Orientation
Governing: MI-118 §2.7.2–2.7.3 and Annex 6; MI-280 §2.6–2.7; MI-290 §4.6.2. Builds on: L2.1–L2.3.
The gap
STCW gives the flag up to 90 days to issue documentation. Yachts change crew faster than that. The RMI deals with the gap with two temporary documents.
| Certificate of Receipt of Application (CRA) | Urgent Authorisation (UA) | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Complete MI-105 already filed | Urgent; no time to file a complete application |
| Form | MI-151B | Issued by Seafarers' Documentation |
| Pre-conditions | Signed MI-105 with all supporting documents received | Copy of a CoC from an Annex 7 administration, passport or national ID, sea service, current medical |
| Validity | Up to 90 days, with valid national CoC | Maximum 90 days |
| Follow-up | None beyond normal processing | Complete MI-105 within 15 calendar days; if not received within 30, UA may be invalidated |
| Fee (MN 1-005-2) | US$40 | US$150 |
| Extension | Not possible | Not possible |
Getting a CRA
MI-118 §2.7.2 says the applicant may request a CRA when the MI-105 is submitted to a regional office listed in Annex 6. Those offices are Busan, Dalian, Dubai, Fort Lauderdale, Hong Kong, Imabari, London, Manila, Mumbai, Piraeus, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington DC/Reston. MI-280 adds that CRAs can also be generated through the online ordering system for filing agents who use it.
CRAs are sent electronically to whoever filed the application, or handed over if the applicant applies in person. The CRA becomes valid only when signed by the applicant and the vessel's Master, and should be printed in colour so the seals show.
Getting a UA
A UA exists for real urgency — time or distance makes a CRA impractical. MI-118 lists Reston, Fort Lauderdale, London, Piraeus, Mumbai, Hong Kong and Manila as UA-issuing offices during business hours. More documents may be asked for if your capacity cannot be read from the CoC alone.
WARNING — The 15-day tail A UA is not a free pass. If the completed MI-105 is not in within 15 calendar days, and certainly by 30, the UA may be cancelled. The officer then has no RMI authority to serve, wherever the yacht happens to be.
What the inspector expects
MI-290 tells Yacht Inspectors that:
- an officer without a CoC or CoE must hold a CRA, which is checked together with the national CoC;
- an application form, or a statement from the yacht manager that an application exists, is not sufficient to satisfy the MSMC;
- UAs are valid for 90 days and the expiry date is checked;
- missing or incorrect documents for the Captain or Chief Engineer automatically result in a sailing restriction.
Temporary permits are something else
Do not confuse the CRA with a temporary permit. MI-118 §2.2.3 lets the Administrator, in exceptional necessity, authorise service in a capacity for which a person is not certificated, for up to six months. MN 1-005-2 prices this at US$150 and says the officer must hold an RMI endorsement in a lower capacity. It is a dispensation for a real emergency, not an administrative convenience.
TIP — Diary the 90 days Enter the CRA or UA expiry in the yacht's certificate tracker on the day it is signed. If the CoE has not arrived by day 60, chase it.