Why confirmation matters
A logbook you fill in alone is a record of what you remember. A logbook where someone who was on the dive has confirmed the entry is evidence that the dive happened as written. That difference matters in a few situations.
Professional courses such as divemaster have a minimum number of logged dives as a prerequisite, and the instructor may want to see them. Some dive centers ask for recent experience before deep, wreck or current dives. And if you ever change dive centers or agencies, a confirmed history makes it easier for a new instructor to trust your experience.
The traditional way
Paper logbooks have a space for a buddy or instructor signature, often with a stamp from the dive center. It works, but it depends on having the book and a pen at hand at the right moment, usually wet and on a rocking boat, and signatures are easy to forget once everyone has left.
What a validation is, and what it is not
A validation is a voluntary confirmation from someone who was there: your buddy, guide or instructor says that the dive details you recorded are right. It is useful as evidence of experience.
It is not an official training record. Training agencies keep their own records of courses and certifications, and a validation does not replace the forms, signatures or records an agency or instructor requires for a course. Always check with your instructor what they need.
Ask only people who were on the dive and who agree to confirm it. A validation from someone who was not there is worth nothing to you or anyone else.
Ask at the right moment
The best time to ask is the same day, while the dive is fresh in everyone's memory. Make it easy: show the person the details you logged, depth, time, site and date, so they can confirm them at a glance.
If you change a confirmed dive later, its depth, time, site or date, the confirmation should no longer count, because it no longer describes what the person agreed to. Correct the dive first, then ask again.
How Frey Dive helps
In Frey Dive you can ask for a validation while adding a dive or from the dive page. The person can confirm it from an email link, or you can show them a QR code to scan on the spot, with no account needed. They can add their name, agency and professional number if they wish, which Frey keeps as entered.
Validated dives are marked in your logbook. If you later change the date, site, depth or bottom time, the validation is removed, so a confirmed dive always matches what was confirmed.