USCG Identification Documents for Foreign Crewmembers

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The US Coast Guard proposes to require each crewmember on a foreign commercial vessel en route to a US port or place or at a US port or place and each crewmember on a US commercial vessel arriving from a foreign port or place to carry and present on demand an acceptable identification when in US navigable waters. Acceptable identification for this purpose means a passport; a US Permanent Resident Card; a US merchant mariner’s document; a US Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC); or a Seafarer’s Identification Document (SID) issued in accordance with International Labor Organization (ILO) Seafarers’ Identification Documents Convention (Revised), 2003 (ILO 185). The crewmember may secure the identification with the master, so long as it can be presented on demand. The vessel operator would be required to ensure that crewmembers are in compliance. Violations may subject the mariner and the vessel operator to civil penalties. In addition, control measures may be taken against the vessel. Note: These requirements, if implemented, would apply even if the crewmember never departs the vessel while it is in the US. If the crewmember intends to go ashore in the US, all of the current immigration requirements (particularly the US visa requirement) will apply. Comments on the proposal must be submitted by July 14.
Source: HK Lw