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

This does not affect your rights, if you are a citizen from the following countries;

  • Cyprus
  • Ireland 
  • Malta

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

If you are an EU citizen who was registered to vote on 7 May 2024

We will undertake a review of your eligibility to remain registered on the electoral register 
This is a stand-alone exercise to be completed and will:

  • identify if as a EU citizen, you are still eligible to vote and confirm your continued registration; and
  • identify if as a EU citizen, you are not eligible to remain registered to vote under the new requirements and need to be removed from the electoral register

If you are an EU citizen who was registered to vote after 7 May 2024

You will have already confirmed your eligibility when you applied to register and do not need to take any further action.

Our correspondence to all EU citizens in the borough

f you are an EU citizen residing in the borough, you will receive an email or letter from us, which will:

  • advise you that your historic residency has been verified through electoral register checks, and that no action is needed in order for them to remain registered to vote or
  • advise you that it was not possible to verify your historic residency through electoral register checks. We will ask for you to confirm whether you meet the new requirements to vote in elections. 

How to contact us

You can either respond to our email or letter by 

  • post - send your completed registration review form to
    Electoral Services
    Town Hall
    Katharine Street
    Croydon
    CR9 1DE
     
  • phone -  0300 373 0595
  • online - by using the Government Digital Service