passports

[Tony Morcom]

I did several flights during the 70s, both within Europe and long haul to Panama, Cape Town and Singapore. It didn't seem to matter whether we showed our Discharge book or Passport as long as we had a company letter with us stating the purpose for travel. Merchant seamen of all nationalities were frequent fliers back then and were well known to the airlines and airport officialdom. These days they wouldn't know what a Merchant Seaman is probably

[robpage]

In the USA you got an "Aliens Landing Card" in the 50's. Still got mine in case we are invaded from outer space

My Identity card was green which folded into 3 and had photo and all fingerprints

We got that if arriving by sea , but there was a visa requirement , Mine was stamped Lifetime Visa , Multiple Entries

[Tony Morcom]

My uncle had this issued in 1943

id card.jpg

[Ivan Cloherty]

[QUOTE=robpage;115314]We got that if arriving by sea , but there was a visa requirement , Mine was stamped Lifetime Visa , Multiple Entries[/QUOTE]

Rob, never had a passport until 1965 went I went on my honeymoon. Had Lifetime visa and multiple entries stamped in passport then but only when landing at an airport, never when arriving by sea as a serving seaman. May have been different if arriving by sea as a passenger (I wouldn't know). Never had any visas stamped in my Discharge Book by any USA Authorities, but as stated previously Entry/Exit stamps put in it by other countries don't know what time frame you are in but mine was early 50's and 60's

Regards Ivan

[alf corbyn]

only joined one ship abroad.( athel viscount rotterdam) didn't have any thing except my discharge book and id card, which was a greeny blue like ivans. went by ferry from felixstowe to schidam. have never flown in a plane.

[Tony Geeves]

We flew extensively in the 70 - 80's and all I needed was my discharge books, the backs of which are full of stamps from the world over. Theres even a stamp from the Easter Island, where we had stop to get a lad stiched up after a fight (on Boxing day, 1971)! Paid off in New York, Southland Star, no passport or visa, just a shore pass. cheers, T.G.

[Bob Dunkley]

when joining abroad i allways just had a discharge book or the red id book i joined the Port Huon in newark new jersey when we arrived they intervewed all of us and issued us with the seamans landing card with photo and all info on it. In singapore we joined the Murex, paid off the same ship in ras ta nura ,when i was paid off in taiwan from the Demodocus we travelled to singapore on these books even after being adrift in the port of Kaishiong for 5 days and escorted out of the country by immigration they stamped our discharge books like a passport .A few times if we traveled just one or two, they treated you like adults ,but if it was a whole crew joining they seemed to treat us like kids .An official from the pool a union man a company office walla, all coming for the ride and they herded us like cattle,so sometimes we acted like pigs,after joining my first norwegian ship in singapore i had to get a passport which took a couple of months but untill it was issued i still travelled on the discharge book and red seamans card with not much problem once on the norwegian shipping office they would give you your flight ticket and some money and you would join ships abroad under your own steam they would give you enough money to have a few beers as well

[John Albert Evans]

During my time at sea I only joined two ships abroad, once at Rotterdam, I flew from Southend to Amsterdam, I did not have a passport and on checking my Discharge book a few moments ago the back page was stamped by the Dutch Immigration. The other time I joined a ship at Curacao haveing sailed out on a Shell Tanker as supernumary second cook and baker. I just signed off at Curacao as normal and signed on the ship I was sent to join 2 weeks later. I never did have a passport whilst I was at sea, but I still have two 'Passports' issued issued by the Agentine Immigration on two visits to BA on different ships.(Great big paper ones)
What is puzzling my brain is other members mention a Red Book Seamans Identity card, for the life of me I cannot remember having one of them, but it might just be to my age now (72 and counting, just a youngster to some of you old salts on here I know )

John Albert Evans

[Captain Kong]

My ID Card was a folding Green paper one with all ten finger prints on and Photo.
Brian
I have the one from BA the pass was done in Montevideo. That one has the Phot, and all ten finger prints on.
Here are both sides,
What the photo does not show is two of my mates holding my legs as I kept falling over. That Anis is powerful stuff makes your legs go weak and gives you a Starboard List.
Cheers Brian,

[stewart morrison]

I had a green card with my picture in it as well as the red identity book, which they said we needed to enter Burma as it was then about 1959. cant remember if we needed a pass to go ashore in Panama as it was American owned back then but I do remember we used to get a half bottle of rum each for a dollar or so and go buy a coke in a local cafe and we all had a good time........I think??