A friend is taking her OW this month and asked how long it usually takes for PADI to send out the permanent C-cards over the temp ones you get at the end of class. I don't remember...
time to receive PADI OW c-card?
- Thread starter openhelix
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It usually takes about 2 weeks - if the PIC is submitted online they obviously get processed faster. It can take longer and I also know people who've received their cards within 7 days.
It depends where in the world the student lives (some island postal services aren't exactly 'next day' delivery!) and the time of year. Certifications processed in the middle of high season for the region will take longer than those processed during the off-season.
Cheers
C.
It depends where in the world the student lives (some island postal services aren't exactly 'next day' delivery!) and the time of year. Certifications processed in the middle of high season for the region will take longer than those processed during the off-season.
Cheers
C.
DevonDiver
N/A
It depends on two things.,..
1, Where you took the course, in relation to where you live.
Your certification application is submitted to the regional office that serves the dive center you did the course at. For instance...f you live in Europe, but took the course in Asia...then your certification goes to the PADI office in Australia...and then the cert card gets posted to your address in Europe. This obviously takes some time....
2. The method of applying for certification.
If the dive center uses an online PIC application, then it is direct to the appropriate PADI office...and then just a case of waiting in queue for processing and postage to your home address. If the center uses the paper envelope pics...then you have to add in the postal time from the dive shop to the regional office as well.
From Thailand...to the Australia Office...then to a Europe address used to take around 90 days.
1, Where you took the course, in relation to where you live.
Your certification application is submitted to the regional office that serves the dive center you did the course at. For instance...f you live in Europe, but took the course in Asia...then your certification goes to the PADI office in Australia...and then the cert card gets posted to your address in Europe. This obviously takes some time....
2. The method of applying for certification.
If the dive center uses an online PIC application, then it is direct to the appropriate PADI office...and then just a case of waiting in queue for processing and postage to your home address. If the center uses the paper envelope pics...then you have to add in the postal time from the dive shop to the regional office as well.
From Thailand...to the Australia Office...then to a Europe address used to take around 90 days.
Pearldiver07
Contributor
one note:
Your instructor has 7 days from the completion of all requirements to submit your certification for processing (if you owe $$ that's considered a requirement).
Again, depending on the situation it can take a few weeks. But if you certified in the U.S. I would expect 2 weeks or so.
Remember, stuff happens. Do NOT lose that temp card until you get the permanent one back. With that you can easily submit again if for some reason the system hiccups, your instructor and the shop are swallowed by a large black hole, the internet fills up, email starts to require a stamp, or whatever catastrophe may develop.
If it gets over 3 weeks and you haven't heard from the dive shop give them a call. If it gets over a month, you should call PADI directly. They're pretty good about handling these sorts of things. If it gets to this point and PADI finds out that the instructor didn't file in a timely manner they'll also remind him/her of the responsibility.
Your instructor has 7 days from the completion of all requirements to submit your certification for processing (if you owe $$ that's considered a requirement).
Again, depending on the situation it can take a few weeks. But if you certified in the U.S. I would expect 2 weeks or so.
Remember, stuff happens. Do NOT lose that temp card until you get the permanent one back. With that you can easily submit again if for some reason the system hiccups, your instructor and the shop are swallowed by a large black hole, the internet fills up, email starts to require a stamp, or whatever catastrophe may develop.
If it gets over 3 weeks and you haven't heard from the dive shop give them a call. If it gets over a month, you should call PADI directly. They're pretty good about handling these sorts of things. If it gets to this point and PADI finds out that the instructor didn't file in a timely manner they'll also remind him/her of the responsibility.
rstofer
Contributor
From personal experience, I would NEVER let the dive shop mail the PIC card. Get the required signatures and mail it yourself. Dive shops are not nearly as fast at sending in PIC cards as they are at getting your money.
Sometimes the instructor is a contractor and simply hands off the PIC card to the LDS for processing. And on the desk it sits... Waiting for the only person who can possibly process it to get back from an extended dive trip. The same person who doesn't know the PIC is buried under a pile of other paperwork...
Some shops will say they want to update your training record before they mail the PIC. The problem is that paperwork is ALWAYS the lowest priority. There's no money in updating training records.
It took 3 months to get my grandson's card. There's a long version of the story but the bottom line is I finally had to email the relevant PIC card info, a JPEG of the temporary card and a JPEG of his photo. Got it in two weeks.
PADI customer service is EXCELLENT! Mailing the PIC yourself always expedites the process.
Richard
Sometimes the instructor is a contractor and simply hands off the PIC card to the LDS for processing. And on the desk it sits... Waiting for the only person who can possibly process it to get back from an extended dive trip. The same person who doesn't know the PIC is buried under a pile of other paperwork...
Some shops will say they want to update your training record before they mail the PIC. The problem is that paperwork is ALWAYS the lowest priority. There's no money in updating training records.
It took 3 months to get my grandson's card. There's a long version of the story but the bottom line is I finally had to email the relevant PIC card info, a JPEG of the temporary card and a JPEG of his photo. Got it in two weeks.
PADI customer service is EXCELLENT! Mailing the PIC yourself always expedites the process.
Richard
Right now I'm close to 6 weeks before I have them returned. Not kidding.
Sometimes the Instructor gives the PIC to the student to mail and it's sits on the fridge door for more than a year because it gets burried behind the to do list.
Is where I teach. I don't get paid until it's all done and that includes submitting the PIC.
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