How to obtain a seafarer’s passport: necessary documents and deadlines for registration in 2021

A seafarer's identity card (SID) is an official document that confirms the identity of a citizen, both within the Russian Federation and abroad.

Previously, the holder of this document could freely travel outside of Russia, as well as enter it. And not only by sea on a ship, but also on any other type of transport, both as part of a naval team and individually. But changes in legislation dated December 30, 2008 prohibited this item.

Now, in order to exit or enter the Russian Federation, any seafarer must have documentary evidence that he has been included in the ship’s crew and has his own position in it.

A seafarer's identity card is issued in cases where a person serves on ships that go beyond the borders of our country. The document is also issued if the seafarer goes on business trips to foreign ships. The passport is issued for cadets of maritime educational institutions, and for some government employees (if necessary).

Categories of citizens entitled to receive a seaman's passport

Registration of a sailor's passport is available to the following categories of citizens in 2021:

Citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens living in Russia, serving on sea vessels in any capacity (except for military vessels);
Citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens living in Russia, serving on vessels engaged in fishing;
Citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens living in Russia, serving on mixed-type vessels, that is, traveling both by sea and rivers;
Citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens living in Russia, serving on merchant ships;
Students of maritime educational institutions of the Russian Federation (only those who need to undergo practical training at sea);
Stateless persons serving on sea vessels in any capacity (except military vessels);
Stateless persons serving on fishing vessels;
Persons without citizenship serving on mixed-type vessels, that is, traveling both by sea and rivers;
Stateless persons serving on merchant ships;
Stateless persons, students of maritime educational institutions of the Russian Federation who need to undergo practical training at sea.

What documents will be required?

How to get a seaman's passport? First, you will need to collect a number of documents. Such as:

Passport (original and photocopy of all pages);
Application from the seaman;
Work record book (which must contain data for the last 10 years);
Autobiography;
A completed application form;
Maritime document (original and copy of all pages). This could be a diploma, it could be a certificate, as well as confirmations that are attached to them;
6 photos 3.5 by 4.5. Photos must be matte. Background – blue. You should be photographed wearing a dark tie and white shirt;
Tax number (individual).

What documents will you need to collect?

To obtain a ULM, or, as many are more familiar with, a sailor’s passport, you will need to collect the necessary documents:

Application form. Its form can be downloaded on the State Services portal or the website of the organization that deals with the registration of SIDs. The form must be filled out only on a computer, printed in two copies, each of which is personally signed after checking by the employee receiving the documents.
Valid internal passport. It is presented in the original, and copies of all its pages are also transmitted.
Foreign passport, also original and copy.
Documents confirming that the applicant actually works on board the ship on the basis of an employment or other contract (representation of the shipowner, seaworthiness book, employment contract or work book, ship's role, etc.)
A document confirming the maritime specialty, the required level of qualifications and medical suitability, if the applicant is unable to provide proof of employment on board.
6 matte photos 3.5*4.5 cm. They should look special. You must take the photo against a blue background, wearing a white shirt and a contrasting tie.

Where is the document issued?

You can obtain a seafarer's identity card from the following government agencies:

Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation;
Administrations of ports (sea);
Ministry of Agriculture;
Sea or fishing port;
Basin Management (only on river vessels).

These institutions, before deciding to issue a document, must coordinate their actions with the Department of Internal Affairs and the FSB of the Russian Federation.

In case of refusal to issue a certificate, the citizen has the right to appeal this decision in court.

When traveling outside the Russian Federation, visas of those states that the sailor plans to visit are affixed to the passport. Therefore, you should take care in advance about obtaining a visa for a particular country.

Registration of a seafarer's identity document (SID)

documents required for obtaining a seafarer's identity card
requirements for filling out the application form
sample application form in pdf format
application form in pdf format
sample of filling out a submission from a Russian shipowner or organization for the recruitment and placement of seafarers for the issuance of a seafarer’s identity card
submission form of a Russian shipowner or organization for the recruitment and placement of seafarers for the issuance of a seafarer’s identity card
list of grounds for refusal to provide the State service for issuing a seafarer’s identity card

If a sailor is forced to go on a business trip with a child

If the sailor is the official representative of the child, for example, his guardian, or adoptive parent, or simply a parent, and he needs to take his ward with him on a voyage, this is possible. But there are some conditions:

A child aged 12 years (at least) and up to 16 years inclusive can go sailing with a sailor.
A note must be made in the passport indicating that a child is traveling with the sailor.
In addition to the child’s data, a photo of the child is entered in the “for marks” column of the passport.
The entry in the passport must be certified by a seal, as well as the signature of the person who has the right to issue the document.

Important nuances

The passport is valid for 5 years. After replacement, the following scheme applies: the old document is canceled and then returned to the citizen for storage.

It is important that even after the document expires, the sailor has the right to use it to enter the Russian Federation within 12 months.

Renewal of a sailor's passport is possible only once. After renewal, the document is valid for a new 5 years. Upon expiration, the document can no longer be renewed and must be completely replaced.

If at the time of issuing a passport the seafarer does not have documentary evidence that he works on the ship, he can still get the document. It will be issued, but will be handed over to the sailor only after he provides confirmation of his involvement in the fleet. An officially issued certificate from the place of service can be considered confirmation.

After the expiration of the sailor’s passport and the sailor’s decommissioning from service, the document must be submitted to the authority that issued it. In this case, the citizen receives a civil passport of the Russian Federation.

If your passport is lost, the document is considered invalid.

Seaman's Identity Card

Regulations

International Labor Organization Convention No. 185 on Seafarers' Identity Documents (Geneva, 19 June 2003)
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 18, 2008 No. 628 “On the Regulations on the seaman’s identity card, the Regulations on the nautical book, the sample and description of the nautical book form”
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 21, 2013 No. 250 “On amendments to Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 18, 2008 No. 628”
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 16, 2012 No. 840 “On the procedure for filing and considering complaints against decisions and actions (inaction) of federal executive bodies and their officials, federal civil servants, officials of state extra-budgetary funds of the Russian Federation, as well as state Rosatom Atomic Energy Corporation and its officials
Federal Law of August 7, 2001 No. 115-FZ “On combating the legalization (laundering) of proceeds from crime and the financing of terrorism
Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated December 19, 2008 No. 213 “On approval of the Instructions on the procedure for applying the Regulations on the seaman’s identity card”
Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated December 19, 2008 No. 214 “On approval of the procedure for registration, issuance and maintenance of a nautical record book”
Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated July 19, 2021 No. 269 “On amendments to the Administrative Regulations of the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport for the provision of public services for the registration and issuance of seafarer identity cards to crew members of sea vessels, mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels and fishing vessels fleet, approved by order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation dated December 12, 2013. No. 460"
Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated December 12, 2013 No. 460 “On approval of the Administrative Regulations of the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport for the provision of public services for registration and issuance of seafarer identity cards to crew members of sea vessels, mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels and fishing fleet vessels” .

What does a seafarer's passport look like?

The last time the passport changed was in 2014. Then all documents in circulation became invalid. The new documents are a kind of nautical book, which contains the following data:

Full name of the seaman;
Citizenship;
Date of Birth;
Biometric data of a citizen;
Physical signs of a citizen;
Digital photo;
Fingerprints;
Seaman position;
Indication of the ship on which the seafarer serves;
Shipowner's details.

Cancellation of a seaman's passport

In 2009, the seaman's passport began to be cancelled. It was replaced by the ULM as a more convenient and reliable document. But those people whose passports expired only after 5 years used them until the beginning of 2014.

ULM is the official identification of its owner, both in the Russian Federation and outside it. If previously the document was called a passport, it was possible to freely leave the Russian Federation and enter back on any transport, not just water (both in a company and alone), but after legislative changes this point was removed.

In 2008, a resolution was adopted to replace the seafarer's passport with a seafarer's identity card (SID), and from January 1, 2014, the passport became invalid, and all crew members must have an SID along with the seaman's book.

Unlike a sailor’s passport, the ID looks like a plastic card with biometric and personal data. Has a personal number and series.

The main difference between a passport and an ULM:

A citizen could cross the borders of Russia by any type of transport. It was allowed to do this separately from the team. The sailor could leave the ship and walk around the city without a passport as long as the management permitted;
With the new certificate, this opportunity has been limited and you can cross the border only on water and always as part of a team, having a certain position. And also when staying in the country you need to have a foreign passport. That is, the ULM does not confirm identity without other documents.

Grounds for obtaining a seaman's passport

When issuing a seafarer's passport certificate, the following grounds must be agreed upon:

The applicant for the document meets all existing requirements (see “categories of citizens entitled to receive a seafarer’s passport”);
Coordination of the issuance or replacement of a document with the Department of Internal Affairs and the FSB has been successfully completed;
A citizen has only 1 sailor’s passport (with a valid expiration date).

When issuing a seafarer's passport certificate, the identity card previously issued to him must be confiscated.

Form for a certificate of registration of a seafarer’s passport