We all need a passport and visa to go abroad. But do you know that there is a document which works like a passport at the airport. The person who has this document does not even need a visa.
This document is known as the Seaman Book. The Seaman Book can be used at the airport as well as the seaport to go abroad. The Seaman Book is especially issued to employees working in the Merchant Navy and Cruise Line.
Apart from this, Seaman Book is also issued to fishermen working in fishing vessels. Just like you use a passport for foreign travel, employees working in Merchant Navy and Cruise Line use Seaman Book.
What does a Seaman’s Book contain?
Seaman Book is also called Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC). It is an official identity document. It is issued especially to professionals. Like a passport, Seaman Book also contains complete details of the employees of the shipping company including their name, date of birth, nationality etc. Apart from this, the educational qualification of the employees is also mentioned in the Seaman Book. Along with this, the post of the employee, name of the ship on deployment, duration of the journey are also mentioned in the Seaman Book. Seaman Book is such a document which is called the identity card of the employees working on the ship.
How to use the Seaman Book at the airport
According to information received from senior officials associated with airport security, all passengers traveling by air for tourism, business, medical and other purposes need a valid passport and visa at the airport. On the other hand, a person deployed in merchant navy, cruise line or vessel reaches the airport with a seaman book to join his duty. This seaman book is recognized like a passport. However, during the Bureau of Immigration check at the airport, the passenger has to show the Continuous Discharge Certificate cum Seafarer Identity Document (CDC) along with the seaman book.
Do seaman book holders need visa
Actually, employees working in merchant navy, vessel or cruise pass through many countries during their journey. In such a case, the seaman book can be used as a transit visa. Whereas when employees join duty at their port, the seaman book and CDC are used as visa. If this journey is private and not an official journey, then passport and visa are required.
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