No Passport or Visa Needed If You Have This Document. But Not Everyone Has It

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that the Passport Seva portal will be offline for five days, beginning Thursday, August 29, due to technical maintenance. During this period, users will be unable to schedule new appointments, and any pre-booked appointments will be rescheduled. Most travellers know they need a passport and visa to go abroad. However, there’s another document that functions like a passport and even allows the holder to bypass visa requirements at the airport. If you’re unfamiliar with it, let us introduce you to the Seaman Book.

A Seaman Book serves as an official document for certain professionals, enabling them to travel internationally both through airports and seaports. This document isn’t available to everyone – it’s specifically issued to employees in the Merchant Navy, Cruise Line workers, and fishermen on fishing vessels. Just as a passport is essential for regular travellers, the Seaman Book is a crucial identification document for those working at sea.

Similar to a passport, a Seaman Book contains essential details such as the employee’s name, date of birth, nationality, and more. It also includes the employee’s educational qualifications, job title, the name of the ship they’re assigned to, and the duration of their journey. This document serves as the primary means of identification for workers on vessels operating in international waters, and it facilitates the immigration process at foreign ports.

Can Seaman Book be Used at Airports?

According to a senior airport security official, all air travellers – whether for tourism, business, or medical reasons – must present a valid passport and visa at the airport. However, for individuals employed in the Merchant Navy, Cruise Lines, or other vessels, the Seaman Book is accepted as a passport when they are travelling to join their duty. In such cases, the Seaman Book is recognised at the airport, but the traveller must also present the Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), also known as the Seafarer Identity Document, during the immigration check.

Does a Seaman Book Holder Need a Visa?

According to the senior airport security official, the Seaman Book, along with the Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), can function as a crew transit visa. For personnel in the Merchant Navy, on vessels, or working on cruises, the Seaman Book can be used as a transit visa when passing through different countries during travel. Additionally, those travelling to join duty at a port can also use the Seaman Book and CDC in place of a traditional visa. However, if the journey is personal and not work-related, the traveller will need a standard passport and visa for the destination country.