Can I vote if I live abroad?
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission · sources read 5 Oct 2026
Yes, but only where IEBC sets up registration: the Constitution says Kenyans living abroad are to be registered and given the vote step by step, and you must be on the register to vote. IEBC registered voters in 12 countries in 2022 and says diaspora registration will open with ECVR Phase II, with a proposal to cover 26 countries for the 2027 election. From abroad you vote only for President and in referendums, and you register with a valid Kenyan passport (an ID card works only in East African Community countries).
- Fee
- We couldn't confirm a fee from the official page. Check it there before you pay.
- Where
- Abroad: IEBC registration centres in the countries IEBC announces for ECVR Phase II. In Kenya: any IEBC constituency office, Huduma Centre or Anniversary Towers, Nairobi
What you need
- A valid Kenyan passport. If you live in an East African Community country, your Kenyan national ID card is also accepted.
Steps
- Watch for IEBC's launch of Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration Phase II (ECVR II). That is when IEBC says diaspora registration will happen.
- When registration opens in your country, apply to IEBC on Form I, showing a valid Kenyan passport (or your Kenyan ID if you live in an East African Community country).
- If you are in Kenya, you can register now at any of the 290 IEBC constituency offices, a Huduma Centre or the IEBC Customer Experience Centre at Anniversary Towers, Nairobi.
- If you see something wrong with diaspora registration, report it to IEBC.
Watch out
- Not every country is covered. IEBC covered 12 countries in 2022 and has proposed 26 for 2027; it has not yet announced the list or dates.
- You can be registered at only one registration centre. If you register in Kenya, that is where you are registered.
- Living abroad doesn't stop you from voting, but you can only vote if your name is in the Register of Voters.
- From abroad you can only vote for President and in a referendum, not for MPs, governors, senators, woman reps or MCAs.
- IEBC only registers and runs voting in countries with a Kenyan embassy, high commission or consulate.
- Outside the East African Community, a Kenyan ID card alone is not enough to register abroad: you need a valid Kenyan passport.
Who can apply
- Adult Kenyan citizens who have not been declared of unsound mind and have not been convicted of an election offence in the last five years.
- The Constitution covers citizens living outside Kenya, with registration and voting rolled out progressively.
- The Register of Voters has a separate register of voters living outside Kenya.
Official sources (5)
- Constitution of Kenya, 2010 (Articles 38, 82 and 83) new.kenyalaw.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Elections Act, No. 24 of 2011 new.kenyalaw.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Press Release: Response to Allegations and Claims Aired on KTN Teaser on Ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (27 Sep 2026) iebc.or.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Press Release: Clarification on Voter Registration Incident at Kenyatta University (10 Sep 2026) iebc.or.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2012 (L.N. 126 of 2012) new.kenyalaw.org · read 5 Oct 2026