Appointments Now Available!
The American Citizen Services units of the U.S. Embassy Bangkok and Consulate General Chiang Mai are now open for routine service appointments including passport renewals, notary services, and applications for Certificates of Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Please see our website for more information and to make an appointment.
Voting from overseas is easy and free, but it is important that you start now!
Be an Active Voter by taking the necessary steps to vote in the 2020 U.S. elections! U.S. citizens living overseas are entitled to vote absentee, and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai can help you submit your ballot this November. If you have not registered with your state yet, please check FVAP.gov today to learn about your state’s registration process and deadlines for requesting and submitting your ballot.
Ballots mailed from overseas should be sent as soon as possible upon receiving the ballot. If you are sending your ballots to the U.S. by using the U.S. Embassy mail system, then it is recommended that ballots are received by the U.S. Embassy Bangkok or Consulate General Chiang Mai by Friday, October 1, 2020. However, if you miss this deadline, we will continue to accept and send any and all ballots that voters wish to submit, regardless of the date.
If you have never voted while overseas before, it’s not too late. The process is easy — just follow these steps:
Step 1: Request Your Ballot: Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at FVAP.gov. This will allow you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives). Selecting the option to receive your ballot electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state) will help ensure that you receive it as quickly as possible.
Step 2: Receive and Complete Your Ballot: If you submitted a FPCA, then states are required to send your ballot 45 days before a regular election for federal office, which is Saturday, September 19. Note that some states will still send ballots even after September 19.
Step 3: Return Your Completed Ballot: The recommended deadline for submitting ballots by mail from overseas is October 1 to meet state ballot receipt deadlines. Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return your ballot by mail, you can do so free of charge at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok or the Consulate General in Chiang Mai. Please see below for more details.
How to Mail Voting Materials from Thailand:
Drop off Ballots: U.S. citizens may drop off their voting materials during normal business hours at the U.S. Embassy Bangkok or at the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai in the voting boxes located at the American Citizen Services security entrance. Bring your U.S. passport or other photo ID to show the guards when you arrive. U.S. citizen employees of the Department of State are responsible for the handling of all ballots. Please make sure your envelope is signed, sealed, and addressed to your district office. It also must include U.S. postage, or use a postage-paid envelope. You can find postage-paid envelopes available for download at this link: https://www.fvap.gov/eo/overview/materials/forms.
Pro Tip: You can print the postage-paid envelope on regular paper, then tape it to your envelope when you are preparing your ballot to be sent.
Mailing Ballots: If you live far from Bangkok or Chiang Mai, you may also mail ballots via Thai Post to the Embassy or Consulate General addresses below, then we will forward these to the United States to be delivered to your district office.
Pro Tip: You need two envelopes. It would be best if one is bigger, so one envelope can fit inside the other. Address the larger envelope to the Embassy or Consulate General at the mailing address below. Address the smaller envelope to your local state election office and enclose your ballot or FPCA inside. The smaller envelope needs to be postage-paid or have sufficient U.S. postage to be delivered to your local election office from the U.S. sorting facility where it will be mailed. Seal the smaller envelope, place it inside the larger envelope, and mail it to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General.
U.S. Embassy Bangkok
American Citizen Services
Attn: Voting Assistance Officer
95 Wireless Road
Bangkok, Thailand 10330
U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai
American Citizen Services
Attn: Voting Assistance Officer
387 Wichayanond Rd T. Chang Moi, A. Muang
Chiang Mai 50300 Thailand
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: During what times can I drop off my ballot at the U.S. Embassy Bangkok or U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai?
- You may drop off ballots during normal business hours, which is Monday – Friday from 07:00 am – 04:00 pm at U.S. Embassy Bangkok or 07:30 am – 04:30 pm at U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai. Please also review our website for holiday closures.
Q: Can I vote at the embassy or consulate?
- Elections are run at the state level. You must communicate directly with your state to register, request a ballot, and vote. Most embassies and consulates will help you to fill out the FPCA and FWAB, but they are not polling places.
Q: What is the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)?
- Overseas U.S. citizens can use the FPCA to register to vote and request an absentee ballot simultaneously. They can also use the FPCA to update their contact information.
Q: What is the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)?
- The FWAB is an emergency backup ballot for UOCAVA citizens who did not receive an absentee ballot from their state in time to participate in the election.
Q: When will I get my ballot?
- If you submitted a FPCA then states are required to send your ballot 45 days before a regular election for federal office, which is Saturday, September 19. If you requested your ballot by email, then the ballot should arrive right away. Mailed ballots will take longer to arrive depending on the postal system in the country where you are located.
Q: What if I do not get a ballot?
- If you do not receive an absentee ballot in time to return it to your state, you can use the FWAB as a backup ballot to vote for federal offices. If your official absentee ballot arrives after you send in the FWAB, then you can fill out and send in the official ballot as well. Your state will count only one.
Helpful Links:
- American Citizen Services Voting Assistance Website: https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/voting/
- Federal Voting Assistance Program Website: https://www.fvap.gov/
- Postage-paid envelopes: https://www.fvap.gov/eo/overview/materials/forms
- Back-up Ballots – Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot: https://www.fvap.gov/fwab-privacy-notice
- Voting Overseas Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.fvap.gov/guide/appendix/faq
Susan B. Anthony once said “Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” U.S. Embassy Bangkok and U.S. Consulate Chiang Mai are ready to help our fellow Americans use their right to vote, right here in Thailand. Please register today, email us at VoteBangkok@state.gov or VoteChiangmai@state.gov if you have any questions.
