AMO Currents - Denial of TWIC cards to mariners who are naturalized U.S. citizens

AMO Currents - Posted: July 9, 2008

Denial of TWIC cards to mariners who are naturalized U.S. citizens

The Transportation Security Administration has recently denied Transportation Worker Identification Credential cards to two mariners who are naturalized U.S. citizens. The TSA said it was "unable to verify" the immigration status of the mariners.

American Maritime Officers Director of Government Relations Mike Murphy has investigated the denials for the mariners, who are both AMO members, and is working with them to appeal the determinations.

Murphy recommended AMO members who were not born in the U.S. to take the following measures regarding the TWIC application process:

If you have not applied for a TWIC, be sure to provide your U.S. passport as identification and confirm that it has been scanned into your file when you are interviewed.
If you have already applied for a TWIC and receive a letter of denial based on your immigration status, immediately follow the instructions in the letter to appeal the decision, as there is a 60-day time limit for filing an appeal before the TSA's determination becomes final. In the appeal letter, include a copy of your passport, merchant mariner document and license.

Any AMO member who needs assistance with a TWIC denial appeal can contact Murphy at the union's Washington, D.C., office at (202) 479-1166 or (202) 560-6889, or by .