Who can register to vote
Eligible countries
If you are from one of these countries and you are living in the UK, you can register to vote in UK elections. If you have a dual British citizenship, you can register to vote under your British nationality.
EU countries
Citizens from EU countries can currently register to vote in local elections in the UK, but are not eligible to vote in UK parliamentary elections or national referendums:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
However, the Elections Act 2022 has set out that EU citizens will lose their automatic right to vote in the UK.
Two groups of EU citizens will retain their rights:
- Qualifying EU citizens from countries with reciprocal agreements with the UK (currently Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain)
- EU citizens with retained rights because they were already living in the UK before 1 January 2021 when the UK left the EU
These changes are expected to come into force in Spring 2024 and more information will be available here in due course.
Commonwealth countries, British Overseas Territories and British Crown Dependencies
Citizens from the following countries, territories and dependencies can vote in local elections, UK parliamentary elections and all referendums.
Qualifying Commonwealth citizens do not require or have been granted leave to enter or remain in the UK.
Commonwealth countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Fiji*
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe*
* Citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain their voting rights despite the countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth
British Overseas Territories
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Island
- St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia
- Turks and Caicos Islands
British Crown Dependencies:
- Alderney
- Guernsey
- Herm
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
- Sark
- Other inhabited Channel Islands
Hong Kong
Citizens of Hong Kong living in the UK are not automatically qualifying Commonwealth citizens despite Hong Kong’s former status as a British Overseas Territory.
Citizens of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport are able to register to vote, however you may be asked to provide a copy of your passport as part of your application.
Last updated: 08/12/2022 12:23
