Help! living abroad and unemployed

[sandra.jh]

I'm living abroad and unemployed. After over ten years of trying to borrow to pay off my cards, the amount is still the same and I can no longer pay, nor afford to return to Britain to sort ths out. My debt is 20,000 with 2-3 creditors plus my student lon. Help!

[scaredkez]

hi sandra welcome to the forum, have you a residential address in the uk i think this will be one of the first questions asked by the technical experts who i am sure will be along shortly, i think if you haven't been resident in the uk for a certain number of years or months this can prove to be difficult in undertaking an iva, i am sure i will be corrected if wrong, hang in there melanie will be about i am sure
kerri

Please view my blog at: http://scaredkez.blogs.iva.co.uk/

[MelanieGiles]

Hi Sandra

My advice will be different depending upon which country you are living in. Can you clarify please so that we can try and suggest a solution for you.

Regards, Melanie Giles, Insolvency Practitioner for over 20 years.

For further details contact me at http://www.melaniegiles.com and view my IVA blog at: http://melaniegiles.blogs.iva.co.uk

[sandra.jh]

Thanks for your replies, Melanie and Kerri. I live in Mexico. When I was living in the UK (up to several months ago) I lived with my family so have a residential address and perfect credit history up until then.

Thanks and regards,

Sandra

[MelanieGiles]

Sandra

I know very little about bankruptcy procedures in Mexico, save to say that there is a process which is heavily administered by the Courts. I think your best bet is to find an Attorney out there for some specific advice. Alternatively, you could write to your creditors in the UK and explain the situation you are in, that you cannot afford even the costs of a bankruptcy petition, and invite them to write off their debts.

There is a new procedure about to be introduced into the UK towards the end of the summer called a Debt Relief Order. This is designed for people who cannot even afford to pay for the costs of bankruptcy, and is only available for persons with debts less than £15,000, disposable income less than £50 and assets less than £300. If you fit this criteria, then maybe better to wait until this is in force and then see if you can file in the UK. You will then be discharged from your debts after one year.

Regards, Melanie Giles, Insolvency Practitioner for over 20 years.

For further details contact me at http://www.melaniegiles.com and view my IVA blog at: http://melaniegiles.blogs.iva.co.uk