I will be taking rifles to South Africa in July, We will be stopping Johanesburg for 1 night and then traveling on to Port Elizabeth the next day. Should we check the fire arms all of the way thru to Port Elizabeth, will we fill out the forms when we get there..what preperations should or can I make now.

You will have to clear the guns and get your SAPS 520 permit when you "enter" the counrty at Joberg.

The very best guide to filling out the paperwork that I have found is on riflepermits.com.

You don't need to pay a service; it's not that hard to do it yourself.

Opinions to the contrary will now follow:

kit

As you've been told you will have to clear customs in JNB before continuing onto your final destination.

I'd recommend using Gracy Travel to make your arrangements. They have their own meet/greet service and will have your gun permits ready for you. The actual permit is the only additional cost. The meet/greet, assistance with luggage and rechecking in for the next flight are part of the service.

This in my opinion is the only way to handle transiting RSA with guns.

They also have an agreement with Afton House to handle all overnight stays in RSA.

The process is seamless. You deal with only one entity here in the States and they do all the rest for the cost of the ticket, RSA gun permit and overnight in RSA if necessary. Pretty slick!

Mark

What about the return through Joberg?

Kit,

You have to check your firearms to Jo'burg and then clear through customs there and then check them in again for you onward flight. Coming back, check to Jo'burg, collect and then recheck in for onward travel. You can find the application forms here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...ermit-downloads.html

If you want to use a firearms import service, you can find two good options here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...nting-directory.html

You also need to have your travel agent confirm in writing that your flight to and from PE is permitted to carry firearms. Some aircraft (those that allow access to the baggage hold from the cabin in flight) types are not permitted to do so. You also need to have them confirm in writing that there will be staff at PE for both arrival and departure dates who are qualified to handle your firearms during the check in process etc.

Hope that helps

Is the return through Joberg as difficult as when entering from the States? Do you suggest meet and greet service for the return to the states? This would be into and out of Zim through Amsterdam

Thanks

no, it's easy. Just check in, tell them you have firearms and ammo and they tell you to take it to the firearms office.

I personally don't think you need the meet and greet for the return journey........ as long as you have a longish layover in Jo'burg. If time is short however, you might like to consider it.

Don't forget your Dutch consent form and you'll find the form on the firearms permit download I published above.

Thank everyone for the tips. I will pass it along and let each individual decide what he wants to do as far as the meet and greet service.

kit,

Sounds like you are going with a small group. Make it real simple! Everybody uses the same agent, Gracy or Kathi Klimes.

Tell them where you are going and when you are going. Then do what they say. Read what they send you and DO what they tell you to do!

If you let the others have a choice then get ready for a cluster that could put a damper on the entire trip.

Dulcinea

kit,

Dulcinea has given you some sage advise. If you all do something differnt you will have a gauranteed cluster f---! Just use Gracy Travel and their complimentary meet/greet/gun permit service. Travel to Africa needs to be simple and this is as simple as it gets.

Mark

Is the requirement for a letter from the travel agent certifying that the aircraft can take firearms and that the destination airport has a receiving agent a new one since 2004?

Going to Phalaborwha as in 2004, didn't need that then.

Thanks!

Mike,

It's not a legal requirement to get the letter, just very good advice.

There's always been a legal requirement that firearms not be put aboard a commercial aircraft that allows access to baggage holds whilst the aircraft is in flight for the obvious reason. This wasn't always adhered to in times past, but it is now.

The've also now changed the rules in the last couple of years to now say that the person who takes the firearms from the aircraft to the baggage hall has to be registered and qualified in safe firearms use. If the airport doesn't have that person or if they do but he's not on duty when you're due to arrive, the airline will refuse you travel.

The idea of the letter is that if they do refuse you travel, you can produce the letter and insist they make other travel arrangements for you. That way, you won't be stuck in an airport twiddling your thumbs instead of hunting.

Hope that helps.

I'm doing the same thing as you in June, only flying on to Bloomfontein the day after landing in Jo'Burg.

My PH tells me that flying internal with SAA is no problemn with firearms.

I will do all my own paperwoork as I did last October. You have to be lazy or stupid not to be able to do it yourself. It is THAT easy.

Code4

With all due respect to your PH, he's wrong when he says flying internally with SAA is no problem. Assuming he's a member of PHASA, he needs to read the newsletters they send him. My points mentioned above are not uncommon.

SAA use at least one aircraft type that doesn't permit firearms in the hold and if that's the flight you're booked on, they will refuse to carry your firearm. That's not a train smash if there's a later flight of a suitable aircraft type, but if not, you've got a problem.

Hope that helps

Steve, numerous clients have flown the same route without problems with firearms.

I will however email the airline. Thanks for the heads up.

A pleasure to be of help....... I haven't checked but seem to remember that Bloem was one of the places that was flagged as possible trouble spots.

In 2004 when Mike and I landed in Phalaborwa I thought we were coming down in the parking lot of a putt-putt golf course.
The terminal has a thatched roof and concrete animals standing by the doors. The baggage claim area looked like where you pick up your putter and golf balls. I hope the golf pro know how to safely handle firearms.

Steve,

When we flew out through Hoedspruit we got charged an additional 114 Rand fee for firearms transport. I've talked to a couple of people that said we got ripped off. Any info on that?

Rick,

The new airport at Nelspruit/KMIA/Kruger Mpumalanga Internatonal Airport is a bit like that, despite it's grand name! - Karibu Africa!

I remember a time when the baggage hall at Jo'burg had a bunch of shouler mounts on the walls and a fullmount prancing zebra in the middle of the room....... when you arrive, you REALLY knew you were in Africa. Sadly, it's all gone now.

I think you'll find they're supposed to charge a handling fee for handguns but not for sporting rifles. Therefore you shouldn't hsve paid it. - Probably their mistake and if they gave you a receipt for the charge, it's unlikely they ust put it in their pockets.

I went to riflepermits.com and got the instructions for filling out the SAPS 520 form. All went well until I hit Page 2, 25.1 - 25.4
Instructions state this must be filled out even if you are traveling alone. Problem here is, I'm single. My next of kin does not have a passport. Do I just put my Daughters Name & Address & Phone in or what? I did find a "Contact us" on riflepermits and sent them the question.

I assume she's not going with you if she doesn't have a passport, so just put not applicable in there and leave it at that.

Thanks Steve, Will do.

Steve,

We got receipts, the plain paper kind with no logo like you can buy in an office supply store. She was a pretty blonde lady who seemed sincere, we were tired Americans who were far from home and ended up about $10 poorer.

Really no big loss in the grand scheme of things.