PADI advanced; never received my card

[sonar]

Hello all,

I sent in my advanced paper together with my OW paper (=the pink proof) to PADI and only received my OW card. I mailed a copy (I still have a fullcoulour copy) and heard nothing, I mailed; nothing. Same thing happened with my OW course the first time so I had to do that course twice (damn these dvd's..)

Any ideas?

*hoping somebody from PADI is a member..*

 

[apertyx]

You can go to PADI's website and use the contact information to have them deal with your card issue. If you have the PIC information from your course they can probably track it down for you and issue you your card. Good Luck!

 

[sonar]

Yeah tried it again. I hope they do react this time..

Is this a typical PADI problem or are they ussually known as reliable?

 

[rstofer]

In my view, PADI is outstanding in their customer service. They are a lot more reliable than my LDS in terms of processing PIC cards.

I will say, however, that I believe their online database is hosed. In a month or so, when things settle down, I'm going to call them and see if we can get it squared away. We have the cards, they just don't show up on the database so they couldn't be reordered.

PADI needs to set a standard for instructors in terms of getting the PIC cards in the mail. The idea that one instructor has to submit them to another instructor (who happens to be out of the country) before they (hopefully) get submitted to PADI is just ridiculous.

NEVER leave the completed PIC card with the instructor. ALWAYS take it at the end of the course and mail it yourself.

Don't lose that temporary paper copy. Make sure everything is legible because you just might have to scan and email it to get your card.

Richard

 

[k4man]

IF it has been sent in, your certifying instructor is able to log on to his/her PADI pro section to see if they have received credit for you as a student. They may be able to "get through" to PADI headquarters a bit more easily.

Like other big organizations, try patience as you go through the ladders to getting an answer.

 

[mislav]

Is this a typical PADI problem or are they ussually known as reliable?

Very reliable with excellent customer service.

NEVER leave the completed PIC card with the instructor. ALWAYS take it at the end of the course and mail it yourself.

Every time I mailed the PIC my students would get their certification cards. However, I do have about 20 finished but unrecognized courses where my students never sent their PICs to PADI. Also, some of them got them on the wrong address and some had their names misprinted. I'd say, leave the PIC envelopes to your instructors. They know how to do it and they will do it properly.

 

[Don Wray]

PADI needs to set a standard for instructors in terms of getting the PIC cards in the mail. The idea that one instructor has to submit them to another instructor (who happens to be out of the country) before they (hopefully) get submitted to PADI is just ridiculous.

The instructor, by standards, is to submit the pic within 7 days. As far as sending the card from one instructor to another I have never heard of in PADI. The instructor conducting the final dive of the certification dives is the certifying instructor responsible for submitting the pic directly to PADI. PADI is not a member of the Universal Referral Program which is the method you have described.

To the OP, if you kept the original pic, there's your problem. You can't mail a copy of the pic. The pics are purchased from PADI and as proof the original is required. Give them a call tomorrow and they can work you through it. Here is the info on PADI Europe:
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]PADI Europe
Oberwilerstrasse 3
P.O. Box 45
CH-8442 Hettlingen
[/FONT]

​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Opening Hours
Monday - Thursday 09.00-17.00
Friday: 09.00-12.00
Reception
Phone: + 41 52 304 14 14
Fax: +41 52 304 14 99 [/FONT]

 

[SDAnderson]

PADI needs to set a standard for instructors in terms of getting the PIC cards in the mail. The idea that one instructor has to submit them to another instructor (who happens to be out of the country) before they (hopefully) get submitted to PADI is just ridiculous.

Why would one instructor have to submit a PIC to another instructor before it can be submitted to PADI? I've referred and certified hundreds of students and have never done this...

Following are some of the PADI instructor requirements with my comments appended. Blue/bold means "don't screw this up or we'll drown your stupid butt" in PADI parlance:

"After completing training dives, have divers log the dives in their personal log books. You must personally sign and date the log page to verify completion of all performance requirements."

Comment: Thus, the student has his/her own documentation that the course was completed, should either PADI or the instructor lose theirs.

Maintain training completion records for each student diver/participant for a minimum of seven years, or longer if stipulated by local legal requirements.

Comment: Thus the instructor (or the facility) has their own documentation that the course was completed, should PADI or the student lose theirs.

As the certifying instructor, submit a PIC (Positive Identification Card) envelope or leadership level application to the appropriate PADI Office within seven days of the student diver completing all course certification requirements.

Comment: The instructor is responsible for submitting the paperwork within a week. Leaving it to the student is not acceptable.​

For what it's worth, most of my student certifications are submitted electronically and there is no paper PIC - it can't get lost, I get an electronic receipt that it was received and it appears in the database immediately. This option isn't available to independent instructors yet (a shame) but it shortens the certification processing time dramatically.

The rules and procedures outside the US are occasionally a little different - sometimes it's better (fewer people in a hurry to lawyer up) and sometimes it's worse. In general, PADI does an excellent job of responding to student/diver issues. If the OP has his documentation, they'll get it straightened out.

 

[rstofer]

Very reliable with excellent customer service.



Every time I mailed the PIC my students would get their certification cards. However, I do have about 20 finished but unrecognized courses where my students never sent their PICs to PADI. Also, some of them got them on the wrong address and some had their names misprinted. I'd say, leave the PIC envelopes to your instructors. They know how to do it and they will do it properly.

There a long story behind my recommendation to grab the PIC card. When my grandson took his OW, the instructor had quit the shop the day before the checkout dives but conducted those sessions anyway and signed off the temporary card. As far as I can tell, the instructor never submitted the PIC. After 2 months of waiting, I took the matter to PADI Quality Control. I had the card in a week. There may be more to the story but I don't care! My grandson should have had the card in about 10 days, not nearly 2 months! What kind of reward is that? He busts his a$$ to complete the course and his recognition falls in a black hole!

There's a shorter story behind this as well. For my wife's AOW class, the instuctor left the cards at the shop so their coordinator could send them in. Presumably because the student folders were at the shop. But the coordinator was out of the country - so the PIC cards just sat. Three weeks later, PADI still has no record. Now things may get jammed up because another instructor is handling the Rescue course this weekend. I shudder to think what will happen if the Rescue PICs get to PADI before the AOW PICs. This will take forever to get cleaned up!

The even shorter story? When I personally sent in some Nitrox PICs, we had the cards in 10 days. Of course I am going to recommend grabbing the PICs. It's the only method that works!

None of this is PADI's fault. They can't send the card if the instructors don't send the paperwork.

Too bad this is a text based system. You can't see just how livid I am about this!

Richard

 

[sonar]

thx for all the reactions


My instructor never sent in the card. I took it home myself and sent it from there myself. I sent in the original card and made copies. Since it already went wrong the first time I didnt want to take the risk again. I also did my OW and advanced in the same holiday so I was also worried that it would get mixed up in the administration

I ll just wait I guess..