Overview

You can register as an overseas voter if you move or live abroad.

You must have previously lived in the UK and be either:

  • a British citizen
  • an eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland

The rules are different if you’ll be abroad temporarily on election day.

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How to register as an overseas voter

To vote in England, Scotland or Wales, register to vote in the usual way.

To vote in Northern Ireland, register with a paper form.

There are different ways to register if you’re working abroad in the armed forces, as a crown servant or as a British Council.

Renewing your registration 

You must renew your registration every 3 years to keep voting in UK elections while living abroad.

You’ll get a reminder when it’s time to renew.

If you do not renew your registration, you’ll be removed from the register. You’ll need to register to vote again as an overseas voter.

What elections you can vote in

You can vote in UK Parliament elections if you’re registered as an overseas voter. 

You may be able to vote in referendums. Each referendum has different rules on who can vote in it. 

Ways you can vote as an overseas voter

If you’re registered to vote in England, Scotland or Wales, you can either:

If you’re registered to vote in Northern Ireland, you can either:

You cannot vote by post if you’re registered to vote in Northern Ireland.

If you want to vote in person

You can vote in person at the polling station you used when you lived in the UK. If you were not registered to vote when you lived in the UK, you can vote at the polling station that applies to where you used to live.

You’ll need to show photo ID to confirm your identity. 

If you’re not sure which polling station you should go to, contact the electoral registration office for where you used to live.