British citizens living abroad are eligible to vote in the UK general election on 4 July but must be registered to vote by the deadline on midnight Tuesday 18 June. The UK's Electoral Commission is calling on voters to register now and apply for an absent vote if they will not be in the UK on polling day.
For the first time, British citizens living abroad are eligible to vote regardless of how long they have been living outside the UK. Applications can be made online at gov.uk/register-to-vote .
Since 16 January 2024, when the 15-year rule was abolished, there have been over 100,000 applications to register to vote by UK citizens living overseas.
Applicants will need to provide details of the address and time they were last registered or resident in the UK. Electoral Registration Officers, which are responsible for the electoral roll in their area, must be able to verify an applicant’s identity and past connection to the area.