FAQs

Evacuated Volunteers

Please note:

Most Volunteers successfully complete service without experiencing an evacuation, but in some instances, Peace Corps may need to withdraw Volunteers from the country due to unforeseen circumstances.

What is the difference between reinstatement and re-enrollment?

Reinstatement means returning to your original country of service, regardless of how long you previously served, for a term of service defined by the Peace Corps and the host country. Re-enrollment involves starting another full term of service (generally two years) including training in either your original country of service or a new country of service.

If I have less than a year left in my original service, will I be considered for reinstatement?

Volunteers who were granted Close of Service (COS) status due to COVID-19 may be eligible for reinstatement and re-enrollment regardless of their length of service prior to evacuation, as long as the Volunteer is willing to commit to the new length of service time requested by the post.

What will my new COS date be if I am being reinstated? Will the remainder of my service be the total number of months I had left?

Your term of service for reinstatement -- and, correspondingly, your new COS date -- will be based upon programmatic needs in country as a result of the Peace Corps’ coordination with the host country government and partners. It will not be based on the time you would have had remaining in service, although it is possible your reinstatement term of service may coincide with the number of months you had left. In most cases, the term of service for reinstatement will range between six months and two years.

I was close to the end of my second year and want to come back. Will I get the higher level of readjustment allowance? Will I get special leave?

Upon reinstatement, you will get credit for time served prior to evacuation and begin accruing readjustment allowance at the applicable rate given your months of service. Once you reach 24 months of service from your original oath date (adding the number of months you served before the evacuation plus the number of months in service past reinstatement), your accrual rate will increase to the extended Volunteer rate according to Peace Corps policy. Reinstated Volunteers will not be eligible for special leave unless they extend for another 12 months beyond the term of service for reinstatement.

What if I sought counseling after the evacuation, will that affect my ability to receive medical clearance? Which additional factors determine eligibility to reinstate or re-enroll if I pursue (either three or additional) therapy sessions? What are the qualifications or conditions I have to meet to successfully reapply if rejected?

Current/past engagement in counseling alone is not a reason for medical non-clearance to Peace Corps service, and the assessment is the same for both new applicants and evacuated Volunteers. For more information, see our Medical and Health FAQ.

Will evacuated Volunteers need to go through the same medical clearance process as new applicants? If not, what are the expectations/differences?

The medical review process will be streamlined for evacuated Volunteers, since their records were already collected by the Peace Corps for the purpose of their prior application and during their service.

We will request and review information related to any updates provided in your new health history responses and based on updated clearance requirements related to COVID-19. We will also review prior pre-service and in-service medical records, personal statements and/or mental health evaluations. We will not routinely request further information related to concerns that were addressed in the evacuee's prior application.

How do reinstatement and re-enrollment affect noncompetitive eligibility (NCE) for evacuated Volunteers?

Get full details on how application of NCE differs for evacuated Volunteers, Peace Corps Response Volunteers, and Trainees who want to return to service.