A ready seafarer is one whose papers are complete and valid. Many contracts are lost at the last minute because a single document has expired. This guide lists what you need and how to keep it in order.
Core identity and service documents
- Seaman's book (Seafarer's Identity Document) — your official record of sea service and identity at sea. Keep it current and never let it fill up without a spare.
- Foreign (biometric) passport — with at least 12–18 months of validity, because crewing managers avoid candidates whose passport expires mid-contract.
- Certificate of Competency (CoC) and its endorsements — your rank licence under STCW.
- Medical certificate (ENG1 or equivalent) — proof you are fit for sea service, usually valid up to two years.
Visas that open more contracts
- US C1/D visa — required for many vessels calling at US ports. It widens the number of jobs you can take significantly.
- Schengen visa — useful for joining and leaving vessels through European ports.
- Yellow fever and other vaccination certificates — needed for certain trading areas.
Keep a validity calendar
The most common cause of a rejected candidate is an expired document. Build a simple calendar of every certificate and visa with its expiry date, and renew anything within six months of expiry before it becomes urgent.
On SeaJobs.pro you store all of this once in your seafarer profile — documents, visas and certificate expiry dates — so a crewing manager sees at a glance that you are ready to join. Read our companion guide on STCW and certificates for the training side of the paperwork.