Doesn't seem like that big a deal to me.
We are required to submit fingerprints for Concealed Carry permits and no one thinks anything about it.

We require EVERY ONE of them to be fingerprinted when they come here even without firearms.

And it's only one finger anyway - sheesh - just give em the finger and go hunting!

Maybe we should all take our lawyer with us or at least an accountant when we travel with guns into SA, the plot thickens

On a more serious note however I believe that once the dust settles it will not be as bad as we all seem to think it might be to hunt in SA with our own guns ...

Hell who cares if they want my finger prints, governments all over the world already know what we have for breakfast with video cameras everywhere, it is the new electronic society we all now live in where to some degree our own complacency and liberal governments have allowed the terrorist & criminals to run society and now we face the consequences of that, the horse has bolted and they are now trying to rope him in !!!

Keep positive and lets see how it unfolds

Peter

.

What I see here is a pattern. They make them up as they go along. It seems like every day theres something new. Numbers on barrels, receivers, and bolts. Form 311, now 520 and fingerprints. Yeah--this will lead to something good. And yeah, sure, this is the end of it right. I dont think so. Like I said in another post, theres other places to go that will take my money, show me a good time, and not give me all the hassle just because I'm a sheep who wants to legally hunt and own guns.

Sorry, I'm venting right now. I know I lost alot of money that I wont get back now....

Alf - Same for me everytime I enter Brazil. For that matter, you cannot enter most office buildings in Sao Paulo without your picture taken and some form of identification. Most Americans equate finger printing with criminals. There is bound to be a lot of resistence over this...

A finger print is not a problem for me. They take finger prints and photos everytime my driver's license is renewed in this state. If I can do that for the a license to drive a car then I guess it's not asking too much of me to do the same to obtain a firearms import license in a forign country. The extra paperwork is also not a burden as long as the correct forms can be obtained via the internet.

I do however object to the alleged possible requirement of having extra sets of serial numbers added to my firearms. The serial number problem is more than likely a misinterpertation of the new law.

RSA will continue to be a tourist destination for me so long as the hunting remains affordable.

I agree that fingerprinting is acceptable, I guess. What is up with the serial # everywhere fiasco?

It's been reported that,
Inspector Conroy believes that,
the new law states that,
a rifle needs to have the serial number on the action, barrel, bolt, scope, sling, recoil pad, and magazine follower.

The only thing the SOB forgot to tell the hunter it seems was to put the s/n on the hunters forehead as well, just for good measure



Peter

This gentleman is why I am going to borrow firearms this year. I would rather do that than waste 4 extra hours in the airport. After 16 or 17 hours in the air plus adittional travel time I dont expect people to be real patient. They will be tired and grumpy. I will not be any better. I can tell you that how this plays out will affect my choice of where to hunt next year. If they dont get this resolved I will be hunting somewhere other than South Africa. I dont expect them to change the requirements but I do expect them to streamline the process.



PS Alf, I dont like the crap the USA is doing to people coming in either. Surely there has to be a better way.

This will also impact the hunter planning a layover in JBG or Cape Town before flying on. Won't be good for places like the Afton House, which is too bad.

Has anyone, in-transit or on a temporary permit, actually had thier serial number engraved on their gun by the South African Police?

The regulation is clear. This, engraving, does not apply to in-transit or temporary permits, it applies to imported weapons.

I know this just went into effect yesterday, but Reread the information provided by SAPS and if needed contact the head office.

I agree with Mike, I don't mind the process...hell, fingerprint me, take my picture, have me fill out forms in f#%king triplicate. Just speed up the damn process. Last year there were two police officers checking paperwork and counting cartridges for 45 people! Two and a half hours later we get to the front of the line and some a$$hole wants a "tip" for this fiasco! If it was easy I guess everyone would do it but this is getting ridiculous! At least move five or ten policemen in to check paperwork when the international flights arrive.

I wanted to bump this because I'm leaving in a few days and was just wondering if there was any new news on this subject. I landing at JIA. I emialed my PH and they have guns for us if we dont bring ours. I'm still undecided . TIA...Axter

Fill out the SAP application form ahead of time, you can get a copy off our website by following the links to SAFARIS and then to TIPS AND TRAVEL ADVICE. Take your US Customs form 4457 with you and your booking confirmation with your PH's name, address and telephone number. You won't have any problems.

As before, you can't take semi-auto rifles or shotguns, no two weapons of the same caliber, and no pump shotguns.

You will not be fingerprinted and I very much doubt your firearms will be engraved as many have stated. Worst comes to worst, you can decline to have that done and check your firearms with the police until you depart.

Yo Russ,
Has anyone had any luck sending the SPS 520 to the officialdom ahead of time to save time?

Sarge,

My guy on the ground says you go to the head of the line if you have your paperwork filled out....and of course your 4457 and your booking confirmation. This makes sense as the other guys will be wading through 10 pages of bureaucracy while you get your permits.

If one fills out the SAP520 ahead of time, how many copies are needed?

Easiest way to find out:

Download from Russ website and read through. Not so complicated as indicated. Fingerprints only applies if you cant read or understand what you sign (maybe you are not suppoused to have guns if you cant understand????)

Post deleted by Axter

Just received this from my travel agent-she got it from the Afton House



Pease send the new SAPS 520 form (Application for multiple import/ export permit)

to all your clients.



Ask them to complete the sections applicable to them and to have it ready on arrival in South Africa, with the proof of ownership. (US Custom form 4457)



This will expedite to firearm permit process and they will be helped first.



Applicants ONLY have to complete:





PAGE 2 & 3 from E 1 to 25:4 (PARTICULARS OF APPLICANT)



PAGE 5 G (IMPORT AND/OR EXPORT DETAILS)



PAGE 6 I 1 (DETAILS OF FIREARMS)

I 2 (DETAILS OF AMMUNITION)



PAGE 7 J (SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT)



THE PRINT ON THE FORMS THEY HAVE AT JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS SLIGHTLY SMALLER AND ONLY NUMBERED FROM PAGE 1 TO 8.

HOWEVER THE INFORMATION IS THE SAME.



I WILL FAX A FORM FROM THE POLICE AT THE AIRPORT TO YOU.



Kind regards



Louis



I hope this will help anybody else getting ready to leave..Axter

This also just in...she seems to think that the 311 is now a dead issue...but I'm filling mine out anyway just to make sure....

Thanks for the info Axter. I downloaded the form, but it is confusing as Hell as to which parts I needed to fill out. I also heard the form 311 is not being used.

I came back into JIA yesterday and wasn't fingerprinted, but it looked like others were. (But I wasn't on a standard temporary import permit).

I made a point of talking to various hunters who were in the queue and was told that some had waited for up to 4 hours, and many were vowing never to return to RSA.

The SAPS have no intention of engraving anyones firearms and at the moment one serial niumber anywhere on the rifle is acceptable, however it appears that in the two versions of the act the English version states serial number should be on the receiver OR the bolt OR the action and the Afrikaans version (I'm told, but I don't speak Afrikaans) states AND, AND, AND. From my experience, most SAPS personnel have Afrikaans as their 1st language.

I used Air 2000 to help me through this and what anyone else does about them is their choice.....however, I was met at aircraft side, taken through passport control in double quick time (which must have saved me at least an hour) and then taken to the head of the queue where my rifle serial number was checked against my pre-issued permit and then I was allowed to go. The entire process took me about 20 minutes, against an hour plus at passport control and a further couple of hours at the SAPS counter.

This whole thing is a disaster for the hunting, tourism and aviation industries here and I have no idea what will happen in the long term.

The good news is that in-transit permits have now been scrapped for the foreseeable future.