If you’ve moved to the UAE from the UK but keep an eye on politics back home then you’re still able to vote in Dubai – but you have to prepare in advance.

On Wednesday May 22, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a general election, which will be held on Thursday July 4. It is the first time since 2019 that an election has been called in the UK.

The UK is divided into 650 areas, known as constituencies, and each one elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to represent their residents in London.

And the political party with the most MPs, once all votes are counted, normally forms the next government and chooses the next Prime Minister.

An estimated 240,000 British expats live in Dubai, many of which will still keep more than an eye on events from back home.

But wanting to have your say and knowing how to do so are two separate things, so we’re here to help guide you through the process.

Am I eligible to vote in the UK general election from the UAE?

As long as you’re a British citizen or an eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland, then you can vote in the UK general election regardless of where you are.

You’ll need to register as an overseas voter if you’re a British citizen – in a very similar way to how you would back home – just keep those passport details handy.

If you want to vote in England, Scotland or Wales then you’ll need to register on the UK government website, but for Northern Ireland, you’ll need to fill in a paper form.

Where your vote is cast depends on the last constituency you were registered in when you last voted in the UK before moving to the UAE.

If you’re serving abroad in the armed forces then you can also apply as a service voter. You can also vote if you’re a Crown servant or British Council employee.

Until January this year, you were only eligible to vote from abroad if you had registered to vote in the UK in the past 15 years. But this changed as the Election Act 2022 came into effect on Tuesday January 16, meaning any British Citizen can vote regardless of how long they’ve been out the country.

How do I cast a vote in the UK general election while living in the UAE?

Once you’re registered to vote, you can vote either by post or by proxy.

If voting by post, you’ll need to either apply online or by post to make sure your vote is valid. However, if you’re registered for Northern Ireland, please note that you cannot vote by post.

When voting by post, you’ll receive a postal voting pack with your ballot paper ahead of polling day.

And if you want a proxy vote, where you send someone to the ballot box on your behalf, then you’ll also need to apply online or by post.

Your proxy vote should be someone you trust to vote on your behalf and you’ll, of course, need to make sure they know which candidate you want to vote for.

Is there a deadline for voter registration in the UK general election?

The voter registration deadline is Tuesday June 18, so if you are thinking of casting a vote then you’ll need to be quick.

If you’re voting by proxy, then you’ll need to apply by Friday June 28 for England, Scotland or Wales. And for Northern Ireland, by Thursday June 20.

What if I’m in Dubai on holiday for election day? Can I still vote?

As long as you apply ahead of the registration deadline then you can still vote but don’t need to apply as an overseas voter. You just need to arrange a postal vote or a proxy vote.

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