The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) on November 20, 2025, issued the draft circular regarding the introduction of Revised Form-1, Form-1A, and Form-1B.
The following has been stated:
It has received multiple reports of Indian seafarers being denied boarding at airports due to airlines and immigration officials demanding Form-I, despite travellers holding valid visas and required documents. Although the Merchant Shipping Notice has clarified that not all personnel require Form I, the insistence continues, causing unnecessary delays and hardship.
To remove ambiguity and prevent document misuse, DG Shipping has introduced three standardized, secure, non-editable forms effective December 01, 2025:
Form-1: Indian seafarers recruited through RPSL companies for foreign-flag vessels
Form-1A: Seafarers joining Indian-flagged vessels through Indian ship-owners or RPSL companies
Form-1B: Non-seafarer shipboard personnel (technicians, auditors, surveyors, OEM staff, cruise hotel crew, etc.)
These forms will include watermarks, unique serial numbers, and Emigrate ARN integration to prevent forgery and ensure easy verification.
All airlines, airport staff, and immigration authorities must accept the new forms without insisting on the old Form-I, except in suspicious cases. Accordingly, all RPSL/Non-RPSL companies, Shipping companies must issue the correct form, upload required details in the DGS e-Gov module, and provide complete travel documents.
Any refusal or harassment may be reported to DG Shipping’s 24×7 helplines-
[email protected] and [email protected] ; Phone/ WhatsApp +91 - 9004048406 / +91 86575 49760.
Please refer to the document attached below for more details.
