Overview
Use this form for international marine qualifications. For domestic or near coastal qualification applications, use form 426.
Read the following detailed information before you fill out the form.
This information is for all Australian resident and non-resident seafarers who are able to lodge their applications via Australia Post.
This information is also for seafarers applying from outside of Australia. For these applicants, there is extra information available at some steps.
Eligibility criteria
Complete form 419 if you are applying for:
- Sea service assessment. This is for deck and engineer officers only, including recognition of overseas certificates.
- Certificate and/or endorsement. Do not apply for a certificate of competency for deck and engineer officers unless you have already received a positive AMSA sea service assessment.
- Replacement of a certificate or endorsement. Use this when your certificate has been lost, stolen or damaged or you need to change personal details.
- Recognition of certificate, initial issue and revalidation of recognition. Do not apply for an initial issue of a deck or engineer officer certificate of recognition unless you have already received a positive AMSA sea service assessment.
- Revalidation of a certificate or endorsement.
- Australian seafarer service book.
- Assessment of sea service and qualifications for Royal Australian Navy navigation seaman officers and Royal Australian Navy engineering.
- Certificates and endorsements covered by the application form
- Advanced tanker endorsement (oil, gas or chemical)
- Basic and advanced training for IGF code vessels
- Basic and advanced polar code endorsement
- Basic training for IGF code vessels
- Certificate of competency—engineer or deck
- Certificate of recognition—engineer or deck
- Certificate of proficiency as ship security officer
- Certificate of proficiency IR or CIR
- Certificate of proficiency rating—able seafarer deck
- Certificate of proficiency rating—able seafarer engine
- Certificate of proficiency marine cook
- Certificate of safety training
- Designated security person
- Dynamic position operator(limited)
- Dynamic position operator
- Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)
- Fast rescue boats
- GMDSS operator’s certificate
- GMDSS operator’s certificate of recognition
- High speed craft—type rating endorsement
- Passenger vessel
- Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats
- Rating forming part of navigational watch
- Rating forming part of an engine room watch
- Sailing ship endorsement (square rig/fore and aft)
- Security awareness training
- Ship security officer
- Tanker familiarisation endorsement (oil, gas or chemical)
- WIG type A craft (ground effect)
How to complete this form
You need to download a new form from our website each time you apply for a new seafarer certificate. This will ensure you are using the current version of the form that supports the regulations within Marine order 70 seafarer certificate series.
Once we have received your application we will make sure everything is completed correctly. If everything is correct we will issue your certificate within approximately 28 days
Submitting the form
Lodging within Australia
You should lodge your application in person at a participating Australia Post retail outlet.
Take your application form as well as:
- Payment
- Proof of identity
Your passport-quality colour photo will be taken by Australia Post.
Applying from overseas? Read this information about lodging your form.
You need to fill out the AMSA form 419 then print and sign it. You can send your application to STCW.applications@amsa.gov.au.
The email needs to contain a scanned copy of your completed and signed application form, scans of certified copies of your supporting documents, and a colour JPG photograph. We will reject any application where we cannot read the scanned supporting documents.
Application fee
The fee for your application is calculated as you complete the form. Please go to the payment section of the form for the exact fee amount that must be paid.
Applying from overseas? Read this information about the application fee.
Once we have your application form we will email you to ask you to pay. You will need to call us and pay using a credit card that has been pre-authorised for use overseas. You cannot pay using a debit card.
Pay your fee within Australia
Payment at Australia Post may be made by:
- Credit Card
- Cash
- EFTPOS
Providing your supporting documents
When you fill in your application form, the system will provide a checklist of supporting documents for you to print. This list will be specific to the application you have selected.
Before you lodge your application, make sure you have done everything that is on your checklist.
We will not accept incomplete applications. Read our incomplete application policy.
When you lodge your application you must include all of the supporting documents that are listed on the checklist.
Australia Post will not accept applications without supporting documentation.
Do not send us original documents. You should only provide copies of sea service letters and supporting documentation. If you send us original documents we may not be able to return them.
Proof of identity
You will need to give us proof of identity documents. The documents we need will depend on whether you are applying within Australia or from overseas.
Find out more about proof of identity options.
Photographs
Applying from overseas? Read this information about photograph requirements.
You must attach one colour passport photograph of yourself, taken within the last 3 months, to the email. The photograph must be a JPG file no larger than 100 kB. Do not use Photoshop on this photograph or we may reject your application.
The photograph must comply with all of the following requirements. If it does not, your application will be returned to you unprocessed.
The photograph must:
- Be between 35mm and 40mm in width and between 45mm and 50mm in height. With the head of the applicant taking up between 32mm and 36mm of the photo (see diagram).
- Be of good quality colour with no ink or marks on the image.
- Have a plain, white or off-white background with no colours and no shadows.
- Have appropriate brightness and contrast to accurately show applicant’s skin tones naturally.
- Be taken with no shadows across the face.
- Be in sharp focus and clear.
Be of the applicant’s head and top of shoulders (see diagram).
- Show the applicant’s head and shoulders square on (both edges of the face should be visible) with the applicant looking straight at the camera and head not tilted.
- Be taken with a natural expression (not laughing or frowning) with applicants mouth closed.
- Show the eyes open and eye colour clearly visible (if glasses are worn, ensure there is no reflection in the lenses).
- Show the applicant with no hat or head covering (head covering is acceptable if worn for religious reasons however the facial features from the bottom of the chin to top of the forehead and both edges of the face must be clearly shown).
- Due to security printing requirements, the photograph reproduced in your certificate will not be photographic quality and will appear slightly different from that supplied.
Photograph requirements when applying within Australia
Your photograph will be taken at no additional cost to you when you lodge your application at Australia Post.
Signature
There are two sections on the application form that need your signature and you must sign in both of them:
- The declaration and submission
- The specimen signature
Your specimen signature will be digitally imaged into your certificate. Your signature must fit within the box.
There are two specimen signature boxes on the form. If your signature falls outside both specimen signature boxes, you will need to lodge another fully completed application form. This will delay the processing of your certificate application.
Practice signature box for your specimen signature:
Medical certificates
The arrangements for giving us medical certificates are different depending on whether you are applying from within Australia or from overseas.
Read more about how to obtain a medical certificate.
Do not send x-rays or other medical documents with your application as we don't need these.
Qualifying sea service
Documented sea service will be assessed for competency certificates (deck officers and engineer officers) and certificate of proficiency (ratings).
Documents you need to give us
For deck officers, engineer officers, and ratings we need to see copies from the shipping company, written on company letterhead paper verifying your sea service.
For more information have a look at a template and details about what each letter must include.
Refer to the current issue of Marine order 70 series (70, 71, 72, 73 and 74).
More information about sea service assessment
Follow the steps below for sea service assessment to obtain a certificate of competency, certificate of recognition or restricted certificate of recognition.
To apply for a Master, deck or engineer officer certificate of competency, certificate of recognition or restricted certificate of recognition you will need to make two AMSA 419 applications at different stages of the process:
- In your first application, apply for a sea service assessment using the first option in the form. You will need to make sure you give us all of the documents in the checklist. Once we have received and assessed this we will issue you an AMSA assessment letter.
- When you receive your assessment letter, you will need to book an oral examination and medical fitness examination.
- After you have passed your oral examination and have your certificate of medical fitness, you will need to lodge the second AMSA 419 application for your certificate of competency. The documents for this application will be different to those for your first application so you must read them carefully to make sure you give us all of the information we need.