Which comes first on a license renewal, medical or pqeb?
The application is split. The medical part goes to that division, and the rest goes to “SSEB” (safety and suitability, or criminal background check) then to PQEB. In practice, if you have no medical issues, you will get that first.
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If you have no medical issues that part is super fast. Then you get to wait indefinitely for an MMC evaluator…
I sent my license renewal packet and medical cert app together Feb 4th. Forwarded from REC to NMC Feb 8. Cleared Safety and Security Feb 10. Medical Cert screened, evaluated, approved, and mailed Feb 14.
I was almost impressed by the efficiency…but my MMC is still awaiting assignment of an evaluator / PQEB. So now decidedly less impressed. I know Mate credential categories get confusing, but I still don’t see what takes so long to “evaluate” if an engineer has sea time, AFF, BT, and a drug test.
6 Weeks is what mine took just a few months ago so you still have time. 6-8 weeks is my typical expectation when dealing with the NMC for a renewal.
I give them plenty of time and typically start the renewal 6 months from the expiration date. I’ve also started sending in a 719k medical annually so there is no chance I’ll miss that 2 year STCW date. Just have it filled out every year for my annual physical. I’ve seen that one keep a fair amount of people from shipping back out when they forget it.
I never paid much attention on the prior renewal. The emails I received had two application numbers. I thought it stayed in one folder and was passed along. My dates are almost the same as shipengr. I received my medical and my pqeb is still waiting. Thanks for clearing that up jdcavo. Hopefully no snags are coming up.
Maybe those evaluators read this forum…I was just assigned a credential evaluator and an hour later approved for issuance.
Good to know it’s probably just the backlog that takes time, not the evaluation if your ducks are in a row.
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Nice, just saw mine move to being evaluated.
I just finished a renewal and Raise in Grade. Took a little over 2 months all said and done. Evaluator made some mistakes. Here is the timeline:
1/5 Application emailed to Toledo REC
1/11 Toledo REC confirms they received it and forwarded to NMC
1/19 NMC confirms they have received Application
1/25 Passed safety and suitability vetting and Medical screening and is awaiting Professional Qualification Evaluation
2/8 Being Evaluated
2/11 Additional info requested Letter created (Letter sent via snail mail) (Live chat agent tells me to check back 2/14 for digital copy)
2/14 Live chat informs me I need to submit Tankerman Renewal requirements and for my RIG I need to submit proof of ownership of vessel.
2/15 I resubmit via email my Tankerman renewal Tankship Course certificate( That was already submitted with the original Application) and the ownership info.
2/24 Live chat says they have finally received the emailed info and it will take up to 9 business days for the info to be evaluated.
2/25 Another request for additional info letter is sent out via snail mail ( I did not receive any email updates regarding this)
3/10 I contact Live Chat and am told evaluator has requested additional info on 2/25. She looks it up and states the evaluator needs a different Tankship course certificate because I used that one for the last renewal. I said that is not correct. I informed the chat agent that the Evaluator was incompetent and course certificate submitted was dated May 27, 2021 and how the hell would I have used that for a renewal in 2017! On top of that I pointed out that my 2017 Tankerman renewal was using Tanker seatime and loads and discharges not a course!!! She politely said hold on while I talk to my supervisor. After a minute she says the Supervisor will talk to the Evaluator and get this resolved within the next 4 business days.
3/10 Twenty minutes later MMC approved for issuance!
3/11 MMC Issued
3/17 MMC received in the Mail and everything was issued and renewed correctly.
Hopefully in 5 years it goes faster…
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Got my renewal back. It was 7 weeks. Happy to get it. I just don’t understand the email communication for everything, then if you forgot something, a letter. Why not an email and letter?
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Mine was getting evaluated a few days ago and they sent me a notification that they sent out a letter requesting more information.
I put in for a raise of grade of AB Special to AB limited. I got on the online chat and the letter said I need more days for AB unlimited which I didn’t put in for 
.
Says it’ll take 5 business days for a supervisor to communicate with my evaluator
So far it’s a little over 4 weeks since submitting my application
Why wouldn’t they just request info by email as well to speed it up?
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