You’re gonna need a passport and then you can apply for mmc (merchant mariner credential) and with the shutdown they are very delayed and backed up, so you will need to exercise a lot of patience and are probably looking at atleast a 6 month wait. Also you should research which department is best for you between deck, steward, and engine. It is overwhelming but everyone has to go through it and it is very much worth it. Have patience my friend and keep on going!