The 15 year limit was removed in January 2024. Voters that have previously lived or been registered to vote in the UK now have the right to vote in UK parliament elections, regardless of how long they have lived outside the UK.
British citizens, which includes eligible Irish citizens and citizens of Crown dependencies, may register as overseas voters if they are now living abroad, providing they:
People living overseas can now register to vote online in the same way as any other voter (not available in Northern Ireland).
Those who were previously registered will have to provide details about the address and time they were last registered.
Those who previously lived in the UK, but were not registered, will need to provide details about the address and time where they were last resident.
Registration will need to be renewed before 1 November, three years after the voter registered as an overseas voter, unless the voter has successfully renewed their voter registration in the meantime (for example if your declaration takes effect on 1 March 2024, it will expire on 1 November 2026).
The Electoral Commission have produced an overseas voter changes FAQ sheet for the changes.
From 31 October 2023, anyone applying for a postal or proxy vote, must include their National Insurance number, so that they can be verified against the Department of Works and Pensions, the same as when you register to vote.
New online portals to apply for a postal or a proxy vote are now available: