Voting in elections from outside the Netherlands

If you are a Dutch citizen living outside the Netherlands, you can still cast your vote in Dutch and European Parliamentary elections.

Last updated on 11 January 2023

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Eligibility for voting if you are temporarily staying outside the Netherlands

If you are temporarily staying outside the Netherlands, for example for work, study or holidays, then you are entitled to vote if you are still registered with a municipality in the Netherlands. There are 2 ways to vote if you are temporarily staying outside the Netherlands:

  • voting by post;
  • voting by proxy.

If you are outside the Netherlands during the provincieraadsverkiezingen (provincial council elections), waterschapsverkiezingen (water board elections) or gemeenteraadsverkiezingen (municipal council elections), you can only vote by proxy. Voting by post from outside the Netherlands is not possible for these elections.

Eligibility to vote if you are living outside the Netherlands

If you hold Dutch citizenship and you live outside the Netherlands and are no longer registered in a Dutch municipality, you can only vote in elections for the Tweede Kamer (Lower House / House of Representatives) of the Staten-Generaal (Dutch parliament), the European Parliament and the kiescollege niet-ingezetenen voor de Eerste Kamer (non-resident electoral college for the Senate). To be able to vote, you must register as a voter with the municipality of Den Haag (The Hague). You will then receive the relevant documents for voting by post for each election.

Laws and regulations (in Dutch)

Kieswet

Kiesbesluit

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