Voters that have previously lived or been registered to vote in the UK have the right to vote in UK parliament elections, regardless of how long they have lived outside the UK.
What are the eligibility rules
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:
- were previously registered to vote in the UK, either before they left the UK or as an overseas voter: or
- were previously a resident in the UK
How do voters register
People living overseas can 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.
How often to overseas voters need to register
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 has produced an overseas voter changes FAQ sheet.
Postal or proxy voters
Registered overseas voters can apply to vote by post or proxy, they will need to include their National Insurance number so they can be verified against the Department of Works and Pensions, this is the same requirement as when you register to vote.
Apply for a postal or proxy vote online: