problems with getting nitrox cert card

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shoelessone

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Oakland, CA
Well, I completed a somewhat loose "class" in a recent trip I took, and have yet to recieve the cert card.

this is a PADI cert

details asside, I am wondering:

1. what process does an instructor have to go through (as far as paperwork goes) to get a diver certified in nitrox. Does he have to send in a paper seperate from the students "cert packet" to confirm to PADI that the student is certified? Is there only the cert packet that the dive instructor gives the student?

basically, an instructor claims that he gave me the packet to send into padi to get my card. Unfortunatly, I really do not think he did. It was discussed, however in the end time did not allow, and he had planned on sending it to me in the mail.

either way, maybe i somehow lost the packet, or maybe he just didnt send it to me. I want to know exactly what needs to be done. I paid 150 bucks for the class, and am going to the USVI and BVI in a month, so I need to get the card.

Thanks for any help!

p.s. mods: if this might be better answered in a different forum, please let me know!

edit: my point in question 1, is that i am hoping if perhaps the actual "packets" are easy to come by and the important part is the instructor sending a sepereate letter in (that he could NOT have accidently not sent in and blaimed on me) that I might be able to just get a packet from a local dive shop.
 
Did you take your picture ? Did you give him the picture ? Did he give you a temporary ? If all of the above are no, then he might of given you some "stuff" that was signed and left it to you to get your picture taken when you returned home and to send in the info to PADI. If he didn't give you any "stuff" or you lost it. Then you should go back to hime and get it done. If you didn't follow thru then find the stuff and get it done. Anyway, there should be a temporary out there.

Call PADI on the 800# and find out if they have anything on you.

adios don O
 
shoelessone:
1. what process does an instructor have to go through (as far as paperwork goes) to get a diver certified in nitrox. Does he have to send in a paper seperate from the students "cert packet" to confirm to PADI that the student is certified? Is there only the cert packet that the dive instructor gives the student?

One way or another, someone has to send in a certification containing a picture and signed by the instructor. These days, instructors can do it through the internet. Ultimately, though, you have to talk to the instructor to sort this out. PADI doesn't have any record of your certification until they hear from the instructor.
 
Do I understand correctly that you did a specialty combined with a nitrox specialty?
If that is the case HE should have send in a small brown envelope called a PIC for every cert you are to receive. They cost money and that is PADI's way of getting paid for the cert. The student should not send in the PIC it is the instructors job. Each PIC must contain a photo of the diver and be signed by the diver as well.
If you were dealing with a PADI facility rather than an independant instructor, they may have used the online PIC service on PADI's web page. In either case I would be asking questions at the dive center where you signed up. Otherwise send an email to the PADI office in your region www.padi.com and they will help you I am sure.
 
If you have a temporary card, PADI will instruct you as to how to proceed. If not, ask your instructor (nicely) to fill out and sign another PIC (and temporary card) for you, and offer to pay for it ($20 should more than cover his/her cost). Attach a passport photo, fill in your name and address info, sign, and make a copy of it (front and back) before mailing it to PADI. Make sure to check the "return to student" box on the PIC to have the permanent card mailed directly to you. Good luck.
 
All the PIC cards I've ever filled out were blue. But no matter what color it was, it was the cert pack you filled out which cannot be sent in without your picture in it. The temp cert card is a part of the PIC card and is good for 90 days.

Did you take the cert pack with you when you left so that you could get a picture for it and mail it at your convieniece? If so then you are probably going to have to fork out another $25 to replace it.

There would be no reason for the instuctor to mail the cert pack to "you". He would mail it directly to Padi once the form was completed and has your picture. If you didn't have a picture to submit with the cert pack then the instructor would want "you" to mail your picture to him.
 
Let me start out by saying that I love this forum, there are lots of experts with lots of experience here. I really appreciate everyones help.

Let me also say that I nearly ALWAYS get the feeling that people are being condisending with me, or instead of helping I often get lots of "you should have done this" or "this should have happend" or "i cant believe you didnt". This doesnt help. at all. its a waste of your and my time. sorry to sound like an ***, but EVERY thread I have made here I get these responses. not everybody, of course, just a select few.

Anyway, that asside, hopefully when i restate this question perhaps people might better be able to help me.

1. I went on a scuba diving trip with a university/college diving club. One of the guys who came is a dive instructor. I am not from the area, and didnt know many details
2. once i got down to the hotel with the group, I found out there was a group doing nitrox cert while down there.
3. I was told that if I could pay the 150 bucks, the dive instructor had an extra table and book i could use.
4. we had a very quick little informal class type session, and then did our open water dives. he showed us how to check our air comp, made sure we could use tables, etc. I read the book actually, and have a nitrox computer, so I felt/feel pretty prepared.
5. to be honest the intruction part of the class was a bit of a joke. YOU DONT NEED TO TELL ME THIS, I KNOW! I ALSO KNOW MY ABILITY AND AM A SMART GUY WHO DOESNT NEED TO BE TOLD I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN A CLASS WITH A PADI CENTER OR CHECKED OUT THE INSTRUCTOR/ETC.
6. When the time to leave came, the instructor decided to have another meeting with the nitrox people once we got back to school. unfortunatly, I dont go to that school, and live far away. so he told me he would send my stuff in the mail, including a test which i should complete to make sure I felt comfortable (i am aware this is a joke, but once again all i cared about was getting the card, as I felt very comfortable with all of the material in the book/with my experience as a diver/with my father who might as well be an instructor himself).
7. I never got anything, including a temp card, etc.
8. i am having troubles at this point getting the dive instructor to take care of this stuff
9. my point in asking these questions, is because I want to know as much as possible about the process/what SHOULD have happend so that I can, if need be, let the instructor know that I wont get ripped off, i want my stuff taken care of.
10. If i know more about the process, than i can inform him of exactly what needs to be done. Once again, i dont care about what "should have happened", all i care about is getting my cert, so I can fill nitrox tanks while diving. certs mean very little to me really, experience is what is important (in MY opinion).
11. If the guy doesnt come through by himself, i'll most likely use whatever information i can learn to get what needs to get done done. I'll calll PADI as well, if need be.
12. the guy is somewhat shaddy, but once again as long as I get my card, i wont complain.

Thanks for your help!

I really am not trying to be problematic, and if you are upset/etc by this post, chance are you might not understand what I am saying.

Thanks for your help again, i really do appreciate all of your expertise!
 
shoelessone:
...Let me also say that I nearly ALWAYS get the feeling that people are being condesending with me...
After rereading the above responses I do not agree with your analysis. There were very specific suggestions on what should have happened and what to do. The biggest problem is that you haven't completed the course yet (final exam). How can you be certified without proving knowlegde in some concrete way?

In any case, since you imply that you and the instructor feel you understand the material and you are now only concerned with the expediency of getting the card then I second the suggestion to offer to pay for another PIC envelope (regardless of whose fault the missing original is). But, since the instrutor has proven unreliable, definitely have him send you the form to complete your section and attach photo and you then send in. Failing a response to that, formally report the situation to PADI. You can find his instructor ID number at the PADI website. Do you have a way of showing you paid anything?

Assuming what you say about the character of the instructor is true then after you get your card still file a complaint against him because we can use a few less of them.
 
Thanks for the recommendation - and I am not saying anybody is being condesending in this thread in particular, but I CAN/COULD see it going in that direction quickly.

Anyway, I guess I am just used to being a lot less "gaurded" about the wording I use when posting on forums.

I still havnt recieved a response from the instructor, although I'd imagine he'll email me tomorow.

Also, a more direct question: assume the PIC packet was lost, how much would it cost for a new one? I appreciate your view that I should pay for a new one regardless, however I am extremly annoyed with the guys unprofessional additude/etc, and frankly after paying him 150 dollars for basically nothing (as it turns out, he didnt feel like paying extra to get his nitrox instructor number or something, he actually has another friend sign those certs) I really WILL NOT pay another dime for him, and will end up taking him to small claims. I really dont think it will come down to that.

Thanks, any more details would be helpful!
 
shoelessone:
Also, a more direct question: assume the PIC packet was lost, how much would it cost for a new one? I appreciate your view that I should pay for a new one regardless, however I am extremly annoyed with the guys unprofessional additude/etc, and frankly after paying him 150 dollars for basically nothing (as it turns out, he didnt feel like paying extra to get his nitrox instructor number or something, he actually has another friend sign those certs) I really WILL NOT pay another dime for him, and will end up taking him to small claims. I really dont think it will come down to that.

Thanks, any more details would be helpful!

This is trouble with a capital T!

The fellow you are trying to get a Nitrox cert is NOT a Nitrox Instructor? If you know his name, report him to PADI, so that no other people get taken by him.

Do you REALLY want a C-card from somone who isn't qualified to teach the Specialty? Personally, I'd try to get my money back from him in any way I could (including small claims) and then go take the course from a REAL Nitrox Instructor.
 

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