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Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Old Apr 24th 2019, 10:42 am
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Question Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Hi all,

Recently I have been approved for an IEC visa and I have until March 2020 to enter Canada. However, I have been accepted on a year long Master's course in the UK from September! Ideally, I would love to do both but I am currently 29 and will not be eligible to apply for IEC again next year (and it was very difficult for me to get all the paperwork together as I've lived in different countries). Would it be possible for me to take a short trip (a week or so) to Canada to activate the visa and then return to the UK for the remainder of my course? The idea would be to come back after my course has finished to use the final year and a quarter of the visa.

Thanks in advance,
Steve
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Old Apr 24th 2019, 10:58 am
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Default Re: Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Originally Posted by steewh
Hi all,

Recently I have been approved for an IEC visa and I have until March 2020 to enter Canada. However, I have been accepted on a year long Master's course in the UK from September! Ideally, I would love to do both but I am currently 29 and will not be eligible to apply for IEC again next year (and it was very difficult for me to get all the paperwork together as I've lived in different countries). Would it be possible for me to take a short trip (a week or so) to Canada to activate the visa and then return to the UK for the remainder of my course? The idea would be to come back after my course has finished to use the final year and a quarter of the visa.

Thanks in advance,
Steve
Yes, that's possible. You would actually be eligible to apply for IEC again next year if it was just down to age - as it's aged 30 and under, so you're fine until you turn 31. However, as you've already been approved for an IEC I believe that counts as your participation, even if you don't use the visa.

HTH.
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Old Apr 24th 2019, 2:58 pm
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Default Re: Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Of course just remember that to have the IEC permit issued for full term you still need to meet the 2 year insurance and funds requirement on landing even if intending to do a quick initial turnaround.
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Old Apr 24th 2019, 6:27 pm
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Default Re: Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Originally Posted by PB65
Of course just remember that to have the IEC permit issued for full term you still need to meet the 2 year insurance and funds requirement on landing even if intending to do a quick initial turnaround.
I have seen quite a few places offering insurance specifically for those on the IEC visa but have no idea whether they are actually reliable. Canadian based companies cost FAR FAR more.

What's the deal with insurance?
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Old Apr 24th 2019, 6:36 pm
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Default Re: Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Originally Posted by Jubbles
I have seen quite a few places offering insurance specifically for those on the IEC visa but have no idea whether they are actually reliable. Canadian based companies cost FAR FAR more.

What's the deal with insurance?
Online reviews are pretty helpful for figuring that out, as thousands of people do it every year, so there's a large pool of buyers. I believe True Traveler are still the most popular for UK IEC participants, as they've always had good reviews for claimants, and they're one of the few who don't become invalid during an extended trip home (particularly an issue for OP). In addition, they don't require proof of intent to return when making a claim, which can be difficult for young people to show (as a contrary example, Alpha are cheaper, but have less good reviews, limit visits to Britain to IIRC 14 days, and if you want to claim you must have proof of eg an ongoing mortgage, or car payments, or a job to go back to as proof that you're going back to Britain afterwards).
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Old Apr 24th 2019, 6:43 pm
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Default Re: Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Originally Posted by Vulcanoid
Online reviews are pretty helpful for figuring that out, as thousands of people do it every year, so there's a large pool of buyers. I believe True Traveler are still the most popular for UK IEC participants, as they've always had good reviews for claimants, and they're one of the few who don't become invalid during an extended trip home (particularly an issue for OP). In addition, they don't require proof of intent to return when making a claim, which can be difficult for young people to show (as a contrary example, Alpha are cheaper, but have less good reviews, limit visits to Britain to IIRC 14 days, and if you want to claim you must have proof of eg an ongoing mortgage, or car payments, or a job to go back to as proof that you're going back to Britain afterwards).
Thanks so much, I'm really struggling to get a job at the moment so it helps to get the insurance resolved.
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Old Apr 24th 2019, 7:21 pm
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Default Re: Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Originally Posted by Jubbles
I have seen quite a few places offering insurance specifically for those on the IEC visa but have no idea whether they are actually reliable. Canadian based companies cost FAR FAR more.

What's the deal with insurance?
A search of the IEC thread (and last years) will bring up lots of recommendations.

HTH.
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Old Apr 25th 2019, 5:13 am
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Default Re: Can I activate my IEC visa before it expires then return at a later date?

Originally Posted by Jubbles
I have seen quite a few places offering insurance specifically for those on the IEC visa but have no idea whether they are actually reliable. Canadian based companies cost FAR FAR more.

What's the deal with insurance?
Canadian based companies won't be any good, they won't have repatriation back to the UK as standard on the policy - which is one of the requirements for the IEC insurance (Canadians can also do an IEC to all the countries that have reciprocal arrangements, hence why you are seeing Canadian Insurance offers for IEC). You need to ensure that whatever policy you get includes repatriation and allows you to work as well as have return trips to the UK without invalidating the policy. Best to go for what has been shown to have been tried and tested

Last edited by Siouxie; Apr 25th 2019 at 5:16 am.
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