Inside the REC

The post office receipt showed my application signed for in Mandeville on Sept 3.

The Bank statement showed they cashed my check Sept 4.

The REC shows it being accepted on Sept 10th.

When I called on the 9 th, I was told that applications were processed in the order they were received and that mine was on the reviewer’s desk but very near the top. The next day it showed up on the web page as being received.

Are they holding applications until your check clears? If I used the pay.Gov, would the wait have been less. If they open your package and take out your check, why don’t they consider it received instead of making you wait a week wondering if it got lost in the mail. Things that make you go Hmmmm.

It goes through a number of steps when mailed to the REC. If you are pressed for time bring it into the REC in person. The normal steps are:
Open envelope and figure out what to do with it.
Pass to cashier to process payment.
Pass to mail clerk to:
make copies of original certs for return mail to you and
place in application file folder and
place on mail shelf.
Wait for application to be passed out by a supervisor to evaluator or pulled by an employee that needs an application to work for daily quota.
Enter all the data into database (this may partially happen above).
File is reviewed for completeness and additional data entry is made.
File is boxed with other complete files for shipping to National Maritime Center for evaluation and MMC printing.
(For an original entry level document <os, wiper,="" steward=""> or first class pilot or a local area license, additional evaluation will happen at the REC)</os,>

And no they don’t wait for your check to clear

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