Can someone help me get my NAUI Nitrox C-Card?

[serambin]

The card needs to be signed by the instructor to be valid. This is a fairly routine procedure for many certifications, another example would be the Red Cross.

However, by NAUI standards, you must recieve your card within 30 days of completing the course. If not, the instructor can lose his teaching status. So, if NAUI did send it to him and assuming that they didn't send it to him late, the problem lies with the instructor.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that your anger is generated more by the temp card not being accepted. Did the dive shop in Cozemel give you a reason why the temp card was not accepted? NAUI is a well established dive organization and it is upsetting that the shop would not take the temp card. If that is the shop's policy I would be interested in knowing their name so as to not send my students there.

My NAUI card is not signed by my instructor, but NAUI recognizes my card.

Stan

 

[sytech]

Before I left for Cozumel on April 12th. I had been in contact with the "Customer Services Supervisor" at NAUI for months. She emailed me the "temporary card" showing that I was Nitrox certified by NAUI, but as I mentioned in an earlier posting this "card" looked like something that could have been manufactured on a computer and I don't blame the dive shop owner in Cozumel for not wanting to accept it.

The owner of the dive shop where I took the course (Sparky Dive Shop, San Andres Island, Columbia) told NAUI several weeks ago that he had mailed the signed card to me on or around April 3rd.. It's certainly possible that it could be delayed or lost given where it was sent from.

In any event I still think that it's idiotic to require that the dive shop owner be required to "sign off" on this given that he sent in the original materials to NAUI attesting to the fact that I had successfully completed the course. He is in another part of the world but I guess NAUI doesn't give a crap about a minor detail like that. I also think that to expedite this and as a courtesy to me for this entire pain in the *** someone at NAUI should sign off on a card for me. After all, they are in fact the certifying agency and they have proof that I completed the course.


I guess I should have told the dive shop operator to make sure to have it sent directly to me but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought the process would be so convoluted. Maybe if I told him that I should have also reminded him to put the card in an envelope. And maybe I should have also told him to put a stamp on it and to make sure to bring it to the post office

On Friday I sent an email to every executive at NAUI headquarters in Florida. I'm interested to see the response I get. I predict something like:

"NAUI regulations require that the instructor physically sign off on the plastic card itself. We will issue another card and send it to him in San Andres Island, Columbia.
He will then forward it to you in New Jersey"

Idiots.

Sy

Call Naui and ask to verify that Naui shows you are certified as Nitrox. Let us know the answer.

 

[NadMat]

have you tried the ' I lost my card, send me a replacement' route? If they show that you are qualified, They should be able to send a replacement card right out (after small 'lost card' fee maybe) I know SSI can do this as had to get replacement card before last Coz' trip. I would think NAUI could do the same without the whole 'send to instructor' thing.

 

[Drewski]

I'm interested to see the response I get. I predict something like:

"NAUI regulations require that the instructor physically sign off on the plastic card itself. We will issue another card and send it to him in San Andres Island, Columbia.
He will then forward it to you in New Jersey"

Idiots.

Hey Now!

First, on behalf of NAUI and the other NAUI instructors on this board, I apologize for the problems you are having. You're right, it should be easier than this. I'd be pissed off too if I paid for something and now I'm going through this.

A few things. NAUI, like most certifying agencies, relies on it's instructors for "verification" of certification. That means it does what the instructor says as far as where to send cards, who to certify, etc. If NAUI (or any other agency) did this blindly, the potential for fraud could occur in that anybody could be mailed a card.

Keeping that in mind, the temp card you received probably WAS made on a computer. That's how they make them. The other posters are right, it's unusual for the certifying agency to issue a "temp" card. BUT, if they did, it also means they already issued you a certification number so they KNOW you are certified. That means the problem occurred AFTER they mailed the certification card to your instructor, NOT before. NAUI would not have issued a certification number before verifying through the instructor (signed form or Internet processing) that the course was completed. The most likely cause of this issue is the mail between the US and Columbia. If NAUI or the instructor did not use FedEx, UPS or DHL, it's no telling what happened to the cards.

NAUI and other certifying agencies generally do not deal directly with the public. Their "customers," so to speak," are the member instructors. I'd offer two suggestions. First, try and communicate with the certifying instructor concerning your problem. He should take responsibility for the issue and fix it. If not, try and find a NAUI shop, take the temp card with you, explain what happened, and see if they can help.

If none of this works, post back here and I'll see what I can do directly.

Thanks and good luck!

 

[tedj01]

Nadmat stole my thunder. Since you verified that Naui shows you as certified; simply order a replacement card!

The form Naui sent you is simply a verification of certification. It does not look that different than the ones Padi sends out.

 

[Fordan]

The other posters are right, it's unusual for the certifying agency to issue a "temp" card. BUT, if they did, it also means they already issued you a certification number so they KNOW you are certified.

I didn't think NAUI did certification numbers apart from professional-level certs...?

 

[sytech]

Drewski,

Thanks for your comments.

I had sent the dive shop owner an email on this several weeks ago and never received a reply from.

Turns out that yesterday my mail carrier left me notification of a registered letter waiting to be delivered to me. Maybe it's the card! I'll believe it when I see it though.

On another matter, the Dive shop owner (the one who is supposed to "sign off" on the C-card) was not the "instructor". It was another guy. Does that have any bearing on this?

Thanks,

Sy

Hey Now!

First, on behalf of NAUI and the other NAUI instructors on this board, I apologize for the problems you are having. You're right, it should be easier than this. I'd be pissed off too if I paid for something and now I'm going through this.

A few things. NAUI, like most certifying agencies, relies on it's instructors for "verification" of certification. That means it does what the instructor says as far as where to send cards, who to certify, etc. If NAUI (or any other agency) did this blindly, the potential for fraud could occur in that anybody could be mailed a card.

Keeping that in mind, the temp card you received probably WAS made on a computer. That's how they make them. The other posters are right, it's unusual for the certifying agency to issue a "temp" card. BUT, if they did, it also means they already issued you a certification number so they KNOW you are certified. That means the problem occurred AFTER they mailed the certification card to your instructor, NOT before. NAUI would not have issued a certification number before verifying through the instructor (signed form or Internet processing) that the course was completed. The most likely cause of this issue is the mail between the US and Columbia. If NAUI or the instructor did not use FedEx, UPS or DHL, it's no telling what happened to the cards.

NAUI and other certifying agencies generally do not deal directly with the public. Their "customers," so to speak," are the member instructors. I'd offer two suggestions. First, try and communicate with the certifying instructor concerning your problem. He should take responsibility for the issue and fix it. If not, try and find a NAUI shop, take the temp card with you, explain what happened, and see if they can help.

If none of this works, post back here and I'll see what I can do directly.

Thanks and good luck!

 

[Drewski]

Drewski,

Thanks for your comments.

I had sent the dive shop owner an email on this several weeks ago and never received a reply from.

Turns out that yesterday my mail carrier left me notification of a registered letter waiting to be delivered to me. Maybe it's the card! I'll believe it when I see it though.

On another matter, the Dive shop owner (the one who is supposed to "sign off" on the C-card) was not the "instructor". It was another guy. Does that have any bearing on this?

Thanks,

Sy

Hi Sy:

I'll bet that letter is your card. If your instructor is sending stuff by Columbian "air mail" and USPS, the transit time between South America and the USA is often more than 5 weeks. I encounter this problem with e-Bay items I purchase from Brazil. All Columbian mail is "screened" by Homeland Security for content these days (it's really a DEA thing), so that only makes the process longer.

Generally, the NAUI "standard" is that the instructor who taught the course should be the instructor name on the card. However, if they (the dive shop) did student registration using the NAUI website (which they probably DID), the dive shop owner probably logged in under HIS instructor number, meaning the card was issued under HIS name. NAUI used to require that each card be signed by the instructor - in fact the cards used to say "NOT valid unless signed by instructor" - I don't know if they still do that or not. If they do, that's why the card had to go to the dive shop to be signed. My feeling is that these are the reasons why you went through what you did.

In any case, I know it's frustrating. Clearly, it was too long a process and you shouldn't have to keep asking for what already should have been done. I'm hoping that letter is your c-card.

Please post back or PM me if I can be of any more help. Sometimes us "old school" instructors get a little attention from the NAUI "high command" when we need to..

Andy

 

[Drewski]

I didn't think NAUI did certification numbers apart from professional-level certs...?

They don't. The number you see on "professional-level" cards is a "member number." Cert cards don't have "certification numbers" on them, BUT the NAUI certification registration system uses a "cert number" (internally) to "track" certifications. In this fashion, NAUI can do stats for instructors, shops, courses, etc.

 

[sytech]

My NAUI NITROX Cert. Card was at the post office this morning.

Thanks to all for the advice and support on this annoying matter.

Anyhow, "all's well that end's well"


Sy

Hi Sy:

I'll bet that letter is your card. If your instructor is sending stuff by Columbian "air mail" and USPS, the transit time between South America and the USA is often more than 5 weeks. I encounter this problem with e-Bay items I purchase from Brazil. All Columbian mail is "screened" by Homeland Security for content these days (it's really a DEA thing), so that only makes the process longer.

Generally, the NAUI "standard" is that the instructor who taught the course should be the instructor name on the card. However, if they (the dive shop) did student registration using the NAUI website (which they probably DID), the dive shop owner probably logged in under HIS instructor number, meaning the card was issued under HIS name. NAUI used to require that each card be signed by the instructor - in fact the cards used to say "NOT valid unless signed by instructor" - I don't know if they still do that or not. If they do, that's why the card had to go to the dive shop to be signed. My feeling is that these are the reasons why you went through what you did.

In any case, I know it's frustrating. Clearly, it was too long a process and you shouldn't have to keep asking for what already should have been done. I'm hoping that letter is your c-card.

Please post back or PM me if I can be of any more help. Sometimes us "old school" instructors get a little attention from the NAUI "high command" when we need to..

Andy