Current Turnaround times for USCG License Renewals

[QUOTE=txh2oman;190441] I called at the two-week mark and was told the current wait is 43 days.
[/QUOTE]

43 days, that sucks and I’m sure it will get worse as the year ends. That will put me on the beach and not earning money. The best time to ship at MMP if you don’t have seniority is the holidays. I will be sitting at home next to the mail box instead of working.

I am just getting around to taking ECDIS and Leadership because I was busy upgrading to Oceans(so I could work on ships after getting laid off in the GOM), taking a 3 week celestial course then studying for over a month for the test at the rec. Then taking the GMDSS class then I had to work to make $. I was also waiting to qualify for the course to become free (thanks to the union). The quickest classes I could get into at Mitags is Oct 31. Which means the requirements will be met mid November just when I could actually get a job, after Jan 1 very tough. I guess I just had bad timing on this.

I just wish they could have a special team set up to review the course certs when that’s the only thing to be reviewed and issue a temporary decal via email. But…that’s not gonna be happenin. Oh well.

Renewed my license back in May with a one month turn around. But got the December 31st deadline because I hadn’t done the leadership course yet.
Well got that taken care of 3 weeks ago. Email REC New Orleans as soon as I got back on board. Took a week for them to except my package. Got the email on Monday that WV had received my application. An hour later got the email stating that I had passed security and Med screening. Now I am just waiting to be assigned an evaluator! eemail

NMC WILL NOT BE EXTENDING THE GAP CLOSING DEADLINE

Due to circumstances beyond my control, specifically getting laid off from sailing on my near coastal license, upgrading to Oceans, going on an extended voyage (as AB) to make money, waiting for my first MM&P job to get the courses paid for at MITAGS, etc. I will be completing the ECDIS & Leadership on Nov 15, pretty much at the last minute.

As an applicant with MM&P the best time for me to get a job is the end of the year. Problem is if the voyage extends past Dec 31 (and they all will) I can’t ship without the sticker. So…I’ll be night mating for quite awhile. Someone mentioned to me that they heard NMC might grant leniency for those of us with certificates in hand but waiting for the stickers. As you can see from the letter below that probably ain’t gonna happen. Oh well.

"This is in response to your letter requesting leniency of the completion of
the ECDIS and Leadership and Managerial Skills. Because of the regulatory
changes that came into effect on March 24, 2014, the Navigation and Vessel
Inspection Circular (NVIC) 02-14, was published to provide a transition
process for the implementation of the 2010 STCW amendments.

In general, to facilitate the full compliance with the STCW requirements for
training and assessments, mariners must provide proof of completion of any
required training by January 1, 2017. Unfortunately, we cannot extend this
requirement.

We have extended the authority of any master/mate/engineering officer
endorsement applied for prior to March 24, 2014, by removing the gap closing
limitation. However, those endorsements issued after March 24, 2014 (until
after December 31, 2016) will continue to have the limitation, “Not valid
after December 31, 2016.” This will remain until the next renewal.

In addition, we have updated our website to notify the public of the
elevated processing times and the inventory for credential applications.
Management is currently reviewing different options to eliminate the
inventory and further steps have been taken to increase the efficiency and
productivity.

Due to increase of inventory we recommend that you submit your application
in advance. Applications are processed on the First in First Out basis,
however, an applicant that wishes to expedite their application must submit
a request to the NMC, and it will be sent to the appropriate personnel
for consideration. Basically, the expedites only pertain to the renewal
applicants i.e. MMC expired and the applicant submitted their application
well in advance and now the MMC expired due to our long processing times.

However, you may speed up the process of delivery by requesting expedited
shipping and sending a pre-paid label or envelope for overnight shipping
once the evaluation is complete. For details, please contact us.

The NMC has no say in MM&P’s policy, however, if you and others bring these
concerns to them, they may be able to adjust their policy based on the
negative impact to hundreds of mariners in their union.

You may also consider contacting the Coast Guard’s Mariner Credentialing
Program Policy Division (CG-CVC-4) directly if you are not satisfied with
the response provided.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us again if you have additional questions."

REC N.O. was 4 days on mine. That’s from REC to mmc mailed to the house. Got e- mails to prove it.

I was floored by the turn around time.

[QUOTE=txh2oman;190441] The packet has been “Awaiting PQEB” since then. I called at the two-week mark and was told the current wait is 43 days.

[/QUOTE] I sent my renewal packet on August 3rd, and it’s still sitting in “Awaiting PQEB”. I was told I can expect 49 days from the time it reached PQEB. No issues of any kind with my packet.

Sent my renewal to Baltimore 9/13 and it came in 10/3

[QUOTE=AB Murph;191185]REC N.O. was 4 days on mine. That’s from REC to mmc mailed to the house. Got e- mails to prove it.

I was floored by the turn around time.[/QUOTE]

HA…
The joke was on me. I’m at work and looked up on Homeport to see what was on my new credentials. It was the exact same stuff, not valid after Dec 16, 2016. Expiration date still the same as the old one…WTH!!!

Just got off the phone with WV and the lady told me it was in evaluation but she sees where the sent a duplicate out to me. I told her I’m looking at my application and I didn’t request a duplicate.

The duplicate is the one folks have talked about in other threads and it just so happened all the emails started flying the next day after I sent my app in for renewal. REC sent me an e-mail saying they received it, then WV. 2 days later WV e-mailed 5 times in one day telling me it went through screening, medical, evaluation, issued and sent. Then two days later they sent me another telling me it was in evaluation again.

Now I have gone back and looked at the Application ID #'s and they are two different #'s. It just so happened they issued my duplicate the same time I sent in my Renewal. One app id ends in 168 and the other just so happened to be 658. DAMN, I thought that was fast. To good to be true is for REAL… LOL!!!

Sent mine in on Sept. 19th. I’ll post when it gets issued for a reference of time to the original posters question.

Application was submitted August 29th, has been “Ready to be evaluated PQEB” since September 7th… Rec tells me that once it gets to PQEB, the wait could be up to 50 days… Rec also says that number is getting higher as we get to the STCW date in December… Good thing my “quality review” MMC came to me without the deadline… At least I can work until March now.

8-3 App received at REC and forwarded to NMC
8-8 Cleared all the way through medical awaiting PQ evaluator
9-26 Assigned to an evaluator
9-28 Approved
9-29 Mailed out
10-5 Received in mailbox

This timeline was for a STCW gap-closing application for a deckie.

1505 EDT - 19 Aug 16: Emailed application to REC New York.

0928 EDT - 23 Aug 16: Received by REC (from REC).

1124 EDT - 25 Aug 16: Received by REC (from NMC).

1117 EDT - 26 Aug 16: Application forwarded to NMC.

1051 EDT - 30 Aug 16: Cleared safety-and-suitability vetting & medical screening / evaluation - awaiting PQE.

0817 EDT - 13 Oct 16: Commenced PQE.

1155 EDT - 13 Oct 16: Completed PQE - approved for issuance.

1321 EDT - 13 Oct 16: New MMC issued & mailed.

Total elapsed time: 54 days, 22 hours & 16 minutes.

No complaints here. We were warned that there would be a progressively-worsening traffic jam as the end of the year approached, so this was not an unexpected waiting period from my standpoint.

As always, mileage may vary.

Best of luck to everybody.

6/28 - Submitted to REC via email
6/28 - Fwd to NMC
7/5 - Cleared SS&Medical. Awaiting PQEB
8/1 - PQEB evaluation begun
8/2 - Upgrade approved pending exams
10/11 - Evaluation process completed.
-MMC issued & mailed via USPS

I can see some longer than normal,hitches coming for some of us in January.

Mine didn’t expire till December, but started nice and early. Lots of people will be waiting till the last minute to take these classes and turn in their shit.

Wow, I didn’t realize the wait would be that long, I shouldn’t have waited a week after classes ended to submit my application. My gap closing application has been awaiting evaluation since 05 October, the company wants me to return to the ship (early) at the end of this month. It sounds like either they’re SOL or I go and have to be off the ship by the end of December.

My gap stickers took about 6 or so weeks. 5 of those weeks at “ready to be evaluated” stage. This was august and September

Probably in the wrong thread, but I didn’t find a better suited thread for this post.
Although this is from a foreign P&I Club it may be relevant to the new and stricter USCG medical requirements: http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/insurance-group-offers-advice-on-health-to-crew-whether-aboard-container-ship-or-fishing-vessel_7472

Spoke with REC Seattle this morning. E-submissions (applications sent to REC via email) are currently being handled by REC Juneau and Portland. For those who are waiting till the last minute.

9/29 - Submitted STCW Gap endorsement application to REC Charleston via e-mail

10/21 - Received notice that my application was approved and a new MMC had been issued and was in the mail

10/24 - Received MMC

I was pleasantly surprised by the turnaround.

I just hand delivered my early renewal application to the REC yesterday. Ticket expires in August so I’ll just be happy to not deal with the new class requirements in the new year. It can get here when it gets here.

[QUOTE=DamnYankee;191847]I just hand delivered my early renewal application to the REC yesterday. Ticket expires in August so I’ll just be happy to not deal with the new class requirements in the new year. It can get here when it gets here.[/QUOTE]

Medical certificate was received in less than 10 days after faxing to REC. Submitted app for removal of ECDIS restriction & leadership course and received new MMC in less than 7 days.