Your guide to voting in UK and EU elections as EU citizens in the UK
This page includes sections on:
EU citizens voting in UK elections
Voting in European Parliament elections from the UK
EU citizens voting in UK elections
Your right to vote as an EU citizen in the UK depends on when you moved to the UK, which Member State you are from, where you live in the UK and what type of election is taking place (e.g. UK general election, devolved nation election, local elections etc). You must register to vote to take part in elections.
If you are an Irish citizen who lives in the UK can, you can vote in UK general elections and all relevant elections in your UK nation of residence.
Likewise, if you are a citizen of Cyprus or Malta lawfully resident in the UK, you can vote in UK general elections and all relevant elections in your UK nation of residence (due to your status as Commonwealth citizens).
For all other EU citizens, in most cases the key date to bear in mind is 31 December 2020 — as this is when the EU law ceased to apply in the UK. If you moved to the UK before this date and have lawful immigration status (such as pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme), you generally retain the same voting rights you had before Brexit (though these vary depending on which UK nation you live in). It does not matter if your pre-settled or settled status was granted after 31 December 2020 as long as you were living in the UK by this date.
If you moved to the UK after 31 December 2020 (including sponsored joining family members under the EU Settlement Scheme with pre-settled or settled status), your voting rights depend on:
- Your nationality
- Where in the UK you live
- Whether your Member State has a bilateral voting agreement with the UK
Currently, other than Irish, Maltese and Cypriot citizens, only citizens of Member States with bilateral voting agreements have voting rights in England and Northern Ireland if they moved to the UK after 01 January 2021.
These five Member States have bilateral voting agreements:
In contrast, Scotland and Wales allow all legal residents, regardless of nationality, to vote in local and devolved elections, irrespective of when they moved to the UK.
Can you vote? Overview by the UK nation you live in
UK general election
Can you vote?
| You arrived in the UK by 31 December 2020 (EU citizens except Irish, Cyprus, Malta) | Any arrival date (Irish, Cyprus, Malta) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Member States with voting agreement) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (all other EU) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General election | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
England
Can you vote?
| Election type | You arrived in the UK by 31 December 2020 (all EU citizens) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Irish, Cyprus, Malta) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Member States with voting agreement) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (all other EU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council/local elections | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Mayor | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Police and Crime Commissioner | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Northern Ireland
Can you vote?
| Election type | You arrived in the UK by 31 December 2020 (all EU citizens) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Irish, Cyrus, Malta) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Member States with voting agreement) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (all other EU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Council/local election | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Wales
Can you vote?
| Election type | You arrived in the UK by 31 December 2020 (all EU citizens) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Irish, Cyrus, Malta) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Member States with voting agreement) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (all other EU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senedd Cymru | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Council/local election | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Police and Crime Commissioner | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Scotland
Can you vote?
| Election type | You arrived in the UK by 31 December 2020 (all EU citizens) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Irish, Cyrus, Malta) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (Member States with voting agreement) | You arrived after 31 December 2020 (all other EU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish Parliament | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Council/local election | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Police and Crime Commissioner | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
If you have pre-settled or settled status as a joining family member, be aware that you will not have the same voting rights as your EU family members. (Unless you are a citizens of one of the above Member States with a bilateral voting agreement)
If you are still unsure if you are able to vote in the UK based on your nationality, check out the ‘Can I vote?’ tool.
Now that you know what elections you have a right to vote in, make sure you are registered to vote:
You will need to have your National Insurance number ready. Remember to re-register to vote if you change your name, address or nationality.
Voting in European Parliament elections from the UK
Who can vote in European Parliament elections?
Your right to vote in European Parliament elections while living in the UK depends on your EU nationality. Not all EU Member States allow their citizens who live in the UK to vote in European Parliament elections.
In these elections, EU citizens choose their representatives—known as Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)—to represent them at the EU level. Elections are held every five years, with the next one due in 2029.
To find out whether and how you can vote in European Parliament elections whilst you are resident in the UK, you will need to check the rules for your country of nationality, as each EU Member State sets its own rules for their citizens living abroad.
Does your country allow voting for the European Parliament from the UK?
Austria – ✅
Belgium –✅
Bulgaria – ❌ Unless you are resident in the EU for at least three months immediately before the election
Croatia – ✅
Cyprus – ✅
Czechia – ❌
Denmark – ✅ under certain conditions
Estonia – ✅
Finland – ✅
France – ✅
Germany – ✅
Greece – ✅
Hungary – ✅
Ireland – ❌
Italy – ❌
Latvia – ✅
Lithuania – ✅
Luxembourg – ✅
Malta – ❌
Netherlands – ✅
Poland – ✅
Portugal – ✅
Romania – ✅
Slovakia – ❌
Slovenia – ✅
Spain – ✅
Sweden – ✅
Please note, this information is correct as of the European Parliament Elections in 2024 but rules can change. Check your national government’s website to make sure you are up to date on voting rules in your country and to check you are registered to vote in advance of the elections.
Find more information about each European nation’s voting rules.
Services
This site offers information about Brexit, how it may impact you as an EU citizen and your family living in the UK, and what you may need to do next. It summarises key issues and is purely for information purposes and has no legal force. It does not provide any legal interpretation of EU or UK legislation and is not meant to replace specialised legal advice on UK immigration rules.