Current Turnaround times for USCG License Renewals

Professional Mariner Forum
41

Seriously, get the form form your congressman’s website and send it in. It should be under “help with a federal agency” right on their site. Fax or scan/email it in and someone should get back to you pretty quickly. Although they can’t get anything productive done in DC through compromise their staff will call the NMC and your application will move pretty quick. Mullet farm sums it up.

I have a deadbeat do-nothing criminal congressman and his office still hooked me up in a matter of days. If enough people complain it definitely can’t hurt.

42

Well it seems to have been my fault. On my physical from my uncorrected vision was not there. My 20/10 corrected vision is there, but not the uncorrected. Once I sent them the uncorrected vision they forwarded it to NMC West Virginia. Hopefully the remainder of the renewal will go smoothly.

43

I will say in the last few weeks from being “issued” to receiving it in the mail was only a few days. Seems printing has sped up.

44

I’m trying to help a kid get an entry level MMC as OS/ Wiper / FH so that I can bring him onboard as a trainee. He has a TWIC and passport.

How long should I reasonably expect this to take?

Does he need to be assigned a NMC evaluator?

There is nothing to evaluate other than his physical and FBI check. Given that he is a high school kid that already has a TWIC, the FBI check should not take long.

45

[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;136144]Hopefully the remainder of the renewal will go smoothly.[/QUOTE]Smooth it may be, but quick it won’t. These guys have taken routine renewals and turned them into incredible feats of patience.

46

[QUOTE=Mullet Farm;136107]Write your congressmen. Most have web forms you can easily use.

"As a Florida native, registered voter, and licensed Merchant Mariner I, along with thousands of other mariners, am outraged with the current delays in issuance of Merchant Mariner Licenses and upgrades to licenses currently being processed by the National Maritime Center (USCG) in West Virginia.

A quick review of the maritime professional forum GCaptain pertaining to turn around times for license issuance can be found here: http://goo.gl/pgFCWm

As mariners, each new license, endorsement, or, upgrade usually means a raise in pay for us and our families.

The USCG, and, its Regional Exam Centers and the National Maritime Center which finally issues the new documents from WV has a pathetically antiquated bureaucratic system mired in red tape with current TURNAROUND TIMES OF 3 MONTHS ON AVERAGE for perfectly prepared complete applications. This is completely unacceptable.

Staff are often surly, disgruntled, and generally unwilling to assist mariners aside from reading information to us on the phone that is already available online. We are unable to speak directly with the professional evaluators who determine issuance of new licenses. Requests for explanations or various requirements usually result in a widely different explanations from each different person you attempt to speak with.

The National Maritime Center is a disastrous antiquated bureaucratic nightmare of an organization to deal with, and, needs significant upgrades to streamline its licensing processes.

As tens of thousands of Merchant Mariners engaged daily in life threatening work are held financially hostage by each new request for licensing and endorsements by this outdated monstrosity of a government organization: please vote for legislation that will modernize the NMC national Maritime Center and its procedures. Please apply pressure that will hold its staff accountable for their job performance and customer satisfaction. Please encourage access for mariners to speak in real time with the professional evaluators that are approving or denying licenses and upgrades."[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the advice. I sent mine an EMAIL today. I hope it works!

47

[QUOTE=txwooley;136221]Smooth it may be, but quick it won’t. These guys have taken routine renewals and turned them into incredible feats of patience.[/QUOTE]

I actually like the convenience of the e-mail. I really do, but only when it works right. If it is going to be this painfully slow, I would prefer the old way. Showing up in New Orleans first thing in the morning with a couple of boxes of donuts. Get in and get your business done and back out with a credential most of the time. I know those days are over, but the government has really screwed up a fairly simple process.

48

63 days and counting since I hand delivered my paperwork to the REC in Mandeville. Bleh

49

[QUOTE=ShawnYoungblood;136327]63 days and counting since I hand delivered my paperwork to the REC in Mandeville. Bleh[/QUOTE]

60 days and counting tomorrow for me also at Mandeville…our tax dollars and user fees at work.

50

Received my ‘Issued and sent via 1st Class Mail’ letter this morning. Not sure if the email I sent to my congressman last Friday was involved in any way, but happy it’s worked out. I’m not looking forward to sending in my next application (in about a month and a half) for a raise in grade, seeing as this one took 90 days.

Seems like the NMC was completely unprepared for the increase in applications that the VPDSD and Final Rule implementations caused, and they knew those changes were coming!

51

[QUOTE=Gimli;136332]Received my ‘Issued and sent via 1st Class Mail’ letter this morning. Not sure if the email I sent to my congressman last Friday was involved in any way, but happy it’s worked out. I’m not looking forward to sending in my next application (in about a month and a half) for a raise in grade, seeing as this one took 90 days.

Seems like the NMC was completely unprepared for the increase in applications that the VPDSD and Final Rule implementations caused, and they knew those changes were coming![/QUOTE]

I think its time to push for the REC’S to resume issuance of license’s. 90 days for a renewal is ridiculous, and borders on criminally causing a hardship on someone who’s job depends upon said document.

You know its really interesting that after an Airline Pilot gets a license, its good for life provided the individual meets the physical requirements.

By the way mine sat in Charleston for 14 days waiting for someone to look through the packet. Then it took two or three days for it to be logged into WVA. Has been awaiting Medical screening since 4/15. Still hoping to get it back by 5/12 so I can continue to work. I will send my next renewal in 6 months in advance, and will suggest the same for anyone else.

Anyone know a good congressmen in Georgia to contact?

52

“Your application for this credential was approved for issuance on April 24, 2014 and will be produced shortly.”

It would be nice if shortly meant by next Tuesday. I am going back to work Wednesday morning.

53

Ha good luck

54

My upgrade took about 5 months. Some of that was my fault because I made some changes along the way. One day the evaluator called me to clarify something, and she happened to mention that I was running out of time to submit my sea service letter, which I had sent in a month prior. She looked into it and she could see where I sent it in, but it didn’t make it to her. She apologized and promised to process everything immediately after I sent it to her directly.

Then once everything was issued, they omitted my STCW certificate. But thankfully they fixed that very quickly.

As frustrating as this was, I do remember some long wait times when the RECs did everything. My original license took 3 months to issue at Baltimore REC. And I remember the guys in Baltimore talking about 6-month wait times at some other RECs. My renewal at NMC in 2011 took 5 days from email submission to my mailbox.

55

I’m on day 35 since submitting everything electronically, there has been no mention of any items lacking or being incorrect. Medical has been issued, but not received in my mailbox. I will be unable to work in 11 more days. The NMC says that they cannot tell me when I may see my license. Waiting for PQEB. I feel like throwing up literally.

Does anyone know if you can work in the USA with a Foreign license?

56

[QUOTE=seriously;136391]“Your application for this credential was approved for issuance on April 24, 2014 and will be produced shortly.”

It would be nice if shortly meant by next Tuesday. I am going back to work Wednesday morning.[/QUOTE]

You ever get your license?

57

[QUOTE=tugsailor;136208]I’m trying to help a kid get an entry level MMC as OS/ Wiper / FH so that I can bring him onboard as a trainee. He has a TWIC and passport.

How long should I reasonably expect this to take?

Does he need to be assigned a NMC evaluator?

There is nothing to evaluate other than his physical and FBI check. Given that he is a high school kid that already has a TWIC, the FBI check should not take long.[/QUOTE]

According to what I’m being told expect 90 days. They are still using the shutdown as one of their excuses. I certainly wouldn’t expect it any sooner than 35-40 days minimum.

58

[QUOTE=dmc;136822]According to what I’m being told expect 90 days. They are still using the shutdown as one of their excuses. I certainly wouldn’t expect it any sooner than 35-40 days minimum.[/QUOTE]

My buddy just received confirmation that his MMC has passed PQEB and is being printed! App submitted to REC 2 April - he received the confirmation email yesterday! Not a bad turn around time!

59

Submitted the paperwork in late Feb. Just finished final review, expect it to be sent out next week.

60

[QUOTE=Capt Brian;136839]My buddy just received confirmation that his MMC has passed PQEB and is being printed! App submitted to REC 2 April - he received the confirmation email yesterday! Not a bad turn around time![/QUOTE]

Which REC was it submitted to and when was it logged into the system.?

Thats a not a bad turnaround, I only wish mine was making this kind of progress.