PADI and Universal Referrals

[TheRedHead]

Hello,

I just made reservations to do my OW dives in Florida with a PADI shop. I did my pool and classwork with an SSI shop. I'm using the PADI shop in Florida because 1)hubby did his there and loved it; 2) I've snorkeled with them and loved it.

Now I am wondering that since I won't get a temporary PADI card, will I be able to dive after completing my OW dives???

I hope so because I will be there for 4 nights with 2 days to dive after completion of the course.

 

[Buoyant1]

Just curious where you're going and who you're using when you get to FL?

I did a resort dive trip with Captains Corner in Key West last month and they were great! I highly recommend them if you're down there.

Why wouldn't they give you a temporary card? (someone explain, I'm another Newbie)

Hello,

I just made reservations to do my OW dives in Florida with a PADI shop. I did my pool and classwork with an SSI shop. I'm using the PADI shop in Florida because 1)hubby did his there and loved it; 2) I've snorkeled with them and loved it.

Now I am wondering that since I won't get a temporary PADI card, will I be able to dive after completing my OW dives???

I hope so because I will be there for 4 nights with 2 days to dive after completion of the course.

 

[Otter]

You will get a PADI temp card and PADI certification. The PADI instructor shnuld perform a preassessment of your pool skills ahead of time and in particular, will have you complete certain skills that may/may not be required by other agencies (any where in the world). The will use the PADI Skill Evaluation to assess student skills. In addition to the skills listed on the PADI Skill Evaluation Grade Sheet, the student must also demonstrate mastery of the following skills:
• Underwater swim without a mask
• Air depletion exercise
• Air depletion/Alternate Air Source (AAS) combined exercise

Assuming you complete the preassessment and 4 open water dives, you should receive your temp card.

Good luck.

 

[TheRedHead]

Just curious where you're going and who you're using when you get to FL?

I did a resort dive trip with Captains Corner in Key West last month and they were great! I highly recommend them if you're down there.

Why wouldn't they give you a temporary card? (someone explain, I'm another Newbie)

I'll be at about Mile Marker 50 in Marathon. I'm going to do my OW dives at Captain Hook's Marina and Dive Shop. I've been on their dive boats as a snorkeler.

I'm doing a Universal Referral, not a PADI referral. I was told this morning that I would have to bring my paperwork back to my original dive shop to get my c-card. When I got home from work, I started to wonder if there is a temporary card for Universal Referral. You get a temp card so you can dive after doing your open water dives until you get your permanent card. My husband had a temp card for almost a month before he got his permanent PADI card.

Is there a Universal Referral temp card? I hope I can dive after completing my open water dives.

 

[TheRedHead]

You will get a PADI temp card and PADI certification. The PADI instructor shnuld perform a preassessment of your pool skills ahead of time and in particular, will have you complete certain skills that may/may not be required by other agencies (any where in the world). The will use the PADI Skill Evaluation to assess student skills. In addition to the skills listed on the PADI Skill Evaluation Grade Sheet, the student must also demonstrate mastery of the following skills:
• Underwater swim without a mask
• Air depletion exercise
• Air depletion/Alternate Air Source (AAS) combined exercise

Assuming you complete the preassessment and 4 open water dives, you should receive your temp card.

Good luck.

I'm not getting a PADI c-card; I'm sure of that because they told me I would be taking my paperwork back to the original dive shop in order to get my c-card. They are a PADI 5-star shop, but they accept Universal Referrals from other agencies. I think that is a fairly new thing, but I haven't been able to find out for sure if I get a temporary card.

 

[Otter]

I'm not getting a PADI c-card; I'm sure of that because they told me I would be taking my paperwork back to the original dive shop in order to get my c-card. They are a PADI 5-star shop, but they accept Universal Referrals from other agencies. I think that is a fairly new thing, but I haven't been able to find out for sure if I get a temporary card.

I think you need to ask again. If they take Universal Referrals, then that means they will accept your SSI materials and PADI standards indicate that the Instructor completing OW diver 4 is the certifying instructor and that they have to issue you a c-card. Now if you don't complete 4 OW dives, that would be different. I think there may be a mis-understanding.

 

[neil]

redhatmama,

-PADI is not part of the Universal Referral Program.
-A PADI instructor IS allowed to conduct your referral dives for you but will not issue a certification.
-The instructor back home will order your permanent card.
-This is, IMO, just a way for PADI instructors to be able to accomodate customers, make $$ and not have the responsibility for the cert. Not necessarily a bad thing, but there it is.

Why don't you find an instructor who can issue you a temporary card? NAUI, SSI, YMCA, PDIC, and IDEA are part of the Universal system. Hire an instructor to complete your dives and then dive with that shop.

In order for the PADI instructor to certify you he/she would have to follow these guidelines:

Non-PADI to PADI Referrals
Verification and Documentation Verification
* Review the referral document to verify that the student has completed the
knowledge and skill development portions of an entry-level scuba course.
Retain a copy of the referral form.
•Verify that the student has completed a water skills assessment (at least a 200 metre/yard swim or 300 metre/yard mask, snorkel, and fin swim and a 10 minute tread/float).
•Verify that the training completion date listed on the referral document is not older than 12 months.

Documentation – Next, have the student complete a PADI Medical Statement, Standard Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding, and Liability Release (Certificate of Understanding) and Assumption of Risk Agreement.

Preassessment
You must ensure that the student successfully completes the entire PADI Scuba Review program (refer to the Scuba Review Instructor Guide) along with the PADI Open Water Diver Final Exam. Remediate the student’s knowledge and skills, as necessary, before any open water training occurs.

Use the PADI Skill Evaluation to assess student skills. In addition to the skills listed on the PADI Skill Evaluation Grade Sheet, the student must also demonstrate mastery of the following skills:
• Underwater swim without a mask
• Air depletion exercise
• Air depletion/Alternate Air Source (AAS) combined exercise

Training
A student referred from a certification organization other than PADI must complete
Open Water Dives One and Two for Scuba Diver certification, or One through Four for Open Water Diver certification.

Certification
As the instructor completing the open water dives, only you can certify the student. You must submit a PADI Positive Identification Card (PIC) envelope to PADI for processing and retain the student’s referral documents. You must submit the PIC within seven days of the completion of the course.

No matter what, have fun!

Neil

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Much confusion over nothing.

PADI Instructors can do three things with a referral:
1)Student started with PADI Instructor: Referral instructor does pre-assessment as needed, and completes open water training dives to PADI standards. Student is issued a PADI temporary card and will receive the permanent card later. Referral Instructor is the certifying instructor.

2)Student started with any other agency, and is finishing as a PADI certification: Referral instructor does pre-assessment as needed, teaches additional skills as needed in pool, administers final exam, and completes open water training dives to PADI standards. Student is issued a PADI temporary card and will receive the permanent card later. Referral Instructor is the certifying instructor.

3)Student started with any other agency, and is finishing as a Universal Referral-type certification: Referral instructor does pre-assessment as needed, and completes open water training dives to the Universal Referral-type program standards. Student is issued an Universal Referral-type temporary certification card by the referral instructor, but must return paperwork to the initiating instructor for registration of permanent certification. The initiating instructor is the certifying instructor.

PADI Instructors can complete Universal Referral-type certifications, assuming they have registered, as required, with the appropriate program. They cannot issue PADI certifications through one of those referrals unless all required PADI standards are also met.

 

[neil]

Much confusion over nothing.

Drew,
Maybe so. I think even PADI is confused over this. If you haven't already, check out the PADI website pro area for referral info. They are not even clear as to whether to HONOR universal referral certs. Lots of talk about lawyers, however.

You must do tons of referral dives every year. Do YOU sign off temp cards for these divers? If PADI is not part of the URP, what are those temp cards worth? Just asking.

Neil

 

[justleesa]

Hi there!

You won't get a temp card, but you will have the signed off paperwork to prove that you completed the certification (you took the test already too, right??). You can show that.

Aloha,
Lisa

PS: Ask them to make you a photo copy (show that one) so that the original doesnt' get damaged or lost.