Who can register as an overseas (NRI) voter
- You are a citizen of India and hold a valid Indian passport.
- You have not taken the citizenship of any other country. OCI card holders cannot vote in India.
- You are 18 or older on the qualifying date (1 January of the year of the revision).
- You live outside India for work, study or any other reason.
Your name is added to the voter list of the area where your Indian address, as written in your passport, falls.
Documents to keep ready
- A recent passport-size colour photo
- Passport pages with your photo and personal details
- The passport page with your address in India
- The page with your valid visa or residence permit
- An email ID or mobile number for the OTP and updates
Do not send original documents. Online you upload scanned copies; if you send the form by post, attach self-attested photocopies.
Steps to fill Form 6A online
- Open voters.eci.gov.in and log in or sign up with your mobile number or email ID.
- Choose Form 6A, the form for registering as an overseas elector.
- Fill your name, date and place of birth, passport number, date and place of issue, and your Indian address exactly as in the passport.
- Give your current address abroad, with an email ID and a mobile number.
- Upload the photo and the passport and visa pages, check every detail and submit.
- Note the reference number and follow your application with "Track Application Status".
Other ways to apply
- By post: send the filled form with self-attested copies to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of your constituency in India.
- In person: if you are visiting India, give the form to the ERO and show your original passport.
- Indian embassies keep blank Form 6A free of cost, but the embassy does not decide your application.
What happens after you apply
The Booth Level Officer (BLO) visits your home address in India and checks with your family. If no one is there, your documents can be sent to the Indian mission in your country for checking. The ERO's decision is sent to you by post and by SMS.
If accepted, your name is printed in a separate "Overseas Electors" section at the end of the voter list of your polling booth.
How an NRI votes
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Voter ID card (EPIC) | Not issued to overseas voters |
| Where you vote | At your own polling booth in India, in person |
| ID at the booth | Your original Indian passport |
| Postal, proxy or online vote | Not available at present |
| Government fee | Free |
| Correcting details later | Form 8 |
Already have a voter ID card from before you moved abroad? Hand it back (surrender it) along with Form 6A. A person can be on only one voter list.
Not sure whether your old name was removed in SIR? Read NRI and SIR 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can an NRI apply for Form 6A without coming to India?
Yes. Form 6A can be filled and submitted fully online on voters.eci.gov.in from any country.
Do NRIs get a voter ID card?
No. An overseas voter is not given an EPIC card. At the polling booth you show your original Indian passport.
Can OCI card holders vote in India?
No. An OCI card holder has taken another country's citizenship, so they cannot register as a voter in India.
Can I vote from abroad by post or online?
Not at present. An overseas voter has to vote in person at their polling booth in India.
Which address is used for NRI voter registration?
The address in India written in your passport. Your name is added to the voter list of that area.
Is there a fee for Form 6A?
No, registration is free. SIR Mitra is a private service and charges only if you want our team to file it with you.
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সূত্র
- Embassy of India, Prague: Overseas (NRI) elector, eligibility and registration
- Embassy of India, Lima: NRIs as overseas electors, frequently asked questions
- Election Commission of India (SVEEP): Overseas Indian Electors brochure, copy published by the Embassy of India, Sao Tome (PDF)
- Punjab Outlook: Your vote does not lapse at the airport departure gate, KBS Sidhu, IAS (retd.) (6 June 2026)
- Khaleej Times: SIR forms, Indian expats in UAE rush to update and verify voter status
- Election Commission of India: Voters' Service Portal
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