If you are temporarily abroad during the electoral process, you have the option of voting from abroad as long as you have previously applied to do so.
To make the application, you must be registered with the Consular Registry as a non-resident, which you can do at the same time you personally fill in the application form in consular offices or consular sections in embassies.
Once you have registered, you have to request the documentation required to vote from abroad. The period for submitting your application starts on 4 August and ends on 29 August.
You can get this application form at:
- Consular offices or consular sections in embassies (specific form).
- The website www.parlament2015.cat
- The website www.maec.es
Once you have handed in the application form you have to present your National Identity Card (DNI) or Spanish passport.
The consular offices or consular sections in embassies will immediately send your application to the relevant provincial office of the Electoral Roll Office.
The provincial office of the Electoral Roll Office will send the electoral documentation by registered post to the address abroad stated on your application form between 1 and 15 September.
The documentation you will get from the Electoral Roll Office will include:
- The certificate of registration on the electoral roll.
- A ballot paper for each of the lists standing at the election.
- The ballot envelope.
- An envelope addressed to the chair of your polling station committee.
- An explanatory leaflet.
Once you have received the documents, you have to put the ballot paper of the list you have chosen in the ballot envelope. If you choose to cast a blank ballot, do not put any ballot paper in the ballot envelope.
Next put the following in the envelope addressed to the chair of your polling station committee:
- The ballot envelope.
- Certificate of registration on the electoral roll.
- The application form for reimbursement of the cost of postage if you wish.
You then have to send it by registered post to the relevant polling station committee no later than 23 September.
For the vote to be valid the envelope addressed to the polling station committee must bear the visible postmark or official registration of a post office in the relevant country stating the date to demonstrate that it has been sent on time.