Eligible Indian citizens can apply to register as voters through the Election Commission of India (ECI) Citizen Service Portal. Use Form 6 if you live in India and are applying as an ordinary resident; eligible Indian citizens living overseas use Form 6A. You can apply online or use an ECI-described offline route, but you must meet the citizenship, age and residence rules and provide the evidence requested for your application.
Check eligibility and the qualifying dates
To register as an ordinary resident elector, you must be an Indian citizen, at least 18 years old on a qualifying date, and ordinarily resident in the constituency where you apply. The four qualifying dates are 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October. The ECI explains the eligibility rules and advance applications in its Citizen Service Portal.
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If you are approaching 18, you may submit Form 6 in advance for one of these dates. The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) processes the claim in the quarter in which you attain qualifying age. Turning 18 does not by itself guarantee immediate inclusion on the roll or eligibility to vote in a particular election; check the current electoral roll and election notices.
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Choose the correct registration form
| Applicant’s situation | Form | Address used |
|---|---|---|
| Indian citizen applying as an ordinary resident in India | Form 6, shown on the ECI portal as “New Voter Registration” | The place where you are ordinarily resident |
| Indian citizen living overseas who has not acquired another country’s citizenship | Form 6A, shown as overseas registration | The Indian address recorded in the applicant’s passport |
| Already registered but moved, needs a correction or replacement EPIC, or needs PwD marking | Form 8 | Use the relevant existing-elector service |
Form 6A is for a qualifying overseas Indian elector, not someone who has acquired foreign citizenship. The constituency for the application is linked to the Indian address shown in the passport. Read the current ECI portal instructions before filing.
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Gather the details and documents for Form 6
Form 6 asks for your personal particulars, date of birth and complete ordinary-residence address, including PIN code. Prepare a recent photograph and self-attested supporting evidence. The paper form specifies an unsigned colour passport-size photograph measuring 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm on a white background; for an online application, follow the portal’s current upload requirements.
Age evidence
The Form 6 lists a birth certificate, Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving licence, Class X or XII certificate from the specified education boards, and Indian passport as date-of-birth evidence options. If you do not have one of the listed documents, the form lets you specify another document; the ECI says you may need to appear for verification. Check the current form and its appended guidelines for accepted evidence.
Residence evidence
Provide evidence for your full residence address using a document accepted under the current Form 6 instructions. The form’s listed options can include documents in your own name or in a parent’s or spouse’s name. The ECI states that the application is addressed to the ERO for the constituency in which the applicant ordinarily resides. Review the current Form 6 and guidance on the portal to confirm the accepted document and upload requirements.
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Aadhaar is optional
You do not have to obtain Aadhaar before applying. Form 6 provides an option for applicants who cannot furnish an Aadhaar number because they do not have one.
Apply online through the ECI portal
- Check the electoral roll first. Use the ECI portal’s electoral-roll search to see whether you are already registered and avoid creating a duplicate application.
- Open the Citizen Service Portal. Go to https://voters.eci.gov.in/ and sign in or create an account as prompted.
- Select the form for your circumstances. Choose “New Voter Registration” (Form 6) for ordinary residence in India or the overseas registration option (Form 6A) if eligible.
- Complete the application. Enter your particulars carefully and give the correct ordinary-residence address, or the passport-linked Indian address for Form 6A.
- Upload the requested evidence. Include the photograph and supporting documents called for by the form. Online filing does not remove document requirements.
- Submit and keep the acknowledgment details. Retain the reference information so you can check application status through official services.
- Respond to verification requests. Check the portal and your state Chief Electoral Officer’s notices for instructions that apply locally.
Apply offline if that suits you better
ECI guidance describes offline submission to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO), by post, or through the area Booth Level Officer (BLO). Use the appropriate current form, include the required evidence and follow the local instructions from your state Chief Electoral Officer. Online and offline are submission choices; neither changes the eligibility rules or the need to support your application.
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Students living away from home
ECI guidance allows students to enroll either at their parents’ address or at the hostel or mess where they ordinarily reside. Apply for the constituency corresponding to the address you use and meet the applicable residence requirements.
Eligible applicants without usual residence documents
ECI guidance describes field verification for certain applicants without documentary residence proof, including homeless Indian citizens living in sheds or on pavements. This is a way to verify an eligible applicant’s circumstances, not an exemption from citizenship, age or ordinary-residence requirements. Follow the ERO’s instructions if verification is required.
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Indian citizens living overseas
Use Form 6A if you are an Indian citizen who has not acquired another country’s citizenship. The application is tied to the Indian address in your passport, and the current form requires passport-related evidence, including relevant passport pages. Follow the form and ERO instructions for the evidence and process.
Already registered and moved
Do not submit a first-time Form 6 merely because you have moved or need to update an existing entry. The ECI portal directs existing electors to Form 8 for shifting, corrections, replacement EPIC or PwD marking.
Check status and local notices
Use your acknowledgment or reference details to check the application through official ECI services. There is no universal processing-time or EPIC-delivery deadline established in the ECI guidance cited here, so avoid relying on a fixed promise. Portal services and election-related deadlines can vary; check the ECI portal and the relevant state Chief Electoral Officer for the latest instructions. The portal displayed SIR 2026 services on 3 October 2026, but that does not establish the same revision activity or deadlines for every state or application.
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