The current British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, called for a snap election on July 4. People were expecting the general election to happen in October or November, not in two months, reports the BBC. How can British expats abroad vote? And which expats in the UK have voting rights? Many Commonwealth and Irish expats in the UK are unaware that they are eligible to vote even if they don't have indefinite leave to remain.
The stakes of this year's general elections for expats
This year's general election may change a lot for expats. It's a historical election in many ways. First, the UK's general election has not been held during the summer months since 1945 — during World War 2, when Winston Churchill was one of the candidates!
Secondly, the Conservative Party (“the Tories”) is likely to lose after nearly 15 years of consecutive rule. As reported by Reuters, all polls show the Labour Party leading over the Tories by as much as 17 points. High-profile Tory MPs like Jeremy Hunt (current Chancellor of the Exchequer), Suella Braverman (former Home Secretary), Liz Truss (former PM), Jacob Rees-Mogg, and even Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could lose their seats in parliament.
In the last 14 years, the Conservative Party has brought about considerable changes to the UK's immigration laws. Brexit happened, which brought immigration restrictions on EU expats in the UK and British expats in the EU. The Graduate Visa, which allows international students to work in the UK for 2 years, was canceled and then reinstated. The High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa was created for expats who are alumni of the world's top universities. More recently, international students were banned from bringing their family members to the UK during their studies.
Parliament will be dissolved by the end of May for the electoral campaign period to begin. This means that no new immigration measures, even ones that have recently been hotly debated, will be passed in the next few months. Any change in immigration law will now only happen when the next government is formed.
Voting as a British expat living abroad
In early 2024, a major electoral reform changed the game for British expats. Previously, they preserved their voting rights in the UK only if they had been living abroad for less than 15 years. Since the reform, they can now vote from abroad (as well as fund parties or electoral campaigns!) regardless of when they left the UK, whether 2 or 20 years ago.
There are two ways for Britons abroad to vote: by post or by proxy. It does not matter where exactly they live (in a Commonwealth country or not), and neither does it matter if they are close to a British embassy or consulate. Because of a special agreement, Irish citizens living outside the UK or Ireland also have the right to vote in the UK's elections. This means that an Irish expat in Thailand can also vote this July, if he/she/they wishes to do so, via the two following methods.
- Voting by proxy: Expats can ask someone they trust in the UK to vote on their behalf. It doesn't need to be a family member — it can even be a trusted friend or colleague. When applying online to vote by proxy, expats need to explain why they're choosing this option. A UK-based person can vote by proxy only for a maximum of 4 expats. Expats don't need to post their ID abroad; the proxy voter can use their own ID to cast the ballot.
- Voting by post: After applying online, expats will receive a voting pack and their ballot paper by mail about 10 days before the election. After filling them out, they need to mail them back to the UK. Some Britons on the Expat.com forum have complained that the package sometimes did not reach them in time, which prevented them from voting. If expats live in an area that often experiences postal delays or disruptions in postal services, it's safer for them to apply to vote by proxy.
In which UK constituency should expats cast their vote, if they don't even live in the country anymore? The answer is simple: the constituency of their last address in the UK. When registering as voters online, expats are asked for their last UK address. In the case of British citizens who left the UK as children, they can provide their parents' last address in the country.
All British expats remain registered voters for 3 years after this application. Once 3 years have passed, they need to re-register on the government's website. The deadline to register as a voter for the 2024 general election is June 18 for people based in the UK. Expats have some more time – they can apply to be proxy voters by June 19 or postal voters by June 26.
Voting as a non-British expat living in the UK
Expats with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), i.e., “permanent residency,” in the UK know they have the right to vote. But what is less common knowledge is that all Commonwealth citizens with any kind of resident permit, even a long-term student visa, are allowed to vote in the UK's general election. This also applies to Irish citizens.
New expats working in the UK on a Graduate Visa or Skilled Worker Visa can register to vote as long as they are from one of the 56 countries of the Commonwealth or from Ireland. It does not matter if they are not permanent residents yet. Commonwealth students studying for any undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the UK can apply to vote, says the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA).
The form of ID they should provide when both registering and voting is their BRN (British Residence Permit), a card they receive within their first month of relocating to the UK. If they work part-time as students, they should also provide their National Insurance Number.
Of course, this does not apply to tourists from the Commonwealth or those studying for short courses (e.g., summer school). Voting can be important for international students who plan on remaining in the UK to work. It is a way for them to have a say in the immigration policies that directly affect them.
Here are the countries whose citizens can also register to vote on July 4, as long as they have a residence permit/long-term visa:
- Australia
- Antigua and Barbuda
- The Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica (not the Dominican Republic)
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Eswatini (also known by its former name Swaziland)
- The Fiji Islands
- India
- Ireland
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Jamaica
- Lesotho
- Malaysia
- Malawi
- The Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- The Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- The Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Lucia
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Beyond the UK, Commonwealth citizens can rarely vote in other Commonwealth countries unless they become naturalized citizens. This means that a South African, Australian, or Indian expat cannot vote in Singapore without acquiring citizenship first. The same applies to a Singaporean expat in India or Australia.
There are a few limited exceptions. For one, Australians who have been living in New Zealand for at least a year can vote there. Other expats (from any country, not just the Commonwealth) can vote in New Zealand after they have been permanent residents for at least a year. Another exception is Mauritius, where the constitution gives voting rights to Commonwealth expats who have been living on the island for at least 2 years.
Useful links:
Rishi Sunak announces UK general election for Thursday 4 July - BBC News
UK's Labour has 17-point lead over Conservatives in first poll since vote date set | Reuters
All abroad! More Brits overseas can now register to vote | Electoral Commission
Voting if you move or live abroad - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Voting if you move or live abroad - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
How to vote by proxy | Electoral Commission
How to vote by post | Electoral Commission
Voter Registration for International Students pdf.pdf (ukcisa.org.uk)
