The medical certificate is the first gate into seafaring. Most people collecting documents leave it until last, yet its outcome can change the whole plan — which is exactly why it belongs first.
Who issues it
In Türkiye, seafarer medical fitness certificates are issued by the Seafarer Health Centres and Coastal Health Inspection Centres attached to the Directorate General of Border and Coastal Health of Türkiye. Not every hospital can issue one; you need an authorised centre.
Confirm which centre is nearest to you, and how appointments work, from the official source. We do not publish a centre list or a duration here: both change, and a wrong one means a wasted trip.
Validity — the international framework
MLC 2006 sets maximum validity periods for the medical certificate. These are international UPPER limits; countries and the specific duties involved may require shorter periods.
- Medical certificate: a maximum of two years.
- For seafarers under the age of 18: a maximum of one year.
- Certification of colour vision: a maximum of six years.
MLC 2006 also states that a medical certificate issued in accordance with STCW requirements shall be accepted. You do not need two separate examinations for two separate systems.
What is examined
The scope depends on the duties you will perform; vision, hearing and colour discrimination weigh more heavily for deck and engine roles. If you have a chronic diagnosis or take regular medication, do not hide it before the examination — withheld information does not speed the process up, it brings it back later.
Planning advice
- Take the medical as the first step, not the last.
- Put the expiry date in your calendar; a certificate that runs out mid-voyage is a problem.
- If your result is restricted, discuss which positions remain open — “no” and “not in this position” are not the same answer.
The medical certificate is not a formality; it is a safety condition for working at sea. Confirm the process and the centres from the official source — this article is a guide, not the text of the regulation.