Voting if you move or live abroad

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1. Overview

You can register as an overseas voter if you move or live abroad.

You must have previously lived in the UK and be either:

  • a British citizen
  • an eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland

The rules are different if you’ll be abroad temporarily on election day.

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How to register as an overseas voter

To vote in England, Scotland or Wales, register to vote in the usual way.

To vote in Northern Ireland, .

There are different ways to register if you’re working abroad in the armed forces, as a crown servant or as a British Council.

Renewing your registrationÌý

You must renew your registration every 3 years to keep voting in UK elections while living abroad.Ìý

You’ll get a reminder when it’s time to renew.

If you do not renew your registration, you’ll be removed from the register. You’ll need to register to vote again as an overseas voter.

What elections you can vote in

You can vote in UK Parliament elections if you’re registered as an overseas voter.Ìý

You may be able to vote in referendums. Each referendum has different rules on who can vote in it.Ìý

Ways you can vote as an overseas voter

If you’re registered to vote in England, Scotland or Wales

You can either:

If you’re registered to vote in Northern Ireland

You can vote by proxy, if you’re eligible. You need to .

You cannot vote by post.

2. If you're in the armed forces, a crown servant or a British Council employee

There are different ways to register to vote in UK elections if you’re working abroad either:

  • in the armed forces
  • as a crown servant or British Council employee

Serving abroad in the armed forces

Register to vote using the armed forces registration service.

If you’re serving outside the UK, you can register as a ‘service’ voter. This means that you only have to renew your registration every 5 years.Ìý

You’ll get a reminder when it’s time to renew.

Crown servants and British Council employees

Use the registration service for crown servants and British Council employees if you’re based outside the UK working as a:

  • crown servant (for example overseas civil service or diplomatic service)
  • British Council employee

REASON:

Moved from the overview to its own chapter because:

  • there’s a distinct user need
  • makes it easier for users who need it to find it
  • makes the overview shorter, more specific and easier for the main users to digest

I added an intro for flow and to help users if they land on this without reading the whole guide.