EU citizens’ voting and registration rights

Information about how EU citizens in the borough can register to vote in elections.

Requirements for EU citizens to vote in elections

New requirements for how EU citizens register to vote were introduced on 7 May 2024.

As an EU citizen, you are required to be:

  • a qualifying EU citizen from a country with mutual agreements and who has, or does not require leave to remain in the UK. Currently, Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain have mutual agreements; or
  • an EU citizen with retained rights who was resident in the UK before 31 December 2020

These requirements also apply to EU citizens wanting to stand as a candidate in local government or police and crime commissioner elections

EU citizens not affected by the changes

Your rights are not affected if you are a citizen from:

  • Cyprus
  • Ireland 
  • Malta

These countries are classified as Commonwealth countries for the purposes of voting.

How to contact us

For more information, you can:

Bernard Weatherill House
Electoral Services
8 Mint Walk
Croydon
CR0 1EA