British citizens living abroad

Every British citizen who has been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years is eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary (general) elections and European Parliamentary elections.

If you were too young to register when you left the UK, you can still register as an overseas voter so long as your parent or guardian was registered to vote in the UK, providing you left the UK no more than 15 years ago.

How can I vote?

Once you’re registered, you’ll need to decide how you want to vote depending on your personal circumstances.

Ballot papers can be sent overseas, but you need to think about whether you have time to receive and return your ballot papers by polling day. If you don't think you can return them in time, you may want to consider voting by proxy. 

• Voting in Person

  

  If you're in the UK on election day, you can always vote in person at a polling station.

• Voting by Post

  

  If you live abroad you can apply to vote by post, although you must be registered as an overseas voter.

• Voting by Proxy

  

  If you're abroad you can apply to vote by proxy (someone voting on your behalf). You must be registered to vote first.

Have a look at our How to vote pages for more information.

Want further information on registration or voting? Have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions.