How to vote if you move or live abroad

From 16 January 2024 as part of the Election Act 2022, the 15-year limit for registration has been removed. Any British Citizen living overseas who has previously lived in the UK or been registered to vote in the UK, can register to vote. 

The following changes now apply to voting from overseas:

• You can register to vote if you previously lived in the UK but were not registered to vote.
• You can register to vote as an overseas elector no matter how long ago you left the UK or were last registered to vote in the UK.
• Your overseas declaration is now valid for three years, lasting until 1 November in the third year after it takes effect (for example, if your declaration takes effect on 1 March 2024, it will expire on 1 November 2026).
• You can now Gov.uk: register to vote (not available in Northern Ireland).

If you are an existing overseas voter who registered to vote before 16 January 2024, you will need to renew your registration when your declaration expires.

If you have a long-term postal vote that you applied for before 31 October 2023, this will now expire on 31 January 2026. The electoral services team will contact you before your postal vote expires.

Elections in which overseas voters can vote

As an overseas elector you are only eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary Elections and Referendums (if the referendum franchise includes overseas voters).

Apply for a postal or proxy vote as an overseas elector

You must remember to apply separately to vote by post (postal vote) or to apply for someone to vote on your behalf (proxy vote), unless you intend to return home to vote in person.

Postal votes are sent to overseas electors as soon as possible before polling day. This is determined by the statutory election timetable and you must consider the time it will take for a postal vote to arrive at your overseas address, be completed and returned to us, as the postal vote pack must be received by the Returning Officer by 10.00pm on polling day, or it will not be counted.

If there is any doubt that the postal vote will not be received in time to be counted, you should consider applying for a proxy vote which allows someone to vote on your behalf.

Once you have registered as an overseas elector at Gov.uk: register to vote you are able to:

• Gov.uk: apply for a postal vote
• Gov.uk: apply for a proxy vote

Further information

Further information on registering as an overseas voter can be found at The Electoral Commission: Voting if you live overseas.