Move Abroad during an IVA

Move Abroad during an IVA

It is possible to move abroad during an IVA. However unless you are able to maintain the ongoing payments the Arrangement could fail.

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Can you Move Abroad during an IVA?

In principle there is nothing to stop you moving abroad during an IVA. It is possible to carry on with the agreement from a different country.

However, to keep the Arrangement going, you will have to maintain the monthly payments.

You must therefore consider the likely impact of the move on your future income and living expenses. You should try and forecast your budgets to make sure you have sufficient surplus income to keep your IVA going. 

Remember that the cost of living in the country you are moving to might be higher than you are used to. You should reflect this in your projected expenses budget.

Struggling to get your head round all of this? We can Help. Give us a call (0800 011 4712) or complete the form at the bottom of this page. The advice is free and confidential.

What if you can’t afford your ongoing payments?

If you are concerned that you will not be able to maintain your payments after you move you should discuss this with your IVA Company. It may be possible to keep the Arrangement going by reducing them.

One of the issues with moving abroad is that you never really know what to expect until you arrive. If after you move you find your payments are too high speak to your IVA company to see if they can be reduced.

Where you believe you will not be able to continue paying after you move an alternative option might be to settle the Arrangement early. This can be done if you are able to make a cash lump sum available.

The one off costs associated with moving abroad may mean you can’t maintain your IVA payments in the short term. If so speak to your Insolvency Practitioner about taking a payment break.

Could you let your IVA fail and go bankrupt?

If you know you will be unable to maintain your monthly payments after you move abroad you may have to consider allowing your IVA to fail. However if this happens you will remain liable for any outstanding debt.

It is not a good idea to leave without dealing with this problem. It is possible that you will not be chased for payment while you are overseas. However if and when you return to the UK the debts will catch up with you again.

If you are not a home owner or you have little or no equity in your property a sensible course of action could be to go Bankrupt. You would then have no debt to worry about and can have a fresh start in your new country.

Planning to move abroad during an IVA and need more advice? Give us a call (0800 011 4712) or complete the form at the bottom of this page. It’s free and confidential.

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8 thoughts on “Move Abroad during an IVA

    Mindaugas says:

    Hi, I’m planning to leave the UK and want to apply for IVA to get all my debts sorted before I’m leaving. Would that be best? Alternatively would it be better to leave first and then apply?

      Hi Mindaugas

      If you are planning on leaving the UK my advice would be first to remember that you will need to sustain your IVA payments for 5 years. Will you have sufficient income to do this after you leave? If you are sure you will then it would be best to start the agreement beforehand. This would just be easier in terms of getting the process done while you are here.

      If you are unsure about what your income will be in the future I would not recommend starting an IVA until you arrive in your next county and get settled. This will give you time to understand what you can afford to pay. The only issue with this is if you are moving within the EU you will need to make your application within 6 months. If you do not you will no longer qualify.

      Before you make your decision about starting an IVA it is also sensible to consider the option of bankruptcy. If you are not a home owner this might be a better option as you do not have to make ongoing payments towards your debt unless you can afford to. If you are unsure what your income will be this would be far better for you than having to struggle to maintain ongoing IVA payments.

    Tabs says:

    Hi I currently have an IVA – there is a a chance I may move to the Republic of Ireland – would this be allowed?

      Hi Tabs

      There is nothing to stop you moving to a different country while you are in an IVA. The only issue is whether based on your new financial circumstances, you will still be able to maintain your monthly payments. If you will, there should be no problem. If you will struggle, your IVA company might be able to agree a reduction. However, this will normally go hand in hand with an extension to the length of the agreement.

      If you will really struggle to maintain your payments and you feel it will be impossible to carry on or you can’t reach a reasonable agreement with your IVA company, the other option you can consider is letting the IVA fail and then going bankrupt. If you will have little or no surplus income once you are in Ireland, you would not have to make any further payments towards your debts.

      If you are considering this option, I recommend going through the process before you leave. By all means contact me if you want to discuss your options further (0800 011 4712)

    Damian says:

    Hi, I just wanted to know If I’ve got IVA in UK but continue repayments, does it affect taking loan or mortgage in other country like spain, portugal?

      Hi Damian

      The first thing I would say is you should not take credit (either in the UK or abroad) during your IVA without the approval of your IVA company. This includes getting a mortgage. It is a condition of the agreement you signed up to. If you go ahead and your IVA company, find out, it could mean that they will terminate the agreement.

      That said, if you were to cancel or complete your IVA, getting a mortgage in another country should not be affected by the IVA or your UK credit history (which of course is negative). Your UK credit rating does not affect your credit rating in other countries. As such, if you apply for a mortgage abroad, you should be treated in exactly the same way as anyone else.

    Davidd says:

    Can I have an IVA if I am abroad now?

      Hi David

      Yes. If you have already moved abroad, you can still start an IVA in the UK. As a rule of thumb you can apply any time up to 3 years from leaving the UK.

      You can read more about this here: Is an IVA available from abroad

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