Voting in the 3 May 2025 Federal Election 

 

The Australian Federal Election has been announced for Saturday 3 May 2025 (Australian time). If you’re an Australian citizen overseas on the day of the election, you can still have your say by voting at an overseas voting centre or by postal vote.

 

In-Person Voting

You will be able to vote in-person at the Australian Embassy in Santiago de Chile according to this schedule below:

Day	Opening Hours
28 April 2025	9:30 am – 3:00 pm
29 April 2025	9:30 am – 3:00 pm
30 April 2025	9:30 am – 3:00 pm
1 May 2025	Closed – Public holiday
2 May 2025	9:30 am – 3:00 pm

Please note that all times are local to this polling place. As the Australian election takes place on Saturday 3 May Australian time, voting in Santiago must close the day prior, to account for time zone differences.

What to expect at the Australian Embassy in Santiago de Chile

• Bring your ID document – For security reasons, the building where the Australian Embassy in Santiago is located requires showing ID to enter its premises.
• Expect to have your entry registered by the building´s security personnel.

 

Postal Voting

If you are overseas and are unable to vote in-person, you can visit the AEC website to apply for a postal vote.

Postal vote packs will be sent to you by international courier from Australia commencing three weeks before polling day. The latest date to request an overseas postal vote from the AEC is 6pm, Wednesday 30 April 2025. Please note this may be too late for your postal vote to reach you and you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. If you provided an email address or phone number when applying for a postal vote, you will receive an automatic notification when it is dispatched.

If you did not provide an email address or phone number and your postal vote does not arrive within 10 days from the date you submitted your application, call the AEC on +61 2 6160 2600.

You can mail your completed postal vote to the Australian Embassy in Santiago de Chile or drop it off in person. All postal votes must be received by the Australian Embassy no later than 3:00 pm Friday 2 May 2025.

You can also return your postal vote directly to the AEC in Australia. The cost to return your postal vote by courier or mail to the Australian Embassy in Santiago de Chile or to the AEC in Australia is your responsibility.

If you are sending your postal vote by mail or courier to Australia, it must be completed before 6pm AWST time 3 May 2025, and received by the AEC in Australia by 6pm Friday 16 May 2025 AEST.

 

Further information

You must be enrolled to vote. You can enrol, update your details or check your details on the AEC website.

If you can't vote because you are overseas, you need to advise the AEC by completing an Overseas Notification Form.

Find additional information on the election and voting at these websites:

aec.gov.au

Smartraveller.gov.au.

 

 

In December 2023, the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force commenced a silent trial of Chilean passports in Australia’s SmartGates to allow Chilean citizens to automatically travel through passport control without needing to line up to speak with a migration officer. SmartGates are an automated border and passport control point that use biometric technology and ePassports to confirm a traveller’s identity and visa status.

 

The Australian Government is pleased to share that as of June 2024, due to the success of the silent trial, SmartGate is now publically open to all Chilean ePassport holders. We encourage Chilean passport holders to use the SmartGates for a quick and secure way to enter and depart Australia.