Voting if you're an EU citizen living in the UK
Your location:
Overseas introduction
This page only applies for EU citizens living in the UK. Find out more about voting if you live overseas.
Introduction
If you’re an EU citizen living in the UK, whether you can vote in a UK election depends on the type of election you’re voting in and your citizenship.
There have been changes to which elections EU citizens can vote in. Find out more about changes to voting rights.
To vote in any election, you must be registered to vote. Find out more about registering to vote.
Introduction
If you’re an EU citizen living in the UK, whether you can vote in a UK election depends on the type of election you’re voting in and your citizenship.
To vote in any election, you must be registered to vote. Find out more about registering to vote.
Check which elections you can vote in
UK Parliament elections
Citizens of Cyprus, Malta and Ireland can vote in UK Parliament elections, including general elections, by-elections and recall petitions.
All other EU citizens can’t vote in UK Parliament elections.
Local elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections
You can vote in local elections in England and Police and Crime Commissioner elections if you are either a citizen of:
- Cyprus, Malta and Ireland
- Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who is resident in the UK, has permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who does not need permission
- any other EU country who on or before 31 December 2020 was legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- The Netherlands
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
Local and Assembly elections
You can vote in local and Assembly elections in Northern Ireland if you are either a citizen of:
- Cyprus, Malta and Ireland
- Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who is resident in the UK, has permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who does not need permission
- any other EU country who on or before 31 December 2020 was legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- The Netherlands
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
Scottish Parliament and council elections
If you are a qualifying foreign national living in Scotland, you can vote in Scottish Parliament and council elections, including by-elections. A qualifying foreign national is a citizen of another country who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need such permission. This includes EU citizens.
A qualifying foreign national is a citizen of another country who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need such permission. This includes EU citizens.
Senedd and local council elections
EU citizens living in Wales can vote in Senedd and council elections. This is because EU citizens are classed as qualifying foreign nationals.
A qualifying foreign national is a citizen of another country who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need such permission. This includes EU citizens.
Police and Crime Commissioner elections
You can vote in Police and Crime Commissioner elections if you are either a citizen of:
- Cyprus, Malta and Ireland
- Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who is resident in the UK, has permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who does not need permission
- any other EU country who on or before 31 December 2020 was legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- The Netherlands
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
Local councils are currently contacting EU citizens about their right to vote in local elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
Find out more about the process and what to do if your local council gets in touch with you.
Local councils are currently contacting EU citizens about their right to vote in Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
Find out more about the process and what to do if your local council gets in touch with you.
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland is currently contacting EU citizens about their right to vote in local and Assembly elections.
Find out more about the process and what to do if the Electoral Office gets in touch with you.
Understanding permissions to stay in the UK
People who do not require permission to enter or stay in the UK are people who are exempt from immigration control. You can find out more at gov.uk.
In regard to voting and candidacy rights, for a person to have continuously held permission to enter or stay in the UK:
- The person must have held permission to enter or stay in the UK before 31 December 2020 and,
- Continue to hold permission to enter or stay since 31 December 2020 with no breaks in this permission.
This could be one type or grant of an immigration status for the whole period or a series of grants or types of immigration status.
In regard to voting and candidacy rights, for a person to continuously have not required permission to enter or stay in the UK:
- The person must have been exempt from immigration control before 31 December 2020 and,
- Continued to be exempt from immigration control without any breaks during this period.
In regard to voting and candidacy rights, for a person to continuously held permission to enter or stay in the UK, or not required it:
- A person must have either held permission to enter or stay in the UK, or been exempt from immigration control before 31 December 2020 and,
- Since 31 December 2020 they have continued to hold permission to enter or stay in the UK or been exempt from immigration control without any breaks.
The person can have held one type of immigration status or been exempt from immigration control for the whole period, or held several different types of immigration status.
If a person was granted leave to enter or stay whilst a resident in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man then they are treated the same as those people granted leave to stay or remain in UK.
Understanding permissions to stay in the UK
People who do not require permission to enter or stay in the UK are people who are exempt from immigration control. You can find out more at gov.uk.
Your location: