Is anyone else having difficulty getting their gun permits processed by the authorities in Australia? i will be hunting in the Northwest Territory,,,,,provided I get a permit for my gun! Apparently the forms were changed and by April 8th they had the new forms from me as well. I am 32 days away from my scheduled departure. No permit,,, no gun,,, no hunt!

Is anyone elses experiencing this problem for their hunt this season?

Ok, 30 days out and I was panicking,,, my gun permit arrived this morning, hopefully my buddies will arrive soon as well. Cutting too close for comfort.

No problem here at all ...

Just to be correct Wes... it is the Northern Territory - North West Territories are a region in Canadia ...right??

Perhaps that is why the permits were so slow to get here.we were applying for them in Canada. LOL

I have travelled to Australia several times with firearms since 2000, and I have to say that the paperwork required to get in is bad enough, but the paperwork required to take your own firearm out of Aussie is just diabolical.

I had to become a registered exporter??
And if english isn't your specialty then lets just say I know people who will never think of travelling to Aussie with a firearm again, because of the paperwork involved.

Hope all your paperwork arrives in time.

Cheers
Kiwi

quote:

Originally posted by Kiwishooter2:
I have travelled to Australia several times with firearms since 2000, and I have to say that the paperwork required to get in is bad enough, but the paperwork required to take your own firearm out of Aussie is just diabolical.

I had to become a registered exporter??
And if english isn't your specialty then lets just say I know people who will never think of travelling to Aussie with a firearm again, because of the paperwork involved.

Hope all your paperwork arrives in time.

Cheers
Kiwi

You make it sound a lot worse than it is... I have walked out of Australia with guns many times and it is EASY. You just have to know what to do.

Bottom line with visitors - with the exception of New Zealand it is just as easy for international visitors to bring guns here as it is for most other countries (like the USA), especially if they are using an outfitter to expedite the paperwork. NZ is very easy and you are blessed in that way at the moment... but you try taking a gun to the USA (as a foreign national) and see how much grief is involved.

To clarify.... if you reside in a country like NZ, Europe - where hunters have firearms licences - the AUST firearms permit and import permit is a snack if you are hunting with a recognised outfitter. Fill in a couple pages of personal details and firearm detail, list where you are hunting and who with, send a copy your ID and firearm licence (CCP, FFL, city permit, etc) - as they have to get a background check or police certification ... but we just have to live with that.

It is a bit harder if you are hunting self-guided in a state that allows public land or other such hunts.... bit extra work for that.

BUT it isnt THAT hard... people just dont like filling out forms (me either!!).

Matt, I have travelled to Austria, South Africa, USA. and Aussie with firearms and of course New Zealand.
If I was rateing each country as in ease of getting into and out of the country with firearms it would be

New Zealand.....paperwork can be done at the airport when you arrive.

USA......Fill out a form and send it to BATF, get an import permit back. Check-in and leave the country. I have been to the US 4 times with firearms and have never had any problems or grief.

Austria.....Fill out the form send it off get a permit back, Check-in and leave.

South Africa......Fill out the form get an import permit back, have your rifle checked on the way in. Drop the rifle off at the police on the way out, show them the import permit and leave the country.
.
Australia, Brisbane several times.....Fill out a form and get a verified photo, send off to the Qld police to get a Aussie firearms licence and permit to import (note- if scope isn't attached to rifle it has to be listed seperately along with any other firearm parts eg trigger and all ammuntition or components have to be listed as well), arrive at customs show all paperwork they check everything, including counting all ammunition components ie cases and projectiles. Then when it come to leave Aussie, go to Customs, (since I have been approved as an exporter), fill out several forms in duplicate or it maybe triplicate (it's been almost 2 years since my last trip) wait for someone in authority to come and view the firearm and sign the papers, be escorted to check-in, then get escorted to oversize and transfer the firearm. Total time approx 1 hr from the time you arrive at Customs to leave to the time you transfer the rifle. I have known where it has taken Customs almost 2 hours to process the paperwork to exit the country for first time travellers.

One other thing I have been told by several shooters is DON'T fly into Sydney and try and go from International terminal to Domestic...apparantly you aren't allowed to travel on the public transport there with a firearm.....I know someone who missed there flight because of this.

Is Aussie easy, probably yes, just takes time. If you don't speak english, well I know some people who won't ever travel to Aussie again with firearms.

Since you are Australian it is what you are used too, but I even know Aussies who refuse to travel in and out of there own country with firearms.

Cheers
Kiwi

Yeah mate I now it is far from simple and there is a great love of paperwork here but I really think it comes down to klnowing what to do and haveing good advice. For instance that bit about Customs having to escort you to check-in. That is simply not the case... I dont know how you got mixed-up in that deal?? The bit about the public transport - well yeah, technically yes but if you had to take public transport then what foreign traveler would know about that regulation and what official is going to question you?? Changing terminal - every experienced traveller would know that an international terminal is going to home some form of bag-drop or inter-terminal connection - or a taxi if you are concerned about things - who would get on public transport anyhow????

You dont know what to do ??Sydney international - walk out the arrival gate and ask the volunteers and all will be revealed... Same as all good (first world) international airports!!

Your advice about not flying into Sydney to make connections is completely wrong - Sydney is about the best port of entry for firearms, given that the most number of firearm come through there and their are more customs officials familiar with the process.

However if you want to spend a few days in Sydney (with gun) before continuing on to another state - you better have your ducks in a line!! Hopefully that will change soon - given the lobbying I have been doing!!



Hey, when was the last time you got the import permit for USA???

quote:

Fill out a form and get a verified photo, send off to the Qld police to get a Aussie firearms licence and permit to import (note- if scope isn't attached to rifle it has to be listed seperately along with any other firearm parts eg trigger and all ammuntition or components have to be listed as well), arrive at customs show all paperwork they check everything, including counting all ammunition components ie cases and projectiles.

Sorry to harp on - but that is the sum total of the requirement to get a gun and as much ammuntition as you like into Australia??? Doesnt really sound that bad does it. You dont really need to list all those extra items like scopes and triggers and such - but it is just easier to put it on the import permit so that there can be no questions when you get to customs. We just tell clients to list EVERYTHING - so when some dumb-arse 20YO customs officer is looking at your stuff in your gunbox - if it is on the permit it will be all OK!! Too easy!!

Counting ammunition?? Yeah must have been a slow day...

NB: It is quite shocking to many O/S visitors coming to Australia (and New Zealand) just how tough our customs and quarantine laws especially are. Once they start looking (guns, etc) they like to look at everything. And fine you if you dont declare such things as foodstuffs... Australia and New Zealand being such pure places that we want to protect!!!

Matt, you can't bring in as much ammo as you like,,, unless that is a sum total of less than 11 lbs. From the US, Quantas will not allow you to fly with more than 11 lbs of ammo,, and getting the paperwork to get there is a real pain in the ass,,a pain for the ammo as well as the gun, I am just counting on it being all worth it when I get there,,,,11 lbs of 416 rigby shells is about 80 cartridges. That will probably give the shoulder all it wants!

It is not Qantas that make the rule only 11 lbs,no airline will let you fly with more than 11lbs.

Matt Australian customs counted my ammo,no real problem.

Yes as TP said - it is the airlines (by international convention) not Australia that precludes more than 11lb. It can be a problem for us because we do so many different culling hunts, people want to bring heaps. I note that some of our clients have been bringing an extra bag and packing an EXTRA 11lb in the second bag. So too if you have an observer withb you - pack an extra 11lb in their bag too!!

The thing is when you check-in at the airport they do not ask who is the hunter, who is the non-hunter, who/where is the holder of the import permit... so in theory you should be able to increase the quantites of ammo ... I guess??

On another note - if you are flying out of the USA with connections right through .... be very, very careful how you route your bags through LAX...

We had a client show up yesterday.. he went into LAX on United connecting to Qantas international to Brisbane.. bags show up in Brisbane but no gun!! In the USA United will check your bags right through onto Qantas (even though they dont code share) but that wont guarantee your bags will make it. Coming out of the USA - (if you are swapping between different code-shares) only check your bags to LAX, get your bags and recheck them onto Qantas or whoever, so you KNOW they are with the right airline at LAX. It's a hassle but it is worth it. If you can do it spend the extra money and stay with the same partners and you will have less hassle.

Our poor hunter is now stuck in camp without his double rifle... 40 something hours after his depature from LAX I just find out now that that his gun is still sitting with UA in LAX - they still havent delivered it to Qantas baggage services!!!!!!! Grrrrrrr.

I'll bet he will be thanking his travel agent for that cheap United ticket when he gets home... hopefully his double shows up tomorrow night... not holding my breath though. United doesnt even have their own baggage services in Australia and the contractor that does it isnt taking calls AND I cant call the United Baggage number in the USA because I cant dial a US 1800 number from outside USA.. Ohhhh what fun!!!

I would like to say that Qantas baggage services has been very helpful but they cant do anything without the gun being delivered to them.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
Yes as TP said - it is the airlines (by international convention) not Australia that precludes more than 11lb. It can be a problem for us because we do so many different culling hunts, people want to bring heaps. I note that some of our clients have been bringing an extra bag and packing an EXTRA 11lb in the second bag. So too if you have an observer withb you - pack an extra 11lb in their bag too!!

The thing is when you check-in at the airport they do not ask who is the hunter, who is the non-hunter, who/where is the holder of the import permit... so in theory you should be able to increase the quantites of ammo ... I guess??

Oh Maybe this may not work if you have to check your bags onto Qantas in LAX/SFA - now that they are asking for permit numbers for the DG Permit. You might still be able to have two lots of ammo in 2 separate bags though - I havent tried it?? Probably depends on the person at check-in too...

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:

quote:

Fill out a form and get a verified photo, send off to the Qld police to get a Aussie firearms licence and permit to import (note- if scope isn't attached to rifle it has to be listed seperately along with any other firearm parts eg trigger and all ammuntition or components have to be listed as well), arrive at customs show all paperwork they check everything, including counting all ammunition components ie cases and projectiles.

Sorry to harp on - but that is the sum total of the requirement to get a gun and as much ammuntition as you like into Australia??? Doesnt really sound that bad does it. You dont really need to list all those extra items like scopes and triggers and such - but it is just easier to put it on the import permit so that there can be no questions when you get to customs. We just tell clients to list EVERYTHING - so when some dumb-arse 20YO customs officer is looking at your stuff in your gunbox - if it is on the permit it will be all OK!! Too easy!!

Counting ammunition?? Yeah must have been a slow day...

Yes it doesn't take much to get into Aussie it takes a s.....t load more to get out with your own stuff, compared to any other country I have been too......I have never had to fill in any paperwork to become a registered exporter in any other country.......seems a bit over the top.......every other country just lets you leave.....no problems and South Africa looks at your import permit and checks you are taking the same firearms out.
Oh and in Aussie, Customs don't provide interpreters for those that can't read and speak english fluently, which is why some people refuse to go back to Aussie with firearms.

BTW it took a loooonnnnnnng time for customs to count 600 projectiles I just couldn't believe they did it.......kiwi

Yeah the whole counting routine is bad.... I have struck a lot of VERY young customs agents and luckily they knew nothing about firearms permits, so it was easy to get them to go find someone who did - all is generally sweet when you have someone who knows...

The registered exporter thing is just a mistake too... what it is is that there computer system requires a thing like a customer number - so you have to become a 'customer' before you can log your guns out. It is no big deal - another bit of paper... and next time you come to Australia you will have the same customer number. I wouldnt say its over the top - it is a just a silly bearocrats clerical thing. I wonder if that has changed recently? Havent taken a gun out for 2 years.

The real problem is that in Australia - no one writes written complaint about these silly things. If no one complains then the beaurocrats have no reason to change it!!

No offense to Aussies or Kiwis; but I think I would just as soon have knee replacement surgery done without anesthetic by some drunk with a KaBar who flunked 1st year med studies as ever visit y'all with firearms.
Wonderful country, I took an R&R there in 1970; and the ladies are mighty fine. Went to RSC's and had the time of my life.
But, the firearms in and out process is bad news.

I think I'll stick with Africa for now.

Rich
DRSS

Rich, the requirement to get into NZ has changed since you were here last. When you arrive in NZ you take your rifle to the police on duty at the airport fill out a import permit and that is it.
A US hunter came in on the same flight as me, when I came back from the US, he had 8 rifles and it didn't take very long for him to get his paperwork done approx 20 minutes.
I have to say it's taken more than 3 months to get a US permit at times and once I applied in January for a trip in August....I had to leave the rifle at home.....the permit arrived 1 week after I left.
South Africa takes more than it does to get into NZ, you should come over for a hunt then you will find out how it has changed......Cheers Kiwi

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
No offense to Aussies or Kiwis; but I think I would just as soon have knee replacement surgery done without anesthetic by some drunk with a KaBar who flunked 1st year med studies as ever visit y'all with firearms.
Wonderful country, I took an R&R there in 1970; and the ladies are mighty fine. Went to RSC's and had the time of my life.
But, the firearms in and out process is bad news.

I think I'll stick with Africa for now.

Rich
DRSS

Rich - like Kiwi says it is far worse for foreign hunters to come to your country than it is for others to bring guns to NZ or Aust. Like I say it is not that hard to get into Aust and easy into NZ.

Whats more the USA likes to fingerprint foreign nationals when they come to visit your country ... which really is too much for an 'ally' like ourselves...

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
On another note - if you are flying out of the USA with connections right through .... be very, very careful how you route your bags through LAX...

We had a client show up yesterday.. he went into LAX on United connecting to Qantas international to Brisbane.. bags show up in Brisbane but no gun!! In the USA United will check your bags right through onto Qantas (even though they dont code share) but that wont guarantee your bags will make it. Coming out of the USA - (if you are swapping between different code-shares) only check your bags to LAX, get your bags and recheck them onto Qantas or whoever, so you KNOW they are with the right airline at LAX. It's a hassle but it is worth it. If you can do it spend the extra money and stay with the same partners and you will have less hassle.

Our poor hunter is now stuck in camp without his double rifle... 40 something hours after his depature from LAX I just find out now that that his gun is still sitting with UA in LAX - they still havent delivered it to Qantas baggage services!!!!!!! Grrrrrrr.

I'll bet he will be thanking his travel agent for that cheap United ticket when he gets home... hopefully his double shows up tomorrow night... not holding my breath though. United doesnt even have their own baggage services in Australia and the contractor that does it isnt taking calls AND I cant call the United Baggage number in the USA because I cant dial a US 1800 number from outside USA.. Ohhhh what fun!!!

I would like to say that Qantas baggage services has been very helpful but they cant do anything without the gun being delivered to them.

UPDATE: United Airlines held his gun in their office for three days and refused to answer Qantas' requests to deliver it to them urgently... United were a pack of lying bastards... frakin' anti-gunners I would suggest...

There is going to be hell to pay!!!

On the flip-side the hunter killed a monster bull this morning - with one of my guns...

MG