- 📄 Valid Guatemalan DPI (not expired)
- 🆔 CUI memorized (the 13 digits on the front of the DPI)
- 📍 Current address in the USA (street, city, state, ZIP)
- 📧 Active email (TSE notifications)
- 📱 USA cell number (with +1 country code)
- 🗺️ Know which consulate is closest (you will vote there)
The migrant vote is the right of the 3 million Guatemalans living abroad (especially in the USA) to vote in Guatemalan presidential elections from the closest consulate. It is a diaspora victory established by the 2016 electoral reform (LEPP Art. 199 bis) and regulated by TSE Agreement 304-2018. It was applied for the first time in the 2019 elections and expanded in 2023.
Summary: It is free (Q0), only President and Vice President can be voted, you vote at one of the ~22 Guatemalan consulates in the USA, you need a valid DPI + voter registration + additional enrollment in the migrant roll at migrante.tse.org.gt. The migrant roll closes ~6 months before the election.
The migrant vote is the diaspora’s voice — use your right. Guatemalans in the USA send more in remittances than the rest of the export economy combined. Your vote matters.
What is the TSE migrant vote?
The migrant vote is the legal mechanism that allows a Guatemalan residing outside the country to cast their vote in presidential elections without having to travel to Guatemala. Before 2019, no Guatemalan in the USA could vote — you had to be physically in national territory. This excluded millions.
The 2016 constitutional reform and TSE Agreement 304-2018 changed that. Now you can vote at the closest consulate. But there are specific conditions you must meet.
What you CAN do with migrant vote
- Vote for President and Vice President (only ballot enabled abroad)
- Vote in first round and runoff (if any)
- Do it at any of the ~22 enabled consulates in the USA
What you CANNOT do with migrant vote
- Vote for Congressional Deputies (160 seats) — not included
- Vote for Mayors and Municipal Corporations — not included
- Vote for PARLACEN (Central American Parliament) Deputies — not included
- Vote in popular consultations — not included (depends on each specific consultation)
- Serve as polling station fiscal, party leader or candidate from abroad (must be in GT)
Requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Valid Guatemalan DPI | If expired, renew at the consulate or mobile RENAP drive BEFORE registering for the migrant roll |
| Prior registration in GT | Verify at consultaempadronamiento.tse.org.gt — if you have a modern DPI, almost certainly yes |
| Additional migrant roll enrollment | At migrante.tse.org.gt before closing |
| US residential address | For closest consulate assignment |
| 18 years completed | By election day |
| Not be active-duty Army or PNC | LEPP excludes military and police while in active service |
Your US immigration status does NOT matter. You can be a legal resident, undocumented, naturalized or US citizen. TSE does not share data with ICE, USCIS or any US immigration authority — this is guaranteed by bilateral agreement.
Step by step — from registration to voting
Step 1: Verify voter registration in Guatemala (one month before enrolling)
Go to consultaempadronamiento.tse.org.gt and enter your CUI (13 digits of the DPI). If you appear registered, perfect — proceed to step 2. If you do not appear, read the TSE Voter Registration guide and resolve that first (the migrant vote REQUIRES prior voter registration).
Step 2: Verify your DPI is valid
If your DPI expires before election day, renew it as soon as possible at the closest consulate or at a mobile RENAP drive. Without a valid DPI, you cannot vote — even if you registered for the migrant roll.
Step 3: Enroll in the migrant roll (~6 months before election)
- Go to migrante.tse.org.gt/home
- Click on “Inscripción” or “Registrarme”
- Enter your CUI and personal data
- Confirm your current US address (street, city, state, ZIP)
- Select the consulate where you want to vote (they show you the closest by ZIP)
- Verify your email and US cell
- Confirm registration
- Receive receipt number — keep it
Step 4: Confirm your station on election day (1 month before)
Return to migrante.tse.org.gt one month before the election, enter your CUI, and verify:
- Assigned consulate
- Exact address of the voting venue inside the consulate
- Assigned migrant station
- Voting hours (usually 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM consulate local time)
Step 5: Vote on election day
- Go to the consulate on election day with your valid original DPI
- Arrive early — there can be long lines (especially in LA, Houston, NY)
- Show your DPI to the polling station fiscal
- They verify your enrollment in the migrant roll
- You receive only President/Vice President ballot
- Vote secretly in booth
- Deposit ballot in urn
- Your finger is marked with indelible ink (same as in GT)
- Sign the roll and receive voting receipt
Step 6: If there is a runoff — vote again ~2 months later
If no presidential candidate gets absolute majority in the first round (51%+), there is a runoff between the top 2 candidates. Repeat step 5 at the same consulate, same day.
Cost and time
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Migrant roll registration | Free (Q0) |
| Online verification | Free (Q0) |
| Vote at consulate | Free (Q0) |
| Online registration time | 15-30 minutes |
| Time at consulate on election day | 30 min - 2 hours (depending on line) |
| Migrant roll closing | ~6 months before election (strict) |
| Election day first round GT 2027 | June 2027 (3rd Sunday, projected) |
| Election day runoff GT 2027 | August 2027 (if applicable) |
Common mistakes
- Assuming normal voter registration enables you for migrant voting — NO. You need separate additional enrollment at migrante.tse.org.gt.
- Waiting until the last month to register — the migrant roll closes ~6 months before election. Past that date, no exceptions for that election.
- Not verifying your DPI is valid — if it expires before election day, you cannot vote. Renew at consulate.
- Not knowing which consulate is yours — assigned by ZIP code. If you moved, update the address before the roll closes.
US cities with TSE migrant voting (2023 list, subject to 2027 update)
| State | City / Consulate |
|---|---|
| California | Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Fresno, San Francisco |
| Texas | Houston, Dallas, McAllen |
| Florida | Miami |
| New York | New York (Manhattan), Long Island |
| New Jersey | Newark, Trenton |
| Maryland / DC | Silver Spring, Embassy in Washington DC |
| Massachusetts / Rhode Island | Providence (covers RI/MA), Lynn |
| Illinois | Chicago |
| Georgia | Atlanta |
| North Carolina | Raleigh |
| Nevada | Las Vegas |
| Arizona | Phoenix |
| Colorado | Denver |
| Washington | Seattle |
The exact list for 2027 will be published by TSE 6-9 months before the election. More consulates may be added (active diaspora pressure). Verify at migrante.tse.org.gt.
Diaspora — additional frequent topics
What if I am American + Guatemalan citizen?
You can vote in both countries in the same year. Guatemalan nationality is not lost by acquiring another (Constitution Art. 144). For Guatemala you use your DPI; for the USA you use your state voter registration. Each country has its own rules and ballots — they are completely independent processes.
What documents do I bring to the consulate on election day?
Only your valid original Guatemalan DPI. You do not need passport, Green Card, driver’s license or Social Security. Just the DPI. If you lost it, get a replacement BEFORE election day.
Is there mail-in voting from the USA?
No. TSE migrant voting is in-person at consulate only. There is no mail-in option, advance voting at other venues or remote electronic voting. You must physically go to the consulate.
What if I cannot go to the consulate on election day?
There is no alternative — you lose the opportunity to vote in that election. That is why it is important to plan ahead: ask for the day off work, organize with family, consider transportation (consulates may be several hours away if you live in a state without a nearby consulate).
Is there migrant voting in other countries (not just the USA)?
Yes, but the list is more limited. In 2023 there was migrant voting at consulates in Mexico, Canada, Belize, Spain and Italy (among others). The TSE migrant roll enables global enrollment — at migrante.tse.org.gt you select the consulate of the country where you live.
Related procedures
- TSE Hub — all Supreme Electoral Tribunal procedures
- TSE Voter Registration — mandatory step before migrant vote
- Electoral Roll Lookup — verify your enrollment in GT
- Electoral Address Change — if you return to Guatemala
- Polling Station Fiscal — volunteering in GT (does not apply from abroad)
- Get a DPI — without DPI you cannot vote
- Guatemala Passport — complementary diaspora document
- RENAP Hub — DPI issuer, mobile drives at consulates
- Guatemalan Consulates in the USA — full directory + voting enabled
- MINEX Apostille — document authentication for use in the USA
Official links
- TSE — Migrant Vote Portal
- TSE — Institutional Portal
- TSE — Voter Registration Lookup
- MINEX — Consulate Directory
- TSE information line: 1580 from Guatemala / +502 2236-5000 from the USA
- Email: unidaddeinformacion@tse.org.gt
May 2026 note: the Migrant Vote portal is operational. Some complementary TSE services are temporarily suspended due to the 2023 cyber attack, but migrant vote registration and lookup work. For any urgent inquiry, contact the closest consulate or call TSE.