US citizens living overseas do not give up their right to vote in US elections.
Americans abroad can vote using an absentee ballot with eligibility tied to the last place they lived in the US. This becomes their voting residence even if they no longer own property there.
The key form that makes overseas US expat voting possible is the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), which is used to both register to vote and request an absentee ballot from abroad. Once approved, ballots are sent directly to you overseas by your local election office, not through US embassies.
All overseas voters can vote in federal elections, while access to state and local elections depends on the rules of the last state of residence. States like Florida and South Dakota are especially expat-friendly, making them popular domiciles for Americans living abroad.
To avoid issues, overseas voters should file a new FPCA every year and return ballots as early as possible, since international mail can be unpredictable.
Read more in our voting section and find out more about domiciling here.