Question PADI AOW Timeframe

[ScubaSteveT]

I have received differing answers to this question, so wanted to clarify…

About 18 months ago I started my PADI AOW with the material, and did my drysuit and navigation dives. Since then I’ve been more interested in diving than making the effort to finish the other 3 required dives for the cert. Does PADI have a timeframe to complete everything within or could I still just finish the remaining dives? I’ll be diving on vacation in a few weeks, can I also do referral dives to finish?

Thanks!

 

[VikingDives]

I'm not a PADI instructor anymore, but I don't recall a provision to do a referral for AOW. You could pay for an AOW course on vacation and just do five dives... Probably your best bet.

 

[TMHeimer]

I think referrals for AOW dives are about whether the shop you are planning to do them with will recognize them from another shop and count them or the shop will not and you have to do them again there. That was my experience anyway.

 

[Oldbear]

If you complete the training dives through the same dive shop you purchased the slanting from, there is no suspense date. If you want to do a referral to another dive center, you have one year to complete all training from the date you activated the eLearning program.

Since you said you started 18 months ago, vacation referrals are no longer an option under your current AOW course. You earned the Drysuit and Navigation Adventure dives. So where you vacation, just ask them how much for three more adventure dives. You will probably be charged for three training dives + the AOW certification, or something like that.

If you return to the dive center where you purchased the AOW course, they can tell you your options, but, you wouldn’t have to pay again for the AOW certification process.

 

[ScubaSteveT]

Thanks everyone, I will get this lined up!

 

[tursiops]

I have received differing answers to this question, so wanted to clarify…

About 18 months ago I started my PADI AOW with the material, and did my drysuit and navigation dives. Since then I’ve been more interested in diving than making the effort to finish the other 3 required dives for the cert. Does PADI have a timeframe to complete everything within or could I still just finish the remaining dives? I’ll be diving on vacation in a few weeks, can I also do referral dives to finish?

Thanks!

There is no time limit on an AOW referral; that is the referral to complete an AOW is good for more than 12 months. It is possible that your previous instructor can give you credit for two Adventure Dives (Nav and DS), and then give you a referral to complete. But likely you will need new paperwork (med form, etc) and will have a messy schedule with the new instructor. You need to do Deep, which is normally the first dive of the day, but your instructor will need to assess your skills and readiness to do the Deep dive, so probably will want to do two other electives with you first.
Best to contact your new instructor at your vacation location and discuss the details and logistics, and you will need a complete referrla package from your current instructor.
At worst, just start over; the worst that can happen is you get an extra dive (DS) out of it all.
You can also call PADI Training Department (1-800-729-7234) and discuss your specific situation.

 

[tursiops]

If you complete the training dives through the same dive shop you purchased the slanting from, there is no suspense date. If you want to do a referral to another dive center, you have one year to complete all training from the date you activated the eLearning program.

Since you said you started 18 months ago, vacation referrals are no longer an option under your current AOW course.

What you quote is for OW. The 12 moths for a referral is not applicable for AOW or ConEd.
IM p49

Referral​

Referral is the process of providing training documentation to​

another PADI Instructor when a student diver is part-way through​

a course and wants to finish the course at another location.​

Referrals expire 12 months from the date of the last training​

segment.​

Exception: Advanced Open Water Diver course and Specialty Diver courses​

have no time limit.​

 

[ScubaSteveT]

What you quote is for OW. The 12 moths for a referral is not applicable for AOW or ConEd.
IM p49

Referral​

Referral is the process of providing training documentation to​

another PADI Instructor when a student diver is part-way through​

a course and wants to finish the course at another location.​

Referrals expire 12 months from the date of the last training​

segment.​

Exception: Advanced Open Water Diver course and Specialty Diver courses​

have no time limit.​

This is what I found as well, AOW timeframe is different than OW. It must be a somewhat unique situation because I get different answers when talking with individual ops.

 

[tursiops]

This is what I found as well, AOW timeframe is different than OW. It must be a somewhat unique situation because I get different answers when talking with individual ops.

How long has it been since your last AOW training dive?

 

[Oldbear]

I stand corrected…I should have looked up the standard instead of relying on old gray matter