Register to vote
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Registering to vote as an overseas citizen
If you are a UK citizen living outside the UK, you can register as an overseas voter.
Find out about registering to vote if you’re overseas and are a:
How to register to vote
To register to vote online, you need just five minutes and your National Insurance number.
If you can’t register online, you can download a paper form.
You don’t need to register to vote before every election.
Update your details
If you move house, you should register to vote again.
If you change your name for any reason, you can either:
- contact the electoral services team at your local council and request a change of name form
- register to vote again
How to register to vote
To register to vote online, you need just five minutes and your National Insurance number.
If you can’t register online, you can download a paper form.
You don’t need to register to vote before every election.
Update your details
If you move house, you should register to vote again.
If you change your name for any reason, you can either:
- contact the electoral services team at your local council and request a change of name form
- register to vote again
How to register to vote
To register to vote online, you need just five minutes and your National Insurance number.
If you can’t register online, you can download a paper form.
You don’t need to register to vote before every election.
Update your details
If you move house, you should register to vote again.
If you change your name for any reason, you can either:
- contact your Electoral Registration Office and request a change of name form
- register to vote again
How to register to vote
To register to vote online, you need just five minutes and your National Insurance number.
If you can’t register online, you can download a paper form.
You don’t need to register to vote before every election. You only need to register to vote again if:
- you’ve moved house recently
- you’ve changed your name for any reason
- you’re asked to as part of a canvass of electors
Digital Registration Number (DRN)
Digital Registration Number (DRN)
If you complete the online form, once your application is approved, you’ll be given a Digital Registration Number (or DRN).
Keep this number somewhere safe, as you will need to provide it if you need to update your details on the electoral register or want to apply for a postal or proxy vote.
You can request a reminder if you lose it.
Contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland to find out more.
How to register to vote
If you lived in England, Scotland or Wales, you can register to vote online.
If you can’t register online, you can download a paper form.
If you lived in Northern Ireland, you will need to complete a paper application form and send it to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.
Voter ID
Voters in England now need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.
Don’t have ID? Apply for free voter ID now.
Voter ID
Voters in Scotland now need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.
Don’t have ID? Apply for free voter ID now.
Voter ID
Voters in Wales now need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.
Don’t have ID? Apply for free voter ID now.
Renewing your registration
You have to renew your registration every three years.
When it’s time to renew your registration, you’ll get a reminder from your electoral registration office explaining what you need to do. You should receive the reminder about three months before your registration is due to expire.
If you don’t renew your application, you’ll have to register to vote again.
Answer some questions to find out if you can register to vote
Who can register to vote in England
To register to vote, you must be aged 16 or over (but you can’t vote until you’re 18 years old), and one of the following:
- a UK or Irish citizen
- a qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK
- a qualifying EU citizen living in the UK
Who can register to vote in Wales
To register to vote, you must be aged 14 or over (but you can’t vote until you’re 16 or 18 depending on the election) and one of the following:
- a UK or Irish citizen
- a qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK
- a qualifying EU citizen living in the UK
- a qualifying foreign citizen
Who can register to vote in Scotland
To register to vote, you must be:
- a UK or Irish citizen, or
- a qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK, or
- a qualifying foreign national who is living in Scotland and has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need such permission, including EU citizens.
You must also be aged 14 or over (but you can’t vote until you’re 16 years old)
Who can register to vote in Northern Ireland
To register to vote, you must be aged 17 or older (or will be 17 by 30 November) (but you can’t vote until you’re 18 years old, and be one of the following:
- a UK or Irish citizen
- a qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK
- a qualifying EU citizen living in the UK
Who can register to vote as an overseas voter
To register as an overseas voter, you must be a UK or eligible Irish citizen and have either:
- previously registered to vote in the UK
- or, previously lived in the UK (including if you left the UK before you were old enough to register to vote)
If you were too young to register to vote when you left the UK, you can still register to vote if you previously lived in the UK.
Who can register to vote
The definition of a 'Commonwealth' citizen includes citizens of British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories. A 'qualifying' Commonwealth citizen is someone who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who doesn't require that leave.
Commonwealth countries
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Fiji Islands
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kingdom of Eswatini
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent & The Grenadines
- The Bahamas
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
This list doesn't include the UK.
Please note:
- Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
- Citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain their voting rights despite the countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth.
| British crown dependencies |
|---|
| Isle of Man |
| The Channel Islands (including Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Herm and the other inhabited Channel Islands) |
| British overseas territories |
|---|
| Anguilla |
| Bermuda |
| British Antarctic Territory |
| British Indian Ocean Territory |
| British Virgin Islands |
| Cayman Islands |
| Falkland Islands |
| Gibraltar |
| Monserrat |
| Pitcairn Island |
| St Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Sovereign base areas on Cyprus |
| Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Hong Kong |
|---|
| Former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport qualify for registration. |
You can register to vote if you are a citizen of:
- 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
The other EU countries are:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
Qualifying EU citizens (excluding Cyprus, Malta and Ireland) can register to vote in local elections, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus, Malta and Ireland are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
Who can register
The definition of a 'Commonwealth' citizen includes citizens of British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories. A 'qualifying' Commonwealth citizen is someone who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who doesn't require that leave.
Commonwealth countries
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Fiji Islands
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kingdom of Eswatini
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent & The Grenadines
- The Bahamas
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
This list doesn't include the UK.
Please note:
- Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
- Citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain their voting rights despite the countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth.
| British crown dependencies |
|---|
| Isle of Man |
| The Channel Islands (including Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Herm and the other inhabited Channel Islands) |
| British overseas territories |
|---|
| Anguilla |
| Bermuda |
| British Antarctic Territory |
| British Indian Ocean Territory |
| British Virgin Islands |
| Cayman Islands |
| Falkland Islands |
| Gibraltar |
| Monserrat |
| Pitcairn Island |
| St Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Sovereign base areas on Cyprus |
| Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Hong Kong |
|---|
Former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport qualify for registration. If you don't have one of these passports, you may still be able to register to vote as a qualifying foreign citizen in Wales. |
All European Union citizens can register to vote in Senedd and local council elections in Wales.
To register to vote in Police and Crime Commissioner elections, you need to be a citizen of:
- 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
The other EU countries are:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus, Malta and Ireland are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
A qualifying foreign citizen is a citizen of another country who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need such permission.
Who can register
The definition of a 'Commonwealth' citizen includes citizens of British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories. A 'qualifying' Commonwealth citizen is someone who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who doesn't require that leave.
Commonwealth countries
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Fiji Islands
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kingdom of Eswatini
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent & The Grenadines
- The Bahamas
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
This list doesn't include the UK.
Please note:
- Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
- Citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain their voting rights despite the countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth.
| British crown dependencies |
|---|
| Isle of Man |
| The Channel Islands (including Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Herm and the other inhabited Channel Islands) |
| British overseas territories |
|---|
| Anguilla |
| Bermuda |
| British Antarctic Territory |
| British Indian Ocean Territory |
| British Virgin Islands |
| Cayman Islands |
| Falkland Islands |
| Gibraltar |
| Monserrat |
| Pitcairn Island |
| St Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Sovereign base areas on Cyprus |
| Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Hong Kong |
|---|
Former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport qualify for registration. If you don't have one of these passports, you may still be able to register to vote as a qualifying foreign citizen in Scotland. |
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.
Who can register
The definition of a 'Commonwealth' citizen includes citizens of British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories. A 'qualifying' Commonwealth citizen is someone who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who doesn't require that leave.
Commonwealth countries
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Fiji Islands
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kingdom of Eswatini
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent & The Grenadines
- The Bahamas
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
This list doesn't include the UK.
Please note:
- Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
- Citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain their voting rights despite the countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth.
| British crown dependencies |
|---|
| Isle of Man |
| The Channel Islands (including Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Herm and the other inhabited Channel Islands) |
| British overseas territories |
|---|
| Anguilla |
| Bermuda |
| British Antarctic Territory |
| British Indian Ocean Territory |
| British Virgin Islands |
| Cayman Islands |
| Falkland Islands |
| Gibraltar |
| Monserrat |
| Pitcairn Island |
| St Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Sovereign base areas on Cyprus |
| Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Hong Kong |
|---|
| Former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport qualify for registration. |
You can register to vote if you are a citizen of:
- 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
The other EU countries are:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
Qualifying EU citizens (excluding Cyprus, Malta and Ireland) can register to vote in local and Assembly elections in Northern Ireland.
Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus, Malta and Ireland are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
Who can register
The definition of a 'Commonwealth' citizen includes citizens of British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories. A 'qualifying' Commonwealth citizen is someone who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who doesn't require that leave.
Commonwealth countries
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Fiji Islands
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kingdom of Eswatini
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent & The Grenadines
- The Bahamas
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
This list doesn't include the UK.
Please note:
- Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
- Citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain their voting rights despite the countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth.
| British crown dependencies |
|---|
| Isle of Man |
| The Channel Islands (including Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Herm and the other inhabited Channel Islands) |
| British overseas territories |
|---|
| Anguilla |
| Bermuda |
| British Antarctic Territory |
| British Indian Ocean Territory |
| British Virgin Islands |
| Cayman Islands |
| Falkland Islands |
| Gibraltar |
| Monserrat |
| Pitcairn Island |
| St Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Sovereign base areas on Cyprus |
| Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Hong Kong |
|---|
Former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport qualify for registration. If you don't have one of these passports, you may still be able to register to vote as a qualifying foreign citizen in Scotland or Wales. |
An "EU citizen" is someone with citizenship of one of these EU member states.
| EU countries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Belgium | Bulgaria |
| Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic |
| Denmark | Estonia | Finland |
| France | Germany | Greece |
| Hungary | Ireland | Italy |
| Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malta | Netherlands | Poland |
| Portugal | Romania | Slovakia |
| Slovenia | Spain | Sweden |
Please note:
- Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
A qualifying foreign citizen is a citizen of another country who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need such permission.
Other registration options
There are other registration options, including registering as a service voter, registering anonymously, and registering if you don’t have a fixed address.
Other registration options
There are other registration options, including registering as a service voter, registering anonymously, and registering if you don’t have a fixed address.
Other registration options
There are other registration options, including registering as a service voter, registering anonymously, and registering if you don’t have a fixed address.
Other registration options
There are other registration options, including registering as a service voter, registering anonymously, and registering if you don’t have a fixed address.
Your electoral registration office
When you register as an overseas voter, you’ll use the UK address where you were last registered to vote.
This is where your electoral registration office will be, and where your vote will be counted in elections.
How to check if you're already registered to vote
You need to contact the electoral services team at your local council to find out if you're registered to vote.
If you’re registered to vote, you’ll be on the electoral register. This is something that your local council holds, so they’ll be able to tell you if you’re registered. We don’t have copies of electoral registers, so can’t tell you if you are registered.
How to check if you're already registered to vote
You need to contact the electoral services team at your local council to find out if you're registered to vote.
If you’re registered to vote, you’ll be on the electoral register. This is something that your local council holds, so they’ll be able to tell you if you’re registered. We don’t have copies of electoral registers, so can’t tell you if you are registered.
How to check if you're already registered to vote
You need to contact your local Electoral Registration Office to find out if you're registered to vote.
If you’re registered to vote, you’ll be on the electoral register. This is something that your local Electoral Registration Office holds, so they’ll be able to tell you if you’re registered. We don’t have copies of electoral registers, so can’t tell you if you are registered.
How to check if you're already registered to vote
You need to contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland to find out whether you're registered to vote.
If you’re registered to vote, you’ll be on the electoral register. The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland will be able to tell you whether you’re registered.
We are unable to tell you whether you are registered.
How to check if you're already registered to vote
You need to contact the electoral registration office to find out if you're registered to vote.
If you’re registered to vote, you’ll be on the electoral register. This is something the electoral registration office holds, so they’ll be able to tell you if you’re registered. We don’t have copies of electoral registers, so can’t tell you if you are registered.
Get your local council’s contact details
Enter your postcode to find contact details for the electoral services team at your local council
Get your local council’s contact details
Enter your postcode to find contact details for the electoral services team at your local council
Get your electoral registration office contact details
Enter your postcode to find contact details for your local electoral registration office
Get your electoral registration office contact details
Enter your postcode (of the address you used when you registered as an overseas voter) to get the address of your electoral registration office