ATPL validity period with valid IR and FI....

[Level Attitude]

Knowledge, if unused, will be forgotten, become stale or out of date. It is therefore a good idea to have a time limit between passing aviation theoretical exams and gaining the initial issue of a Licence or Rating (in the OP’s case 36months for a CPL and/or IR).

Initial issue of an ATPL requires experience that takes time and can only be gained by a CPL/IR holder; and it would not be practical to ask an Airline Pilot to take time off from work in order to take another set of exams. Most co-pilots will apply for their ATPL as soon as they meet the experience requirements and they will, therefore, be current in (for want of a better term) ‘ATPL level flying’– Why within 7 years of holding a valid IR is used I do not know, but it seemsto work?

If you wish to complete a CPL at a later date, you will need to sit all of the CPL exams again. This would limit you to only ever being able to be a CPL/IR and you would never be able to "unfreeze" to become an ATPL holder. If you wish to be able to complete your ATPL at a later date, you will need to complete the ATPL exams again.

fwjc
I do not think this is correct. The OP has valid passes in ATPL Theory exams and a valid IR. Therefore the exams will be valid for ATPL issue for at least another 7 years.

CPL Theory exams to gain their initial CPL seems sensible – and not all of them will necessarily need to be taken as credit is, I believe, possible for the holder of a valid IR.

Maybe none of them need to be taken as the OP states he holds a valid FAA CPL – Is there not a conversion process to an EASA CPL for this? No time limit provided the FAA CPL is valid?

Caveat: I have not had time to check through all the Regs.