On 16 January 2024 changes were introduced to overseas electors which meant that:
- there will no longer be a 15 year limit on voting rights
- people living overseas can now register to vote in the UK no matter how long ago they left or were last registered to vote in the UK
- overseas declarations are now valid for three years, lasting until 1 November in the third year after it takes effect
- people living overseas can now register online.
This means that British citizens will now be able to vote in UK parliamentary elections, no matter how long they have been away from the UK. They will need to have previously lived, or been registered to vote, in the UK.
How to register
You can register on the government website and will need to confirm your personal information every three years.
Who cannot register
European Union, Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland citizens cannot register as an Overseas Elector.
How to vote
As an overseas elector, you should give consideration to how you will vote in elections, which are often called at short notice. You can vote in person at your polling station, or you can have an absent vote where there are two options.
Proxy vote
By appointing a proxy, you can get somebody you trust living in the UK to cast your vote for you. We recommend that you appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf at elections because the earliest we can send your postal vote is 15 working days before an election. In many cases, this is not enough time for a postal vote to get to you and back to us in time to be counted. You can apply online for a proxy vote with GOV.UK.
Postal vote
With a postal vote, we will send your ballot paper to you by post to complete and return. However, due to the delay in the postal services between countries there is a risk that there may not be sufficient time for the pack to reach you and be returned in time to be counted - all postal ballots are sent 2 weeks before the election. You can apply for a postal vote online with GOV.UK.
Renewal Process
Overseas electors need to renew their registration to remain on the electoral register every 3 years. This needs to be completed 6 months before the third 1 November from the date of the original application.
We will send you a notice when you need to make a renewal declaration and you will not need to verify your identity again. Currently, this cannot be completed online and you should not make a new application to register, as this will be rejected.
If you allow your registration to lapse, you will need to complete a new application and complete the verification steps.