Overseas voters

Who can register as an overseas voter?

You can register as an overseas voter if you:

• are a British citizen living overseas, and
• were previously registered to vote in the UK
• or, were previously resident in the UK

There is no time limit on how long you can be registered as an overseas voter. You must renew your registration every three years. We will contact you when renewal is due.

Which elections can I vote in?

Overseas voters can vote in:

• UK Parliamentary General Elections
• referendums (depending on the rules of the specific referendum

You cannot vote in local elections or Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

How to register

You can register online at GOV.UKOpens in new tab. You will need to provide:

• your previous UK address where you were last registered or lived
• your current overseas address
• your passport details
• a verifiable connection to your previous UK address

If you were registered at more than one UK address, use the most recent one.

Voting when you are temporarily away from home

If you are temporarily overseas or otherwise away from home (for example, on holiday or a business trip), you can remain registered at your UK address as an ordinary voter rather than registering as an overseas voter. You can apply for a proxy voteOpens in new tab or postal voteOpens in new tab.

Voting options

As an overseas voter, you can vote:

• by proxy (appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf)
• by post

If you live overseas, we recommend asking someone you trust to vote on your behalf (proxy voting) since postal votes must arrive by 10pm on election day and international mail can sometimes be unreliable. If you prefer to vote by post, please submit your application well before the election is announced. We'll send overseas postal votes first to give them the best chance of arriving on time.