The U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center (NMC) has begun accepting electronic or “e-sign” signatures on CG-719 series forms and all supporting documentation needed for merchant mariner credentials (MMC), medical certificates and course approvals.
Mariners submitting these documents can now “e-sign” applications and supporting documentation using software-generated electronic signatures from software programs such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat.
As part of this change, digital signatures are now acceptable on forms such as sea service, assessments, mariner training documentation, and qualified assessor and designated examiner requests, the NMC said in a news release.
Any documents or submissions that are missing signatures, digital or traditional, will be returned to the mariner or course provider.
Separately, existing requirements to e-submit an MMC application to a Regional Examination Center, or to MEDAIP@uscg.mil for medical certificate applications, have not changed.