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Register to vote deadline

The deadline to register to vote for the elections on Thursday 2 May is 11:59pm on Tuesday 16 April.

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:

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.

Image of a sticky note with the words 'Bring photo ID to vote'

Voter ID

Voters in England now need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.

The deadline to apply for free voter ID for the elections on Thursday 2 May is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.

Don’t have ID? Apply for free voter ID now.

Image of a sticky note with the words 'Bring photo ID to vote'

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.

Image of a sticky note with the words 'Bring photo ID to vote'

Voter ID

Voters in Wales now need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.

The deadline to apply for free voter ID for the elections on Thursday 2 May is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.

Don’t have ID? Apply for free voter ID now.

Answer some questions to find out if you can register to vote

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 BarbudaAustraliaThe Bahamas
BangladeshBarbadosBelize
BotswanaBrunei DarussalamCameroon
CanadaCyprusDominica
Fiji IslandsGabonGhana
GrenadaGuyanaIndia
JamaicaKenyaKingdom of Eswatini
KiribatiLesothoMalawi
MalaysiaMaldivesMalta
MauritiusMozambiqueNamibia
NauruNew ZealandNigeria
PakistanPapua New GuineaRwanda
St Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSt Vincent & The Grenadines
SamoaSeychellesSierra Leone
SingaporeSolomon IslandsSouth Africa
Sri LankaThe GambiaTogo
TongaTrinidad and TobagoTuvalu
UgandaUnited Republic of TanzaniaVanuatu
ZambiaZimbabwe 

This table 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
AnguillaBermudaBritish Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsCayman Islands
Falkland IslandsGibraltarMonserrat
Pitcairn IslandSt Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha)South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sovereign base areas on CyprusTurks 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.

An "EU citizen" is someone with citizenship of one of these EU member states.

EU countries
AustriaBelgiumBulgaria
CroatiaCyprusCzech Republic
DenmarkEstoniaFinland
FranceGermanyGreece
HungaryIrelandItaly
LatviaLithuaniaLuxembourg
MaltaNetherlandsPoland
PortugalRomaniaSlovakia
SloveniaSpainSweden

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.

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 BarbudaAustraliaThe Bahamas
BangladeshBarbadosBelize
BotswanaBrunei DarussalamCameroon
CanadaCyprusDominica
Fiji IslandsGabonGhana
GrenadaGuyanaIndia
JamaicaKenyaKingdom of Eswatini
KiribatiLesothoMalawi
MalaysiaMaldivesMalta
MauritiusMozambiqueNamibia
NauruNew ZealandNigeria
PakistanPapua New GuineaRwanda
St Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSt Vincent & The Grenadines
SamoaSeychellesSierra Leone
SingaporeSolomon IslandsSouth Africa
Sri LankaThe GambiaTogo
TongaTrinidad and TobagoTuvalu
UgandaUnited Republic of TanzaniaVanuatu
ZambiaZimbabwe 

This table 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
AnguillaBermudaBritish Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsCayman Islands
Falkland IslandsGibraltarMonserrat
Pitcairn IslandSt Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha)South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sovereign base areas on CyprusTurks 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.

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.

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 BarbudaAustraliaThe Bahamas
BangladeshBarbadosBelize
BotswanaBrunei DarussalamCameroon
CanadaCyprusDominica
Fiji IslandsGabonGhana
GrenadaGuyanaIndia
JamaicaKenyaKingdom of Eswatini
KiribatiLesothoMalawi
MalaysiaMaldivesMalta
MauritiusMozambiqueNamibia
NauruNew ZealandNigeria
PakistanPapua New GuineaRwanda
St Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSt Vincent & The Grenadines
SamoaSeychellesSierra Leone
SingaporeSolomon IslandsSouth Africa
Sri LankaThe GambiaTogo
TongaTrinidad and TobagoTuvalu
UgandaUnited Republic of TanzaniaVanuatu
ZambiaZimbabwe 

This table 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
AnguillaBermudaBritish Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsCayman Islands
Falkland IslandsGibraltarMonserrat
Pitcairn IslandSt Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha)South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sovereign base areas on CyprusTurks 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 BarbudaAustraliaThe Bahamas
BangladeshBarbadosBelize
BotswanaBrunei DarussalamCameroon
CanadaCyprusDominica
Fiji IslandsGabonGhana
GrenadaGuyanaIndia
JamaicaKenyaKingdom of Eswatini
KiribatiLesothoMalawi
MalaysiaMaldivesMalta
MauritiusMozambiqueNamibia
NauruNew ZealandNigeria
PakistanPapua New GuineaRwanda
St Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSt Vincent & The Grenadines
SamoaSeychellesSierra Leone
SingaporeSolomon IslandsSouth Africa
Sri LankaThe GambiaTogo
TongaTrinidad and TobagoTuvalu
UgandaUnited Republic of TanzaniaVanuatu
ZambiaZimbabwe 

This table 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
AnguillaBermudaBritish Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsCayman Islands
Falkland IslandsGibraltarMonserrat
Pitcairn IslandSt Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha)South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sovereign base areas on CyprusTurks 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.

An "EU citizen" is someone with citizenship of one of these EU member states.

EU countries
AustriaBelgiumBulgaria
CroatiaCyprusCzech Republic
DenmarkEstoniaFinland
FranceGermanyGreece
HungaryIrelandItaly
LatviaLithuaniaLuxembourg
MaltaNetherlandsPoland
PortugalRomaniaSlovakia
SloveniaSpainSweden

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.

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 BarbudaAustraliaThe Bahamas
BangladeshBarbadosBelize
BotswanaBrunei DarussalamCameroon
CanadaCyprusDominica
Fiji IslandsGabonGhana
GrenadaGuyanaIndia
JamaicaKenyaKingdom of Eswatini
KiribatiLesothoMalawi
MalaysiaMaldivesMalta
MauritiusMozambiqueNamibia
NauruNew ZealandNigeria
PakistanPapua New GuineaRwanda
St Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSt Vincent & The Grenadines
SamoaSeychellesSierra Leone
SingaporeSolomon IslandsSouth Africa
Sri LankaThe GambiaTogo
TongaTrinidad and TobagoTuvalu
UgandaUnited Republic of TanzaniaVanuatu
ZambiaZimbabwe 

This table 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
AnguillaBermudaBritish Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsCayman Islands
Falkland IslandsGibraltarMonserrat
Pitcairn IslandSt Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha)South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sovereign base areas on CyprusTurks 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

Other registration options

Other registration options

Other registration options

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.

Your location:

We’re showing you content for . Select ‘change’ to choose a different location.