Is RSA customs still viewing the form date on the bottom rh corner as the "expiration date" of the "license"?

Russ, go on line and print the new form and the only date on the form is at the one on the left lower corner and is is a 4457 form date. the new form does not have any expiration date on it. 4 of us were there 2 months ago and it was never mentioned. use Mr X, Henry at Rifle Permits and Africa Sky for your pre approved permit well worth the little cost. have a great hunt

I had an old 4457 with the expiration date. Customs officer told me that SA was still requiring a "current" form and it should be renewed every year, but I don't think other countries require that, and he said to get a new form I could only bring in the form and they'd issue a new one without having to bring in the rifle.

I was concerned with this as well. Mine says CBP Form 4457 (5/22). The officer says that this is the date that the form came out. Gary

last time as in just last july I had them look at date it was stamped. since everyone figured out how to get the printed date off the form seems they just went to look at the date stamped. They seem to want it stamp the year you go if they do look at it.

last December 2022 I was going to be near our customs office and since I was going to SA in a few months I did a new 4457 and added my 458 to it. then hearing it needed to be done the same year as the trip contacted Mr X and Henry at Rifle Permits asking about this, their answer was do not worry about it. one check in at SAPS the officer could have cared less and never looked at it.they believe the 4457 is your permit and do not look at the date on the form or when it was signed

quote:

Originally posted by hydehunter:
last December 2022 I was going to be near our customs office and since I was going to SA in a few months I did a new 4457 and added my 458 to it. then hearing it needed to be done the same year as the trip contacted Mr X and Henry at Rifle Permits asking about this, their answer was do not worry about it. one check in at SAPS the officer could have cared less and never looked at it.they believe the 4457 is your permit and do not look at the date on the form or when it was signed

very true if your using a service like that. I was doing it myself and they looked and asked question as my one form was from year before but still in a year period so they left it go. They really have no idea what the 4457 really is over there.

That FORM IS FOR THE US CUSTOMS ONLY, BUT African CUSTOM DECIDED IT WAS GOOD FOR THEM AND MADE UP A NEW SET OF RULES AND THATS DEPEDENT ON WICH AFRICAN CUSTOMS AGENT YOUR TALKING TO, THEY ALL HAVE A DIFFENT ANSWER, TYPICAL..IT,S BEST TO RENEW FOR EACH TRIP. BTW A 4457 IS NOTHING MORE THAN A BILL OF SALE TO PROVE YOU DIDN'T BUY IT IN RSA OR WHEREVER AND ITS GOOD FOREVER IN THE usa..bOTTOM LINE ITS A SCREWED UP MESS, AND TOTALLY MISUNERSTOOD BY RSA WHERE IT WAS ADOPTED..ANYWAY JUST A BIT OF HISTORY GOING BACK MANY YEARS.

We just went to the CBP office in Sacramento this evening, to get 5 new 4457’s signed and stamped. They’re the new ones without the date and the customs officer reminded me that we don’t need to bring any of the guns back for updated forms.

One interesting detail if you hand write your information onto the form. I enlarged the forms, which I had completed on my computer, by about 25% to make them easier to read. When I got to CBP, they had blank forms they had enlarged to fill an entire letter sized piece of paper. Since we had our forms completed in advance, he used ours but said we can make them as big as we wish in the future. For those with less than perfect eyesight, keep this in mind for the future.

keep in mind these forms are for other items as well such as cameras, scopes, and whatever..but its Africa that can be the problem, so be polite and act ignorant and they will eventually let you pass most of the time...Ive had some funny incidents with African customs..

Ray,

Great advice. My first trip to Africa frustrated me to no end. I learned. Smile nicely, be kind and deferential and it will go a whole lot better for you.