UK expats should register to vote in the EU referendum

A potential ‘Brexit’ from the EU could have a considerable effect on British expats, so make sure you register to vote in the EU referendum in June

Now the date for the EU referendum in the UK has been set (23 June), attention is turning to the campaigns for Britain staying in and leaving the EU. If Britain decided to leave the EU this could have a considerable effect on British expats living in France and the rest of Europe. There are approximately half a million Brits living in France and those who are eligible are being urged to register to vote in the EU referendum so they can have their say.

Am I eligible?

A British citizen living abroad can register to vote if:

• You were registered to vote before leaving the UK

• You have lived in France for less than 15 years

How do I register?

• You can register online via www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

• You will need your National Insurance number and your passport (if you don’t have a National Insurance number you can still register but you will have to supply more information to prove who you are)

• You can also register by post, you will need to download the appropriate forms, fill them in and post them back

• You have to sign an annual declaration once you are registered to renew your registration every year. So if you were registered to vote for the 2015 General Election you will have to renew your registration with your local Electoral Registration Officer in the UK or register again

How do I vote?

• Vote by post – once you have registered you will need to apply for a postal vote. Make sure you send back you vote in time for it to arrive by 10pm on the 23 June otherwise it won’t count.

• Vote by proxy – this means you can appoint someone to vote on your behalf at the polling station. Again, once you have registered to vote you will need to apply to vote by proxy.

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Visit our forum to see what other expats think and vote in our poll: Would a Brexit stop you buying a property in France?