I was fortunate to get an employer to request dispensation for my renewal application. Although this request was denied, the NMC instead flagged my application for expedited processing. On June 3rd I was approved to print. Today I called the NMC asking when I could expect my credentials to be printed and mailed, in the past it has been a same day event. I was informed by the NMC that there was now a backlog of documents waiting to print because “most” of the 18k applications have been cleared. They could not provide any timeline for printing, issuing and mailing.
Most of the 18k back log done already?
Thats what the person told me when I called. Today I received the email saying my credential has been issued and mailed.
Originally submitted 27 April.
Nice. I submitted April 30th. Still sitting as “received”. Frustrating, since it should be a pretty straight-forward raise-of-grade.
I guess you’re right they must be going through it pretty quick because I was behind about 19,000 people and I just got my rejection letter and I have to start all over again apparently they are no longer doing the make one small mistake and you have 60 days to send Corrections they stopped doing that a while ago apparently so now your application has to be rejected two to three times before it will say please submit additional info because at that point she said something is wrong in the system So currently if you make a single mistake you have to submit everything all over again nothing is saved and it’s the back of the fucking line and I can’t go to work because my fucking license is expired because the government shutdown bullshit has put this shit so far behind you know after this I’m going to submit my renewal every fucking year every 12 months I’m going to submit my renewal I don’t give a fuck anymore I am never going to let this stupid shit happen to me ever again for the rest of my goddamn life
When did it expire? There’s an extension already out for expired credentials and med cert through end of Aug. Depending on when you expired.
Dawg, you’ve been bitching about testing and the NMC for years. This is all a YOU problem. Figure out how to properly submit your application without mistakes then there’s not an issue? There’s literally check lists to follow. All the changes at NMC regarding no longer accepting incomplete applications have been communicated with memos and announcements sent out. Same with the wait times and directions to apply almost a year in advance at this point. If you’re making a career out of this industry you need to stay up to date with all the PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION.
It expires in september
I never have checked memos announcements so i guess that is on me. I am going over my application again page by page and going to submit again tomorrow.
I wouldn’t say this is all a you problem at all. The NMC is rejecting applications for “supposed mistakes” to clear out their backlog. The immediate rejection policy is complete bullshit to begin with and a Mariner should have the opportunity to fix a discrepancy without having to refile a completely new application. Since its inception the NMC has been a disservice to Mariners and has never made any marked improvements in its operations.
This is so true. Recently I was talking with a new guy, a junior engineer going through an upgrade NMC ordeal. He very clearly told me the snafu the NMC made. Everything he said made sense to me & it “could” be cleared up in seconds. I told him how the old REC evaluation/examination process went, about having local evaluators that you could actually call or email directly or vise-versa. His next question was, “Why did they get rid of that?”. I figure the next spiral step down for the NMC will be outsourcing the NMC to India. Probably the only way left to make any worse?
Two words: “REC NOLA” 
Frankly I’m surprised the powers that be in Martinsburg haven’t just shut that den of iniquity down already. I can’t think of the last time that a scandal of some sort has come from a different REC.
AI is next, in the works.
For what its worth, I called the REC today to check on my application (simple renewal). I wanted to try to ask a little off the record if they 8-12 month is the worst case scenario or the genuine expectation and I was told “at this point, it is absolutely 8 to 12 months if not more”. I’m not going to take one person on the phone as gospel but I was a little taken aback at how direct they were about it and wanted to share my information. I submitted early May and they have not started an application for me yet, the submission is still sitting in the queue. If anyone else applies and tries to check on your application status, do not be alarmed that the search shows “no active applications” for your MRN, it will be stuck there for a few weeks or months before they even get started with it. Submit early! If anyone else has any insight it would be great just to keep up with the reasonable expectation, I am personally assuming I have a long unemployment hiatus of a year or so because of my bad timing. God help anyone who makes an error in their application and has to go to the back of the line, might as well just change careers at that point.
Yeah I’m going to try to go out one last time for a 2-month relief job but if I even if I can’t I’m going to use my 3 months of unemployment and then switch jobs to Security on land until I get my license figured out
I used take everything to REC Baltimore and stand at the counter while a CG officer or one of the civilian evaluators checked through everything.
I liked that method much better.
Afterwards I would grab lunch and a beer at the Hard Rock Cafe and head on back home.
“Enshittification” strikes again. You just know they have some dweeb asking how they can integrate more AI into the process just for the hell of it, on top of their understaffing and shoestring budget woes. Its a perfect storm of crap.
I’m sure the longest government shutdown in history didnt help matters any, but what’s done is done. At this point I just want to have a reasonable idea of what to expect, I’ve got a family to provide for and a house we are trying to build, so not knowing if I’m a few months or a year-plus from my next paycheck causes a lot of discomfort.
I think a big problem for a lot of us low on the priority ladder is there is a constant flow of applications getting prioritized and jumping us in line. Like every time an academy class gets processed, you get knocked a few more rungs down. I honestly dont know what to expect now.
Something must have shaken loose. I all of a sudden got seven emails over the weekend with various statuses including authorization to test. Renewal package went in in April. Overall not as bad as advertised.
Unrelated but my new TWIC also showed up, that was almost exactly five weeks application to received.
NMC is a total failure. The USCG needs to return to over the counter service at the REC.
Rejections for small mistakes just bogs down the process with new applications. The NMC staff needs to be trained to realize that they are supposed to be SERVING the public. They think applicants exist to serve them.
meanwhile, it’s a similar story over at the DOT. The new computer doesn’t work. Truckers cannot get their DOT or MC numbers. It’s forced thousands of trucks to operate without the proper paperwork, and risk big fines.
Social Security and Medicare are also a mess. Congressmen say “that’s just normal government these days.
Fire them all. Re-elect nobody.
received MMC today, 15 June. submitted docs 27 April.