Seafarers' Identity Document

• These documents are covered by the following International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions: Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention, 1958 (C108), and its successor, Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003 (C185).
• A Seafarers' Identity Document (SID), also known as a Seaman's Book or Seaman's Card, is a document that is carried by all professional seafarers (including cruise ship members or yacht crew) for keeping a record of their time at sea. SIDs are issued to any crew travelling on a vessel, regardless of their nationality; this includes stateless persons and refugees.
• Travellers holding SIDs may use these in lieu of passport and may be exempt from requiring a visa, depending on the country they are travelling from/to. Countries who are a party to the 2003 should accept a seafarer holding a SID for shore leave or transit, unless the country has clear grounds for doubting the authenticity of the SID.
• There are other restrictions that may apply to a seafarer travelling by air in order to join a vessel. The seafarer may be required to be travelling on duty, the ship may have to be in the harbour, or prior notice may need to be issued in order to use their SID in lieu of passport.