Register to vote if you live abroad

Who can register 

You can register as an overseas voter if you meet the following: 

• you are a British citizen (this includes eligible Irish citizens and citizens of the Crown Dependencies)
• you were previously registered to vote in the UK, or previously lived in the UK 

You must register using either: 

• the last address where you were registered to vote in the UK, or
• if you have never been registered, the last address where you lived in the UK 

How to register 

You can apply: 

• online at register to vote when living abroad (GOV.UK)
• by completing a paper form and sending it to your local authority 

You will need to provide: 

• your previous UK address
• when you were last registered or lived there 

We may contact you if we need more information to confirm your application. 

If you have changed your details or are returning to live in the UK permanently, contact electoral services.

If you are overseas in certain roles

If you are overseas in one of the roles below, different registration rules may apply. Check how to register:

• crown servants or British Council employees (and their spouse or civil partner) - Register to vote (crown servants and British Council employees): GOV.UK
• members of the armed forces or services (and their spouse or civil partner) - Register to vote (armed forces): GOV.UK

How to vote 

You can vote: 

• by post
• by proxy (someone you trust votes on your behalf)
• in person, if you are in the UK 

If you vote in person: 

• you must go to the polling station for your registered address
• you must show valid photo ID (GOV.UK) 

You cannot vote in person if: 

• you already have a postal vote, or
• your proxy has already voted on your behalf 

Renew your registration 

You must renew your overseas voter registration every 3 years. 

You must renew before 1 November in the third year after you registered. 

We will contact you when your registration is due for renewal. 

You must also reapply for any postal or proxy vote. 

If you do not renew your registration, you will be removed from the electoral register. 

Changes to the rules 

The 15-year limit for overseas voters ended in January 2024. 

You can now register to vote regardless of how long you have lived abroad, as long as you previously lived in or were registered in the UK.