Country Specific Information for Ballot Return
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| Name of Country | Diplomatic Pouch | Courier Options |
| Angola |
To mail your ballot to the U.S. Embassy Luanda using the local postal system, you need two envelopes. Address the first envelope to your local election office and enclose your completed and signed ballot, seal the U.S. postage paid envelope, or have sufficient U.S. postage to be delivered to your local election office in the U.S. Put this envelope inside a bigger envelope, use sufficient postage and address it to the U.S. Embassy To drop off your ballot at the U.S. Embassy Luanda, please bring your completed, signed, and sealed ballot in the U.S. postage paid envelope. Address them to the relevant local election office, and drop it off at the U.S. Embassy, Monday through Thursday, between 7:00am and 5:00pm, and on Friday, between 7:00am and 12:00pm. |
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| Cameroon |
U.S. Embassy Yaoundé Website: cm.usembassy.gov Contact the Embassy to ask about the diplomatic pouch service for U.S. election ballots. |
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| Central African Republic |
No information available. |
La Poste Centrafricaine (SOCAPOST), working in coordination with the Universal Postal Union EMS Cooperative
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| Chad | Please contact Chad’s Voting Assistance Officer at [email protected] . You can also contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program directly at [email protected]. |
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| Democratic Republic of Congo | If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Kinshasa Voting Assistance Officer at [email protected]. |
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| Equatorial Guinea | Can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S Embassy Malabo, on Fridays between 10:00 – 11:00 AM. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. | |
| Gabon | You can drop off your ballot request or voted ballot at the U.S. Embassy in Libreville for return to the United States, according to the Embassy website but no additional information was provided. |
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| Republic of Congo | If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Kinshasa Voting Assistance Officer at [email protected]. |
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| Name of Country | Diplomatic Pouch | Courier Options |
| Burundi |
From 2024: If you plan to drop your ballot off at the embassy to be returned to your local election office, we recommend you do so no later than October 4. Please ensure your ballot is addressed to your local election officials and is either placed a postage-paid envelope or bears sufficient domestic U.S. postage. Ballots can be posted in a drop box located at the consular section entrance Monday to Thursday from 7:30 to 17:00. You can get voting assistance from the consular section during the following hours: Tuesday from 14:00 to 16:00 and Fridays 8:30 to 11:00.
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| Comoros |
No information available.
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| Djibouti |
You can drop off your ballot request / Form SF-76 Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request (FPCA) or completed ballot at the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Djibouti between 1pm and 4pm, Sunday through Thursday, except holidays, for return to the United States. It must be addressed to your local election officials and have sufficient U.S. postage or be in a postage-paid envelope or the embassy can provide you with an envelope. |
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| Eritrea | As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via U.S. Embassy Asmara at the main entrance (Monday through Thursday 8:00am – 12:00pm and 2:00pm – 4:00pm, or Fridays 8:00am – 11:00am). Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the ballot or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to three weeks. |
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| Ethiopia | As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to 21 days. |
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| Madagascar | Not Available |
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| Malawi | You can drop off your ballot request or voted ballot at the U.S. Embassy in Libreville for return to the United States, according to the Embassy website but no additional information was provided. | |
| Mauritius |
If you are sending your FPCA or ballot through the U.S. Embassy in Port Louis, ballots can be dropped off at the consular section from 08:30 a.m. to 15:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday on a walk-in basis. If you are sending your FPCA or ballot through the U.S. Embassy in Victoria, envelopes can be dropped off on Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on a walk-in basis. You do not need an appointment to drop off your ballot. Ballots must be addressed to local election offices and placed in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. domestic postage so they may be delivered to the proper local election authorities. Postage from Mauritius or Seychelles to the United States is not required using this method. Questions about dropping off ballots can be directed to [email protected]. Please note that transit time to the United States can take four weeks. |
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| Mozambique |
Returning 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 Maputo’s diplomatic pouch. The diplomatic pouch provides free 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, you can drop off your ballots at the Consular Section on Wednesdays between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., or with the guards at the Consular entrance of the Embassy, Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., or Friday 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Show the guards your Embassy badge or your U.S. passport to drop your ballot in the secure ballot box. All overseas U.S. citizens are advised to submit their forms and ballots no later than September 29 2, 2026. |
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| Rwanda |
You may bring the completed application in a postage-paid envelope to the U.S. Embassy Consular section any Tuesday or Friday morning and hand it to a consular employee for mailing to the United States. You may also bring your voted ballot, sealed per the instructions, to the Consular section for mailing. Please drop off your application or ballot well in advance of your state’s deadline; it may take up to a month for your FPCA or ballot to reach election officials in the U.S. after it is dropped off at the Embassy. |
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| Seychelles |
If you are sending your FPCA or ballot through the U.S. Embassy in Port Louis, ballots can be dropped off at the consular section from 08:30 a.m. to 15:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday on a walk-in basis. If you are sending your FPCA or ballot through the U.S. Embassy in Victoria, envelopes can be dropped off on Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on a walk-in basis. You do not need an appointment to drop off your ballot. Ballots must be addressed to local election offices and placed in postage paid return envelopes or in envelopes bearing sufficient U.S. domestic postage so they may be delivered to the proper local election authorities. Postage from Mauritius or Seychelles to the United States is not required using this method. Questions about dropping off ballots can be directed to [email protected]. Please note that transit time to the United States can take four weeks. |
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| Somalia |
Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials by mail, you can do so through a professional courier service, or you can drop off completed voting materials at U.S. Embassy Nairobi from Monday to Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Friday between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. To schedule an appointment to drop off your registration and/or ballot, e-mail [email protected]. Your name must be on the guard’s list for you to be granted entrance to the embassy. Please note that it can take over a month for mail to reach its destination if sent from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, so be sure to drop off your ballot more than a month before the deadline if you choose this option. You will need to place your ballot in a postage-paid return envelope or in an envelope bearing sufficient U.S. postage. Note that the embassy does not sell postage.
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| South Sudan |
From 2024: Return your completed ballot. While some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically, others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Place your ballot in a postage-paid return envelope or in an envelope bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address them to the relevant local election officials. You can drop off your ballot at the consular entrance of the U.S. Embassy Monday-Thursday (holidays excluded) from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. It takes as long as 30 days for mail sent from the U.S. Embassy to reach its destination in the United States, so please drop off your ballots as soon as possible to make sure your vote is counted. You can also return your FPCA or ballot to your local election officials via international mail or professional courier service at your own expense. |
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| Sudan |
From 2022: Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. 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 Khartoum’s diplomatic pouch. The diplomatic pouch provides free 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. If using the diplomatic pouch, ballots can be deposited between 9-5 p.m. in the drop-box outside the American Citizens Services section. 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. Please note that it can take up to four 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. |
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| Tanzania |
As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy. Again, you can drop off their voting materials at the Consular section from 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Thursday. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take approximately 14 days. |
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| São Tomé and Príncipe |
No information available |
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| Uganda |
You may return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy Uganda at the Nsambya Road entrance (Monday through Thursday 7:30am – 4:30pm, or Fridays 7:30am – 12:00pm). When mailing election materials through the U.S. Embassy, please make sure to include sufficient U.S. postage or place the document in a postage-paid envelope. Alternatively, you can mail it through a commercial service at your own expense. |
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| Zambia |
USPS (through Diplomatic Post Office, aka DPO) |
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| Zimbabwe |
As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy, Harare, Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00 Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to 10 days. |
| Name of Country | Diplomatic Pouch | Courier Options |
| Botswana |
As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy, Gaborone during working hours. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to 21 days.
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| Eswatini |
As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy Eswatini, by appointment only. You can also mail it directly at your own expense. Some states may accept voted ballots via email.
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| Lesotho |
From 2024: Return your completed ballot. While some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically, others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Place your ballot in a postage-paid return envelope, or in an envelope bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address it to the relevant local election officials. |
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| Namibia |
U.S. Embassy Pouch/APO/FPO – You can drop off your ballot request or voted ballot at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for return to the United States, or you can have someone drop it off for you. It must be addressed to your local election officials and have sufficient postage or be in a postage-paid envelope. A postage-paid envelope is available on the FVAP web site . Contact the voting assistance officer or visit the Embassy website for specific instructions. |
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| Name of Country | Diplomatic Pouch | Courier Options |
| Benin |
No information available.
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| Burkina Faso |
If you wish to mail your voted ballot via the Embassy’s diplomatic pouch, drop off your voted ballot to your local election officials via U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou’s Consular Office Entrance Monday–Thursday, 0900–1600, through October 5, 2026. 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 four 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. |
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| Cabo Verde |
Although most states will accept ballots via email or fax, U.S. Embassy Praia can accept your FPCA , ballot, or Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, in person to mail to the United States. Simply download and print the postage paid envelope for your ballot or request one at the Embassy. You (or a friend or relative) can give the sealed and prepaid envelope to the guards at the main entrance Monday mornings between 10am and 12pm. You do not need to make an appointment. You can also mail your sealed ballot to the Embassy at the address below, but please ensure sufficient Cabo Verdean postage and time for domestic transit. It can take 4-6 weeks for forms sent from the Embassy to be received by relevant U.S. election offices, so please plan accordingly. |
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| Cote D'Ivoire | No information available. | |
| The Gambia | No information available. |
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| Ghana | As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy Ghana Ballot Drop-Off Box during business hours. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. | |
| Guinea | No information available. | |
| Guinea Bissau |
No information available.
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| Liberia |
No information available. |
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| Mali |
No information available. |
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| Mauritania | No information available. |
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| Niger | As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the Embassy Consular Waiting Area Monday through Thursday 8:00 am – 4:00pm. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to 4 days via DHL from Niamey. |
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| Nigeria | As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U.S. Consulate in Lagos between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday-Thursday. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Printable postage-paid envelope templates are available on FVAP’s website . Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to 20 days, so we highly recommend submitting ballots to the Embassy or Consulate by October 2, 2026. | |
| Senegal |
American citizens are welcome to drop off their absentee ballots at the U.S. Embassy for safe transfer to the U.S. Postal Service. You can also ask another U.S. citizen to drop your ballot off for you. Please come to the embassy Monday-Thursday between 8am and 4pm, show the guards your passport or photo ID, and tell them you are a U.S. citizen dropping off an absentee ballot. No appointment is necessary. The ballot box is located inside the Consular Waiting Room. Please make sure your ballot is signed, sealed, addressed, and either in a pre-paid envelope or has domestic U.S. postage affixed. We strongly encourage you to drop off your absentee ballot on or before October 7 to ensure it arrives on time to your state’s election authority. |
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| Sierra Leone |
As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy Kinshasa ballot drop box outside the Consular Section entrance between 9:00am and 3:00pm. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to 21 days. We recommend you submit your ballot no later than Tuesday, October 13, 2026. |
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| Togo |
As with the FPCA, you can return your voted ballot to your local election officials via the U.S. Embassy, Consular entrance Mondays through Fridays, 08:00 to 12:00. Make sure you have proper U.S. postage affixed to the FPCA or place it in a postage-paid envelope. Or you can mail it directly at your own expense. Please note that transit time can take up to 21 days. Some states also accept voted ballots via email. See FVAP’s Voting Assistance Guide for more details on your state. |
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