Hi guys,

When leaving the U.S. with guns, is the TSA form a mandatory piece of documentation to be filled in, or only recommended?

I did a quick Internet search and found that the same form can be used for all valuables that you wish to temporarily export, i.e. bring back home again.

- Lars

I'm not aware of any TSA forms, just a Customs and Border Protection Form 4457 that you list your firearms (and any other valuables you might be taking, if you so choose) that shows ownership when re-entering the US and also serves as a US "gun permit" abroad.

I believe that you are referring to the U.S. Customs Form 4457, as bigguy458 has correctly stated. There is no TSA form.

No such thing as a TSA form as Bigguy and UEG stated above. Form 4457 is the only one out there to my knowledge?

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

The 4457 is only "mandatory" if you would actually like to return to the U.S. with your guns -- otherwise you have no proof that you are not "importing" them from a foreign country, which you cannot do without an import license.

Another way in which the 4457 is "mandatory" is that officials in many countries mistakenly consider it some kind of "gun license" and may refuse to allow your guns entry unless you can show them a 4457 with the guns listed.

But if you want to take your gun on an airplane destined for some other country, there is no one who will disallow that if you're foolish enough to do it, so no, the 4457 is not "mandatory".

Oh wait, Lars; excuse me for failing to see that you are from Finland. If your question is do you need to fill out a 4457 when taking your guns BACK home FROM the U.S., then the answer is no. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure what purpose a completed 4457 would serve in that instance. As to what kind of documentation the EU or Finland might require for your returning firearms, I don't have a clue.

Thank you all for your informative and quick responses.

I was, indeed, referring to the customs form 4457.

- Lars/Finland