Flying into Windhoek this May on Delta/ Air Namibia, and outside of the 4457 Form for return, what will I need for entry into Windhoek and/ or Frankfort (assuming bags check all the way thru…)?

What is generally allowed/ recommended, Ammo in Case w/ Firearm, or in Checked Baggage?

THANKS, appreciate ur Time and Info…

When you arrive in Namibia you will need to fill out a form. The form will be handed out by the flight crew before landing. You will also have to fill out the same form upon departure.
Make sure you have the actual physical address of your outfitter (not a mailing address), and their phone number handy.

You can download/print the Namibian firearms form and fill it out ahead of time. This will save you time at the gun claim at the airport and put you near the front of the line. I think the form is available on the Namibian Professional Hunters Association website, but if not, look around and you'll come across it.

This form is specifically for guns and is a different form than the standard immigration forms handed out on the airplane before landing. (But be sure to take a pen with you on the plane as they are always scarce when three hundred people all start filling out forms at the same time.)

If it hasn't changed, you'll need the physical address of the party that you are hunting with.

We went this past June 2012. I was told we were allowed 40 rounds per rifle, that is what we took. We were required to list how many rounds per caliber upon entry and how many rounds we were leaving with upon exit. We carried ammo in our checked bags, separate from locked gun cases. We had no issues with this arrangement. We were required to remove guns from cases in Windhoek airport and have them checked, caliber markings, scopes, and serial numbers. I was told head stamps on all ammo had to match and no reloads. I asked about reloads and was told no problem as long as head stamps matched. I had filled the form out earlier as was stated by Stonecreek. We went through Frankfurt both ways and had them check our bags and guns all the way through to the US upon leaving Windhoek, it was much easier.

GREAT, Thanks for the Info Guys...

Sheldon

might not be relevant for US citizens, but when returning with my rifle to Germany from Namibia, German customs asked for proof that I had owned the rifle in Germany prior to going to Namibia. If I had not been able to, I would have had to pay import duties on the rifle ...

p.s.: as your bags are checked through the German duties do not apply to you anyway, but there might be similar rules for the US ...

Also as I understand, they have two Hunting Seasons in Namibia. Meat Hunting Season and Trophy Hunting Season. When both seasons are open you are not required to have a Hunting Invite Letter from your Outfitter. But when Meat Hunting Season closes, then you are required to have the Invite Letter. I don't remember the dates, but you should check with your outfitter.
Just my .02 cents worth.

How careful do they check the head stamp on the cartridges? How knowledgeable are the people checking? Would they know the difference between a 35 Whelen and a 375 Whelen. I could load my 375 round in 35 Whelen cases.

Jim

With a possibility that you might not be able to check your firearms all the way through to Windhoek you would also require a Firearms Permit in Frankfurt. The permit is free.

The advice I was just provided by the magistrat.

"Should you be traveling with firearms and ammunition in transit through Germany as non EU member, just transferring from one international flight to another and as long as the transit area will not be left, you will not be required to obtain prior to your trip a German Firearm Importation Permit.

Make sure that the airlines can transfer your baggage and/or firearms and ammunition through to your next or final destination and you stay in the airport transit area never clearing customs. It is however critical that you check with and confirm with the airlines involved well before departure to make sure what their procedure is for the transfer of baggage and/or firearms and ammunition.

Also once at the airport counter make sure to tell the airline check in agent to check your baggage and/or firearms and ammunition all the way to your final destination.

If a German Firearm Importation Permit is needed as you will be picking up and declaring your firearms and ammunition to enter Germany in order to recheck your baggage and/or firearms and ammunition through to your next or final destination, please complete the German Firearm Importation Permit Form for all firearm(s) and/or ammunition that you intend to take with you. Click here to print a copy of this form, we would strongly recommend that you fill out and send the form to the following German authorities at least a couple of months prior to your departure in order to obtain the German Firearm Importation Permit in time for your trip."
The form should be addressed and sent to the following address:

Stadt Frankfurt am Main
Der Magistrat
Ordnungsamt 32.21.1
Postfach 11 17 31
60052 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
tel (49) 69.212.42422
fax (49) 69.212.43365
email ujb@stadt-frankfurt.de

The Namibian hunting season is from 1 Feb to 30 Nov.

Technically your PH should provide you with a "Letter of Invitation" and you should write a "Letter of Motivation" why you are entering Namibia and where you are taking your firearms.

Namibia does not currently have a limit on the number of hunting rifles one hunter can temporarily import - but you can NOT bring fully automatic or semi-automatic rifles or shotguns for hunting into the country. You can not temporarily import any form of handgun for any reason.

There is no limit on the number of rounds of loaded ammunition each hunter can bring into the country. However, the International Airline regulation limit each traveler to no more than 5 kilos (11 pounds) of loaded ammo total.

Ammo must be packed separately from from the rifles for International travel. It must be packed in a lockable container with a TSA openable lock. The ammo must not rattle and not be able to contact each other. You must declare each piece of luggage that contains ammunition when you check-in.

Technically, the headstamps on the ammo must match the caliber engraved on the barrel. While the Namibian police may not know the difference between between a 375 Win and 375 H&H they can read and if they don't say the same you could have problems. Why create problems for yourself.

Here is a link to the Namibian Professional Hunters Association. NAPHA Web Site If you scroll down the page you will find a link to the Temp Import Worksheet in pdf format. You can have this filled out before you leave the house.

In the column titled "TYPE" they mean either "Rifle" or "Shotgun"

Been going to Namibia every year for the past six and going again this May-June. Never had the ammo headstamps checked - but they have full authority to do so. I and my PH do the "Motivation" and "Invitation" letters every year. Only time I needed them was one year (first trip) the rifle case didn't make the flight from JNB to Windhoek. I left copies of both letters, the filled out Temp Import Application Worksheet, copies of our US Customs Form 4457's and a spare set of keys to the rifle case with the Namibian Police and an SAA airline rep. The rifle case, with rifles, copies of all the documents we left, the case keys and our Temp Import permit showed up at the PH's place 500km from Windhoek, two days later.

quote:

Ammo must be packed separately from from the rifles for International travel. It must be packed in a lockable container with a TSA openable lock. The ammo must not rattle and not be able to contact each other. You must declare each piece of luggage that contains ammunition when you check-in.

This is true of certain airlines, one of them SAA, since each airline may adopt its own rules which go beyond those of the various countries and international conventions. However, there are no TSA or other rules prohibiting the transport of ammunition in the same case as the rifle(s).

Stonecreek:

That's mostly correct - TSA does not regulate or forbid ammo in the rifle case for flights inside the USA, but TSA has zero authority for flights operating in other countries. International air carriage is governed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and they do regulate/limit how dangerous materials (like loaded ammunition) is transported Internationally. Each individual airline can refuse to carry or establish various pre-flight notification requirements etc.

Here is a link to the web site of a friend of mine. Shakari Connection Steve maintains some of the most up to date info on the net. This particular page summarizes nearly all International airline guns/ammo regs and rules.

If you review the info there, you will find a common connection - most all non-US based airlines require ammo be packed separate from the rifle case. If you are flying within the U.S., most U.S. airlines allow you to pack ammo within the rifle case.

Technically, if you start your trip on a US flagged carrier and even transit the Atlantic on a US flagged carrier, there is a very good chance that at some point you will connect on a different non-US flagged carrier. An example would be flying on a U.S. flagged carrier to say...Frankfurt, and then claiming your bags and rifle cases and then re-checking them in on Air Namibia. If your ammo is in your rifle case when you leave the U.S. you could very well have a problem when you check in with Air Namibia or SAA or etc., and they scan and find loaded ammo in your rifle case. If you do get all the way to your destination with ammo inside your rifle case, what happens when you start your return, possibly on a non-US flagged carrier, and decide to bring your expensive hand-loads or big-bore ammo back and don't have it packed correctly and the airline refuses it at the check-in gate.

Or, what happens if your non-US flagged connecting flight cancels or is changed or whatever and the new carrier won't take your rifle case with ammo in it? In any case, the unlucky traveler has to either find a suitable locking box and lock in the airport (risk missing their flight) or leave the ammo behind.

Or, you fly into JNB on SAA and have to make a connecting flight on SAA's subsidiary South African Express. You will be totally screwed since SAX requires ammo be shipped separately from your checked bag too.

Either way above is not an optimum situation and can seriously cause significant problems.

So, why not save a lot of possible aggravation and pack your rifles and ammo the way most all airlines accept it to start with? There is no airline that REQUIRES ammo be packed in the rifle case and if they accept weapons and ammo they will take them packed separately.

Another advantage to packing ammo in your checked bag is that all bags containing ammo require special handling and secure transit storage just like your rifles - means less chance of your checked bag having stuff stolen out of it. I purposely divide our ammo between all our checked luggage just to have it all get the required higher security handling.

All I am suggesting is to plan and pack the way that is most acceptable to most airlines, domestic and foreign.