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Complete your STCW medical fitness assessment while overseas

Most seafarers must complete their AMSA medical fitness assessment in Australia. If you're revalidating or upgrading your STCW certificate, you may be able to complete your assessment while overseas.

At a glance

  • You can only complete a medical fitness assessment overseas if you are revalidating an STCW certificate or upgrading to a higher STCW certificate
  • If you are applying for your first STCW certificate, you must complete your medical assessment in Australia
  • You must complete your examination in a country recognised by AMSA
  • Ask the medical inspector to complete the AMSA Certificate of Medical Fitness (303)
  • Submit the completed AMSA Certificate of Medical Fitness (303) with your application

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Can you complete a medical overseas?

You may be able to complete a medical fitness assessment outside Australia if you are either:

  • revalidating an STCW certificate
  • upgrading to a higher STCW certificate.

If you are applying for an initial STCW certificate, you must complete your medical examination in Australia with an AMSA approved medical inspector.

If you believe there are exceptional circumstances that require you to complete a medical overseas for an initial STCW application, contact AMSA before arranging an examination.

Eligibility requirements

To complete a medical fitness assessment overseas, all the following must apply:

  • the examination must be completed in a country recognised by AMSA under STCW Regulation I/10
  • the examination must be conducted by a medical inspector appointed by that country’s maritime administration
  • the medical inspector must issue an AMSA Certificate of Medical Fitness (303)
  • you must pay all fees and costs associated with the examination.

If any of these requirements are not met, the medical will not be accepted.

How to complete your medical overseas

Follow these steps before you submit your STCW revalidation or upgrade application.

(1) Check the country is recognised by AMSA

Your medical examination must be completed in a country recognised by AMSA under STCW Regulation I/10.

Before you book your appointment, check whether the country is on AMSAs list of recognised STCW countries.

If you are unsure, contact AMSA before arranging your medical examination.

Check if the country is recognised

(2) Find an authorised medical inspector

Contact the country’s maritime administration and ask for a list of medical inspectors appointed to conduct seafarer medicals under that flag.

Only medical inspectors appointed by the maritime administration can complete AMSA’s Certificate of Medical Fitness (303).

(3) Download and print the AMSA forms

Before your appointment, download and print:

Take these documents to your medical examination.

(4) Attend your medical examination

The medical inspector should:

  • conduct your examination using the AMSA Medical examination report (232) and Standards for the medical examination of seafarers and coastal pilots
  • complete and sign the AMSA Certificate of Medical Fitness (303)
  • return the original certificate to you.

You must pay the medical inspector directly for the examination.

What happens next 

Once your examination is complete, the medical inspector will need to provide you the completed AMSA Certificate of Medical Fitness (303)

Apply to revalidate or upgrade your STCW certificate

When you are ready to apply, you must:

  • complete Seafarer form 419 
  • attach copies of your completed AMSA Certificate of Medical Fitness (303)
  • submit your application and supporting documents to AMSA.

Keep the original documents for your records.

AMSA will assess whether the medical meets the requirements of Marine Order 76 (Health — medical fitness).

Carry it on board

You must carry the original AMSA Certificate of Medical Fitness (303) onboard while working at sea.

You may be asked to show it during compliance checks or audits.

Standards, legislation and forms

Last updated: 17 July 2026

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