I was talking with my travel agent yesterday afternoon at Gracy Travel and she told me that all hunters caring guns and going through Amsterdam now have to have the Official gun permits. She said even though it would be a transfer from KLM to KLM that the govt is now requiring all sportsmen to have to proper paper copies for their guns on their person. Susan told me this starts NOW even though the law has been around awhile and they have not ever required this before.

This is not a problem. Just get the application and you will have the permit in a couple of weeks. I connected through Amsterdam last year and they never even asked for the permit. If you are staying overnight, it is my understanding that you cannot have possession of the guns. Either the airline must provide "secure" storage or you must arrange for them to be stored at a local gun club (which charges $$$). KLM held mine at the airport.

I did the same thing as Bwanahile, and KLM kept my guns at the airport. I did not have a gun permit. Cunningham, GotoGirl has all the contact information to obtain gun permits in Amsterdam. You must contact the airport police for the permit. I think the name of the man in charge of permits was named Oosterly. You can reach him through Skipol(sp) Airport.

Apparently they are being more strict on firearms in Amsterdam.

Netherlands Embassy

Here is an account of a recent experience that one of our members had in Amsterdam.

"This is something that has recently transpired and will affect those hunters traveling via Amsterdam who decide to spend one or more nights there. This happened to a friend of mine coming back from the US shows:

Charlie (fake name) and I stopped off in Holland for a week on our way back from the US and had ammunition with us which had been cleared by NW/KLM before we left the US. As he had done in the past when traveling to England via Holland with a rifle, Charlie went to the customs in the baggage hall to inform them he had ammunition in his bag and wanted to deposit this with them until our return to Kilimanjaro. They said, no problem, but that the police had to handle this and went off to get a policeman. He duly arrived and picked up the ammo and asked Charlie to go with him. Charlie, having been through this procedure before, thought nothing of it and followed the policeman out of the baggage hall and across the airport plaza to the police station. There we waited 3 hours for him not knowing what was going on behind the locked doors and finally Charlie appeared and announced that he had been arrested for bringing ammunition into Holland without a permit! He was told to wait for the public proscecutor to arrive and finally after 6 hours in the police station he was allowed to go, without ammo, and with a court case set for a date in April at which a lawyer may represent him. Everyone was very polite and there was no unpleasantness but they did insist that Charlie had broken the law and would have to pay a fine.

Our office in Holland contacted customs at Schiphol Airport and were informed that a Consent of Transit (Transit Permit) is required for passengers traveling with guns/ammunition and breaking their journey in Amsterdam. This permit/consent has to be applied for in advance through the airline and passengers should go with this to the red desk in the baggage hall and declare the weapons."

Regards,

Terry

Just Spoke to Officer Becker at the Amsterdam Airport Customs office 011 312 04058888

The Netherlands Consulate is going to be changing their web site to clarify this

In Transit through Amsterdam a permit is not needed.

If you are staying over night in Amsterdam you can store your firearms with customs

I have the permit application

Is there a URL where the application can be downloaded?

Russ

Here is what Gracy Travel told me today in regard to this new policy:

This is something new that the Netherlands are trying to impose. We do have the form to obtain permit but are still waiting on clarification if it is needed when a simple transfer takes place versus an overnight. I will definitely keep you informed on this one. We did get the form yesterday and are still waiting on the proper procedures from the Amsterdam police.

Yeah, I understand, but I'd rather apply for it and have it and not need it than wait until the last minute and they suddenly decide, "Oh, we require it now" when "I" get there. Unless it's like a two- or three-hundred-dollar permit, I'd just rather get it out of the way instead of waiting for their committee, or whatever, to make up its mind. Just trying to be proactive instead of reactive, that's all.

Russ

The time is rapidly coming when we start a hunting only airline servicing Africa from the states. We have roomy seats, good food, free beverage service and handle the firearms in a business like fashion w/o hassels. Kind of like SAA in the old days! I figure a 737 configured like the military hospital planes would have the range. One A/C, fly round trip to Joburg from Miami and back every other day. You get enoough business, and people will conform their hunt dates to your schedule. Kudude

I think you may need to carry drop tanks on that 737 for a non-stop to Jo'burg.

Well, I don't know which bird would be most viable, bit I think the idea is absolutely crackerjack!

What a novel idea. An airline that EXPECTS you to show up with guns. Incredible.

Russ

Gracy faxed me a copy of the form to fill out. I'll be damned if I can figure it out.

Dave

My agent sent me an example. I can't post it, but will go thru it by Block #. There are two (2) forms required, one out and one in:

1-Country of Origin (out-usa, back ?)
2-Country of Destination (out-?, back USA)
3a Shipper: yo name (no, to arms merchant)
4a consignee: yo name (no, to arms merchant)
yo address on both sides
yo birth date on both sides (make sure they agree)
pass port number-both sides
date passport issued-both sides
where passport issued-both sides
country of passport-USA both sides
phone number-both sides

[WHAT I DID WAS FILL OUT ALL THAT STUFF ONE TIME WITHOUT THE COUTRY OF ORIGIN/DESTINATION THEN COPIED IT AND FILLED IN THE REST]

The description of rifle, leave blank CIP Test and line of sight

put in weight

On out form; 6 preceding permission not necessary Because: issued on arrival

On in form: 6 preceding permissio not necessary because: Returning Resident

7 Way of Transport

a. your flight# into Netherlands
b. your departure date and
c. your arr date
d. city/country of departure (ATL USA -out)
e. via-Netherlands
f. Netherlands
g. city/country yo is goin' to (JRO Tanzania)
h. flite to that country
8a. Arms merchant - no
8b. yo name again
8c. yo birth place and date
8d. yo address
8e. yo city & country
8f. date yo signed
8g. yo X

Comin' home you change places you is flying from to, but Netherlands still is in the middle

Hope that helps Kudude