AOW as an experienced diver

[Quero]

Do you know whether the certification procedure was done online or by post? If you received a small tear-off card from a foldable document as your temporary card, then it was done by post. If you got a computer printout of your temporary card then it was done online. The ones done entirely by post take longer. Not only is there the time it takes for the post to go from the instructor to PADI, but also the data has to be entered by office staff once it arrives, so the process slows down even more.

 

[Hawkwood]

Here we are still in the dark ages and do it by mail/courier. We wait until we have a sufficient number to send, but to a maximum of seven days. After that, it still takes a couple to few weeks for the cards to get turned around and sent back, also by mail/courier. I'd say it takes a minimum of 3 weeks to a month for us to send and receive the cards.

 

[AfterDark]

If the cert was indeed processed as Quero spectulated in post #122. It would have been nice if the cert number had been included in the email. I think the next charter I'm doing is with the LDS anyway, so no problem. It ain't called snail mail for nothing.

 

[Quero]

If the cert was indeed processed as Quero spectulated in post #122. It would have been nice if the cert number had been included in the email. I think the next charter I'm doing is with the LDS anyway, so no problem. It ain't called snail mail for nothing.

It's actually quite unusual for a diver to be asked for a cert number, but if you want it, any of us PADI instructors should be able to get it for you in just a few clicks of a mouse. Contact one of us with your name as it appears in your record (including middle initial) and your date of birth.

 

[AfterDark]

It's actually quite unusual for a diver to be asked for a cert number, but if you want it, any of us PADI instructors should be able to get it for you in just a few clicks of a mouse. Contact one of us with your name as it appears in your record (including middle initial) and your date of birth.

Thank you very much for the offer. It was just a observation. I'm sure I'll be able to get a temp card Thursday when I see the instructor. I was actually thinking along the lines of being able to give the number in lieu of the card until I receive it. No rush, I have a kayak trip this weekend. So any diving I do will most likely be a solo shore dive. Thanks again

 

[vladimir]

So any diving I do will most likely be a solo shore dive.

Still, you might want to go deeper than 60', and without that AOW card, well...

 

[boulderjohn]

Yes it does take that long.
I finished my Nitrox course on March 27th, received an e-mail from PADI on April 11th with the link to the online evaluation of the course but I am still waiting for the card.

My experience with students being sent cards in situations like this is that it takes a week or two at the most. Something is wrong, and you should check to see what that it.

One potential problem lies in the fact that there are several options for where the card is to be mailed. The two most often used choices are to have the card sent directly to the student or to have it sent to the shop. It is possible the card was sent to the shop a month ago, and it might be sitting on a shelf somewhere.

TDI sends cards out almost immediately, yet I never received my Advanced Trimix card and certificate. Their records show that it was sent out, but they had to issue a replacement card. At roughly the same time, I have about 4 similar experiences with the U.S. mail.

 

[boulderjohn]

Just so people are aware, temporary cards are not issued for AOW.

 

[Agility]

Yes it does take that long.
I finished my Nitrox course on March 27th, received an e-mail from PADI on April 11th with the link to the online evaluation of the course but I am still waiting for the card.

The form was sent by mail with my photograph in the plastic pocket.
I wrote an e-mail to <padi@padidiver.com> three days ago, probably someone is trying to find the c-card just now

My post was not meant as a rant, just to illustrate that it might take longer than expected.

 

[Saldiac]

The two most often used choices are to have the card sent directly to the student or to have it sent to the shop.

Since my local dive center is a 15 minute walk from my house I always have certification cards sent to them. Addresses on our island can be vague so they've had a few customers complain about cards never arriving at their home address. In my experience it usually takes about 2 or 3 weeks before the cards from the Swiss distribution center arrive at my local dive center.