If you have this document, you don’t need a passport or visa.

Nevertheless, not everyone possesses it.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that starting on Thursday, August 29, the Passport Seva portal would not be available for five days due to technical maintenance.

Appointments that have already been made will be rescheduled; users will not be able to create any new ones during this period. Most travelers are aware that they need a passport and visa in order to travel abroad. However, there exists a different document that fulfills the identical function as a passport and allows its possessor to circumvent airport visa policies. Please let us to introduce you to the Seaman Book, should you be unfamiliar with it.

For some professionals, a Seaman Book is an official document that allows them to travel internationally via seaports and airports. This is a restricted access document that is only available to personnel aboard fishing vessels, employees of the Merchant Navy, and employees of cruise lines. The Seaman Book is a vital identity document for people who work at sea, much like a passport is for frequent travelers.

A Seaman Book, like a passport, has all the necessary information, including the name, nationality, and date of birth of the employee.

Along with these details, it also contains the employee’s job title, educational background, assignment ship name, and travel duration.

This document speeds up the immigration procedure at foreign ports and acts as the main form of identification for crew members on ships operating in international seas.

CAN AIRPORTS USE SEAMAN BOOKS?

All travelers via air, whether for business, pleasure, or medical reasons, are required to show a valid passport and visa at the airport, according to a senior airport security official. On the other hand, when a person is traveling to report for duty, the Seaman Book is recognized as a passport by the Merchant Navy, Cruise Lines, and other employers.

In some cases, in addition to the Seaman Book, which is accepted at the airport, the traveler must present the Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), also known as the Seafarer Identity Document, during the immigration check.

Are Seaman Books owners in need of a visa?

The Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) and the Seaman Book can be utilized as crew transit permits, according to the senior airport security official. The Seaman Book is a transit visa for people in the Merchant Navy, aboard cruise ships, and visiting foreign countries.

In addition, passengers intending to report for duty at a port may utilize the CDC and Seaman Book in place of a regular visa. If the journey is for pleasure rather than business, the traveler will need a standard passport and visa for the target nation.