Naval engineers visa agreement 2026: what changes in certification

Key data

Naval engineers and companies in the maritime sector have a new mandatory framework for project visa processing from March 30, 2026. The Secretaría de Estado de Seguridad and the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos have signed an agreement that makes the professional association a collaborating entity for the technical validation of projects with security implications. The resolution publishing it, signed by the Secretaría General Técnica, appeared in the BOE on April 6, 2026 with reference BOE-A-2026-7793.

The impact is significant: any naval project subject to security supervision must go through this new visa channel. Ignoring it can result in processing delays, additional costs or projects that fail to pass the required technical validation.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement creates a formal collaboration framework between the Administration and the professional association for the verification and visa processing of naval engineering work. In practice, this means that the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos takes on an active role as a validating entity for projects with direct security implications.

The key elements established by the agreement are:

• The Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos acts as a collaborating entity in the technical validation of projects.
• Projects with security implications must channel their visa processing through this agreement.
• The framework affects timelines, procedures and administrative costs associated with naval project processing.
• The Secretaría de Estado de Seguridad is the institutional counterpart of the agreement.

This type of agreement between professional associations and state security bodies is not new in other sectors, but it does represent a significant development for naval engineering in Spain, which until now did not have this specific visa channel linked to security.

Economic and operational impact

The agreement does not set specific fee amounts or costs in the published text, but it does establish that the new framework may affect timelines, procedures and administrative costs in naval project processing. This has direct operational consequences for companies in the sector:

• Administrative costs: Channeling the visa process through the professional association may involve new association fees or modifications to existing ones for projects with a security component.
• Processing timelines: The addition of an extra step for association verification may lengthen project approval times, with a consequent impact on construction planning and contracts.
• Internal procedures: Companies will need to adapt their workflows to include the association visa as a prerequisite before submission to security bodies.
• Risk of delays: Projects that do not follow the new procedure may become blocked at the technical validation stage.

Who is affected?

The agreement directly affects the following profiles and organizations:

• Naval and ocean engineers who develop projects subject to security supervision.
• Companies in the maritime and naval sector that process technical projects with security implications.
• Shipyards and naval construction companies that require professional visa processing for their projects.
• Naval engineering and consulting firms that manage project processing before public bodies.
• Procurement, project and compliance departments of companies operating in the maritime sector.

Practical example

A naval engineering company managing the technical project for the refit of a vessel with implications for onboard safety systems needs to obtain the professional visa to submit it to the Administration.

Before this agreement, the visa process followed the usual channel of the professional association without a specific framework linked to the Secretaría de Estado de Seguridad. From March 30, 2026, that same project must be channeled through the new framework established by the agreement, which involves:

1. Verifying whether the project has security implications that place it within the scope of the agreement.
2. Processing the visa through the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos as the collaborating entity.
3. Anticipating possible adjustments to processing timelines and the administrative costs associated with the process.

If the company does not adapt its process and submits the project through the previous channel, it may find that the technical validation is not accepted by the security bodies, resulting in delays and additional costs.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify affected projects: Review the portfolio of naval projects in progress or in the processing phase to determine which ones have security implications and fall within the scope of the agreement.
2. Contact the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos: Request information on the new visa procedure, the specific requirements and the applicable fees under the new framework.
3. Update internal procedures: Incorporate the association visa under this agreement as a mandatory step in the processing workflow for projects with a security component.
4. Review contractual timelines: If there are ongoing contracts with delivery dates linked to project approval, assess whether the new processing timelines may affect compliance with those commitments.
5. Inform project teams: Ensure that engineers, project managers and compliance officers are aware of the new framework and are applying it immediately, given that it entered into force on March 30, 2026.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-7793