Registering on the electoral roll as a German citizen after returning from abroad for the European elections

If you are a German citizen entitled to vote or a German citizen entitled to vote and are returning to Germany from abroad, you can be entered in the electoral roll of your new municipality under certain conditions.

If you are a German citizen entitled to vote or a German citizen entitled to vote and are returning to Germany from abroad, you will not always be officially entered in the voters' register of your new municipality.

You will be entered in the voters' register ex officio if you are registered with the registration office on the 42nd day before the election (key date). However, if you register with the registration office after the 42nd and before the 20th day before the election, you can be entered in the voters' register upon written request.

Responsibility lies with the municipal authorities.

Declaration in lieu of an oath of eligibility to vote and declaration that you have not applied elsewhere to be entered on the electoral roll.

You can view the necessary forms below:

When you return to Germany, you will be entered in the electoral roll of your new municipality of residence upon your application in due form and time if you meet the following requirements:

• You are German or German within the meaning of Article 116 Paragraph 1 of the Basic Law, have reached the age of 18 on election day and are not excluded from the right to vote.

• In addition, you have had a residence or otherwise habitually resided in the other member states of the European Union for at least three months on election day or

• you have lived or otherwise habitually resided in the Federal Republic of Germany for at least three months without interruption within the last 25 years and after reaching the age of 14, or

• For other reasons, you have become personally and directly familiar with the political situation in the Federal Republic of Germany and are affected by it.

• You register with the registration office after the 42nd but before the 20th day before the election.
• You submit a written application for entry in the electoral roll to the competent municipal authority by the 21st day before the election at the latest.
• You affirm on oath that you are entitled to vote and declare that you are not taking part in the election in any other member state of the European Union and have not applied to be entered on the electoral roll in any other municipality in the electoral area. The authority will decide on your application and send you a voter's notification or a rejection notice.

The application for entry in the electoral roll must be submitted in writing to the competent municipal authority no later than 21 days before the election.

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