Information for British citizens living overseas

Overseas electors are eligible to vote in parliamentary elections. You may be also able to vote in national referendums in the UK (each referendum has different rules on who can vote in it).

From 16 January 2024, as part of the Elections Act 2022, the 15 year limit has been removed. If you are a British Citizen living overseas who has previously lived in the UK or been registered to vote in the UK, you can register to vote regardless of how long you have lived outside the UK. 

A number of changes to voting from overseas now apply: 

• You can register to vote if you previously lived in the UK but were not registered to vote
• You can register to vote as an overseas elector no matter how long ago you left the UK or were last registered to vote
• Your overseas declaration is now valid for up to three years, lasting until 1 November in the third year after it takes effect
• You can now register as an overseas voter online

If you are an overseas voter who registered to vote before 16 January 2024, you will need to renew your registration when your declaration expires. Provided you respond to the renewal request in time you, will not need to re-apply to register as an overseas voter. If you applied for a proxy vote before 31 October 2023, this will expire on 31 January 2024 and you will need to reapply for a proxy vote. 

Ways to vote

Unless you will be able to attend a polling station in Exeter on polling day, you will need to complete the relevant absent vote application form:

• Postal vote application, or
• Proxy vote application (someone voting on your behalf)

Please take into consideration the time it will take for a postal vote to reach you and ensure you have enough time to return it to us. (Postal votes will be issued approximately two weeks before polling day). You have until 10pm on polling day to return a postal vote.