidential and state primaries, run-off, special, and the November general elections) that take place that calendar year. Local election officials in all U.S. states and territories accept the FPCA.

The online voting assistant available at FVAP.gov is an easy way to complete the FPCA. It will ask you questions specific to your state and tell you if electronic ballot delivery is possible.  We encourage you to request that your ballot be sent to you electronically.  Be sure to include your email address.  The online voting assistant will generate a printable FPCA, for you to print and sign.

2. Submit the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
You can return your FPCA to your local election officials free of charge via the nearest embassy or consulate.  It must be addressed to your local election officials and be in a postage-paid envelope. A postage-paid envelope is available on the FVAP website.

• Drop-off Ballots: Voters may drop off voting materials at the voting box located near the consular entrance of the U.S. Embassy Bangkok or at the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai, 24 hours per day, without an appointment.
• Mail Ballots: Voters can mail voting materials to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General at the addresses below.  Please ensure the materials are in a separate sealed envelope addressed to your local election officials and be in a postage-paid envelope. The U.S. Embassy or Consulate General will forward the materials to your local election office in the United States. Please utilize Thai Post or DHL to mail ballots; other methods are not reliable.

• U.S. Embassy Bangkok
  American Citizens Services
  Attn: Voting Assistance Officer
  95 Wireless Road
  Bangkok, Thailand 10330§  U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai
  American Citizens Services
  Attn: Voting Assistance Officer
  387 Wichayanond Rd
  T. Chang Moi, A. Muang
  Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

You may also choose to mail it directly to your local election officials at your own expense.  Some states allow voters to submit the FPCA via email as well.  See FVAP’s Voting Assistance Guide for specifics on all states.

3. Receive Your Ballot
After submitting your FPCA, most states have an online portal where you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery information.  States are required to send ballots 45 days before an election for federal office to any overseas U.S. citizen who has completed an FPCA.

Using an Emergency Write-In Ballot
If you completed all required steps but have not received your ballot 30 days before an election, submit a completed Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Contact the voting assistance officer at the U.S. embassy or consulate for help or visit the FVAP website to complete an FWAB using the online assistant. Write in the candidates of your choice, then print, sign, and send the FWAB to your local election officials. If your regular absentee ballot arrives after submitting a FWAB, you should still complete and return it. Your FWAB will be counted only if your regular ballot does not reach local election officials by your state’s deadline. This will not invalidate your vote or result in casting two votes.

4. Return Your Ballot
As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials free of charge via the nearest embassy or consulate or mail it directly at your own expense.  Please note that transit time can take up to 20 days.  You are encouraged to return your ballot as soon as possible. The recommended vote-by date from the State Department is October 4, 2024.
Please note that a friend or family member can drop off your election materials at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate General on your behalf, if needed.

Some states also accept voted ballots via email.  See FVAP’s Voting Assistance Guide for more details on your state.

Your Vote Counts!
Many U.S. elections are decided by a small number of votes. All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the state’s absentee ballot receipt deadline.
To receive information by email about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook and Twitter.

If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas or how to return your election materials, please contact U.S. Embassy Bangkok and U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai’s Voting Assistance Officers at  VoteBangkok@state.gov if you live in the Bangkok consular district or VoteChiangMai@state.gov if you live in the Chiang Mai consular district.

Provision of Consular Services: Tuesday, August 27, 08:00 AM- 11:00 AM

The American Citizens Services Unit will be providing limited consular services in the Centara Udon Hotel from 08:00 AM to 11:00 AM on August 27, 2024.

Please note, these services are limited by appointments only for:

1. Passport renewals (for adult holding 10 years passport)
2. Passport renewals for minors (age 0-15)
3. First time adult passport (age 16 and above)
4. Notary services

To sign up for services, please register here. Reservations are by appointments only with additional consideration for those with limited mobility.

NOTE:
** Passport service fees MUST be paid prior the services via Pay.gov **

Cash, credit cards are not acceptable

** Notary services MUST purchase bank draft **

Cash, credit cards are not acceptable

** You MUST bring originals and photocopies of all necessary documents. **

Please find specific information here. (PDF 367KB)

Venue: Centara Udon Hotel

Telephone: +66 42 343 555

Please print, organize and complete the appropriate notary form before your appointment. There are no public printing or copying services at the Embassy and Consulate. If you do not have access to the necessary technology, you may obtain a blank copy of an affidavit in the waiting room on your appointment date. Use of the blank version will lengthen your check-in time.

In order to receive notarial services from the Consular Section you must:

• Understand your document. Consular staff cannot explain the contents to you;
• Complete the document with the appropriate names, places, and dates before you arrive (but do not sign it; you must sign in front of a Notarizing Officer);
• Include all pages, information and accompanying documents;
• Organize all pages in order and the page(s) that requires the notary seal must be clearly flagged on the edge of the document;
• Ensure name of the individual signing the document matches the name on the presented identification (i.e., passport or other government issued ID);
• If you are signing on behalf of a corporation, LLC, etc., you must bring proof that you are authorized to sign on behalf of the organization; e.g. business card and/or articles of incorporation etc.
• If your document requires witnesses, please ensure they each have a separate scheduled appointment and appear with a valid government issued photo ID;
• Do not sign your document until requested to do so by a Consular Officer.
• Fee 50 USD per seal; you may pay by cash or with credit card on your appointment date. (See Fee schedule and exchange rate here.)

U.S. Consular Officers are not Empowered to authenticate Public Documents Issued in the United States.  Such documents include vital records (birth, marriage, death and divorce), as well as academic, commercial, or other credentials.  Consular Officers do not have access to the records of the issuing office or the seal of the custodian of these records.

Public documents issued in the United States may be authenticated by the designated official in the U.S. state or other jurisdiction where the public document was issued.  For documents issued in the United States, please refer to the respective state’s authentication office for more information.  The National Association of Secretaries of State website contains contact information for each state’s authentication authorities and can be found at: http://www.nass.org (Home page > Business Services >  Notary Services >  Choose a State to get to the state Notary Public Website.)  The document may then be authenticated for use abroad by the U.S. Department of State Authentication Office.

When a certification or authentication of a true copy of a document issued outside of Thailand is required, please contact the embassy or consulate of the country where the document was issued.