Meet and Greet with the Consular Section of the US Embassy

Archived article (December 2021). US visa procedures, appointment systems and interview waiver rules have changed since this meeting. Check the current requirements on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta before you apply.

On 15 December 2021 the Consular Section of the US Embassy in Jakarta invited ABM to a meet-and-greet session on crew recruitment, the DS-160 visa application form and US visa processing for seafarers. These were the main points.

Filling in the DS-160 form

• Personal information: the home telephone number, email address and home address must be the seafarer’s own, not the manning agent’s.
• Travel information: declare every previous visit to the United States accurately, including transits. Check the entry stamps in the passport; if there is no stamp or the date is not known, give an estimated date.
• US contact: enter the principal or its agent in the United States.
• Work and education: under present work, enter the manning agent and the monthly salary in IDR. List education from high school onwards; if the applicant did not finish high school, enter the last education or training completed.
• Photo: use a photo taken within the last six months.
• Sign and submit: review the form first; the applicant must click submit personally.

Other notes

• The DS-160 must match the letter of guarantee, the employment contract, the vessel name and the other supporting documents.
• Anyone who helps to fill in the DS-160 must be declared on the form.
• Expedited appointments and group appointments were available through the embassy’s appointment service.
• At the time, the interview waiver applied to renewals within 48 months of the previous visa’s expiry date.

Recruitment questions

What share of crew are new hires, and how do you find qualified seafarers? Our principals set certificate requirements and usually ask for seafarers with experience on the same type of vessel. We look for candidates with similar experience, check their performance with previous employers and also recruit through referrals from our crew. At the time, about 5% of our crew were new hires, found through referrals and our applicant database. We advertise vacancies on social media and on our website.

Are there incentives for returning seafarers? Most of our principals offer seniority and rejoining bonuses to bring former crew back.

What fees do crew pay? Crew only pay to keep their own documents and certificates valid, such as their passport, seaman book and certificates. The US visa fee can be reimbursed on board.

We thank the Consular Section for the session and look forward to continuing our good relationship.