When I went to Aurora last summer to get a couple new 4457 a nice lady asked me where I was going as I was looking over the directory in the building. She worked in the customs office and took me up there with her and got the customs officer to come out and do my forms. I didn't bring my gun and optics and he didn't want to see them. At least I know where the office is so I can go back and get the new forms.

Scan your old 4457s, add whatever expiration date you choose, print, laminate, and smile at the SAPS goons as you clear.

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
That's where I went, I agree the staff used to be friendly and helpful. Maybe Monday was just a bad day to visit.

Dang was hoping that one was still good.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by jjbull:
My wife has dearly loved our time spent at African Sky in the past while in transit to hunting destinations.

It's an 8 hour drive each way to get new 4457s for us.

I will avoid RSA if at all possible. In Sept, we will fly Emirates to Harare via Dubai.

Double check and make sure your flight hasn't been cancelled. Emirates cut flights in selected US cities.

Thanks for solid advice, Jim.

Today, we are in good shape. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

I have Patrick at Steve Turner's Travel w/Guns in my corner so feel pretty confident I will be in Harare in time. (shameless plug for http://www.travelwithguns.com/ )

Bump to the top!
I'll be taking a new rifle in to eat a 4457 form. I'll keep everyone posted on what happens as I will take all my old forms in for a update.

I just today went in to he customs office in Cleveland because my forms were " old " despite one being two months ago. I had printed the new form on 8x11 paper. The officer refused to sign it because it was not an original document. This is stated on the back on the form. Needless to say they did not have an up to date form. He told me I have to find original forms. Anybody know how I can get 5? If anybody has some I m happy to send you money for expenses of sending me original forms.

I just called the Customs office in Fresno and they told me that I had to bring my gun in and to print the new form off the internet.

My 4457s are from 2008 with a 2009 expiration date. My brother got his 4457 in 2015 and his form has no expiration date. The new form has an 08/31/2019 expiration date.

It is absolutely amazing how government employees, who are trained from the same book of rules and procedures can do things so different.
You guys need to move to Alaska!
Our double shoot is Sat. Come up for the shoot and stay.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
It is absolutely amazing how government employees, who are trained from the same book of rules and procedures can do things so different.
Cal

Every customs office is a bit different. I fly a small plane up to Alaska every summer to fish. At Anchorage, they're pretty laid back about meeting the arrival time + or - 15 minutes. "Call us when you get here". No such luck on the way back.

I had my 4457 "refreshed" in Reno without an appointment and no hassle. I will say I was a bit annoyed at the customs officer who did a 4457 for my .243 a year ago when he muttered "cheap scope", but generally speaking I've found customs officers professional, polite, and helpful. Even when I've screwed up.

FWIW, have never had a Tanzania Customs Agent request to see the 4457 form.

Having said this, best to have it with you and have the updated version for your re-entry into the US.

I have had Tanzania look at mine once. Upside down.

South Africa was pretty minimal for me, but then Bruce from Gracy did all the talking o them.

Zambia was probably the most friendly but thorough in it.

Zimbabwe, they were hit or miss, with one guy wanting a Christmas present.

Cameroon had the visa and gun permit in advance, so they didn't even look at the US docs at Douala in my case. But they very carefully inspected the Cameroon permit and the guns.

Bwanamich, the issue is not the US customs folks...for our purposes the form is eternal. The problem is now SAPS which is the usual point of entry to Africa for most US hunters decided on its own to say the form outdated in 1 year... and who knows who else will decide this is the case now.

I guess most nations can't begin to fathom that in the states we don't have a permit at all for guns (with a few exceptions) in civilian hands...

quote:

Originally posted by jhaney:
Hey Cal,
You must admit Alaska,thank God,is in a different universe from many of the other states. Can you imagine having to renew a 4457 in California!

When I did mine I lived in California. I went to the San Francisco Office and the just had me fill them out and they stamped them. I didn't even have to bring my rifles into the office.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
I have had Tanzania look at mine once. Upside down.

South Africa was pretty minimal for me, but then Bruce from Gracy did all the talking o them.

Zambia was probably the most friendly but thorough in it.

Zimbabwe, they were hit or miss, with one guy wanting a Christmas present.

Cameroon had the visa and gun permit in advance, so they didn't even look at the US docs at Douala in my case. But they very carefully inspected the Cameroon permit and the guns.

Bwanamich, the issue is not the US customs folks...for our purposes the form is eternal. The problem is now SAPS which is the usual point of entry to Africa for most US hunters decided on its own to say the form outdated in 1 year... and who knows who else will decide this is the case now.

I guess most nations can't begin to fathom that in the states we don't have a permit at all for guns (with a few exceptions) in civilian hands...

Temporary firearm importation into Tanzania is very simple and straightforward. Once you have the permit, it is a matter of a few minutes to verify the serial numbers match the Temp import permit and the number of rounds correspond to those listed on the permit and you are off to your hotel room.

thanks Cal, that is good news

I just had one done and it was painless. I will admit that the CBP officer did ask where I had gotten the form as it was already filled in and printed. I said "off the CBP website." He replied OK and signed the form. Hate everyone is going through this hassle for a non-issue and it would be nice if CBP would print an expiration of 50 years on the form.

Don

I did three new ones here in Las Vegas on Saturday. I had the new 4457 forms already filled out and they only checked two out of the three rifles. The rest of the items (cameras, binos, etc.) they weren't even interested in looking at. It went very quickly. I believe that filling out the forms ahead of time makes it easier on them, and makes the experience for both parties positive.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Remember, those 'old' 4457s are still good everywhere else in the world, except South Africa, so don't throw them away. South Africa is the only country requiring 'updated' 4457s that I know of. I have 4457s on rifles that probably won't go back to Africa but will still likely go to Mexico or somewhere else and I'm not going to rush out to obtain new 4457s for them.

Oh yeah...he kept the old 4457 and wouldn't give it back. I asked for it, but English wasn't his first language so he might not have understood the request.

Don't go to the office in DFW. Go to the one just off of US 114 (7501 Esters BLVD # 160, Irving, TX, 75063) on the NE edge of DFW. Unless they have changed from 2015...they are the same friendly guys as always.

Will be going myself in a few days...will report my experience.

Went and got my new 4457's today at CBP on Esters BLVD, Irving, TX. The guys there must have been having a bad day when Karl went by because it was friendly and helpful just like all the times I have been. The officer even went out to my truck with me to look at my guns. Fifteen minutes in and out max...very nice and polite.

Some differences though. In the past...they kept no records...always said the form was just for me.

This time they recorded my drivers license number, mailing address, phone number, and departing flight number and date into the computer. The also asked for value of the guns.

So while service was good in Texas...the Feds are collecting data.

I had mine done a couple weeks ago and they did none of those things..

just the usual small talk and seemed more interested in what I was hunting than anything...also we bring our guns inside their office.

quote:

Originally posted by Heym 450/400:
I had mine done a couple weeks ago and they did none of those things..

just the usual small talk and seemed more interested in what I was hunting than anything...also we bring our guns inside their office.

I brought 3 rifles in separate cases. I brought the first in and when I went out to get the next...he said heck...I just go out with. The others...all I did was unzip the case enough to see the serial # and he said good enough. He too wanted to know about hunting...but sadly he did collect data on me.

Back in the early 2000's on my first trip for
4457's the guy didn't write anything down. He said it was only for my use to prove I owned on re-entry.

Theoretically that's all the 4457 is for- to prove you owned an item BEFORE you left the US, so no import duty is due. That's why the same form is used to register cameras, binoculars, watches, etc. The info data gathering is just Big Brother watching you if you own a firearm. It has nothing to do with the original purpose of a 4457 form. I bet if you register a camera or Rolex they won't bother to get your name, address,email, etc..

I don't question that these people are doing these things. Given the purpose of the forms, it makes no sense.

I do know that every time I return, they check the guns against something in a computer. I guess to see if they are stolen or something.

My process a few months ago at the Bridgeport CT office was quite easy. The marshals at the front door were barely phased I walked in with a case full of guns. The CBP officer was very interested in my upcoming hunt. He even went so far to make five copies of each of my 4457's and authenticate each of them so I could send in originals with my applications for SAP permits.

I have my scopes listed on the 4457's as well. I asked if he wanted to verify the scope serial number and he said no...it wasn't of interest to him.

Other than the rifles, anything with a serial number I have on a 4457: scopes, binos, camera, computer.
Cal

I do too. Better to be safe than sorry with a Customs agent that doesn't know what he or she is doing, or says that you have to prove to me that you didn't buy the scope, or camera or whatever is of value outside the U.S.

Good grief!!! We arrived back at DFW this past Monday after a couple of weeks in SA and it took 40 minutes to get my rifle cleared thru CBP.
It was sort of disturbing, the officer took my 4457 (a new one, by the way) and commenced typing on his computer and looking puzzled, after a couple of minutes he asked another officer to "have a look", which he did and the new officer typed a bit. At that point, about 15 minutes into the ordeal I asked if there was a problem. The first officer said,"no, we just cant find this rifle in the system" and I overheard them talking about baggage tags and that they couldn't find the tag for the rifle case in their computer...even though they had my rifle case on the table in front of them with an Emirates baggage tag on the handle. I asked again what the problem might be and was told that they have new software and aren't really up to speed on using it. In the end, it took three of them to finally figure out that I brought back the same rifle I took out of the country.
A letter went to my congressman the next day and I am waiting on a reply. Makes me think there is a requirement for the airlines to enter information regarding rifles that are checked as baggage. He also asked if I brought "bullets" back and how many. I told him "no bullets".
Two of the three officers have recently processed me thru CBP when returning from Canada, so I know they aren't new employees.
I hope others have better luck and this was an isolated incident caused by unfamiliarity with new software.

Karl,
Same thing happened to me in Washington Dulles in May. Took 30 minutes as they are tracking my gun and me. Not sure what this is, but it is looking like a page out of "Enemy of the State"

I came back from Namibia last month on Qatar. Picked up my rifle case by the carousel with my luggage. Went thru customs. The 2 agents asked if I had 4457's. I produced them out of my backpack. They looked at them for a second, asked me about the hunt and sent me on my way. Did not look at rifles, did not ask about ammo, did not ask to clean boots. I was shocked.

Sighted in my falling block in 300 H&H flanged magnum yesterday at Clark Bros in Warrenton, VA and stopped by Dulles to get a "new" 4457. Customs officer asked for my form and checked the details I had filled in against the rifle, with extra hand-detachable barrel in .375 H&H flanged magnum, and my shotgun. His colleague allowed as how a number of folks had come in to do the same due to RSA SAPS misinterpretation of the CBP form.

No problem, just extra time.

Regards, Tim

I flew to Seattle two years ago, rented a car, and drove to B.C. for a caribou hunt. On the return into the USA at the border crossing the CBP agent just looked at my passport, asked what the purpose of my trip was, I told him to go caribou hunting, and he waved me on through without even asking to look at my rifle or form 4457! And that's precisely whats wrong with CBP. It's never consistent from one airport to another. If you come back from a hunt out of the country whether you fly or drive upon return regulations/inspection should all be the same.