Firearms Importation
Temporary Import of Firearms
The following is required- Passport
- Return tickets to country of origin.
- Proof of ownership (In the case of US citizens a 4457 certificate that they can obtain from their home town police station or Customs Office, on this they fill in all their gun information. In the case of British citizens a firearms certificate will suffice. Other nations all have some form to prove that they are indeed the owner of the guns.)
- SAP 520 form that is completed in the necessary blocks. The client must NOT sign this document at home but in the presence of the police officer at the airport. Complete this document in BLACK ink.
- Letter of invitation from the outfitter, ensuring the outfitters permit number is on the invitation
SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE
STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW WHEN TEMPORARILY IMPORTING FIREARMS INTO SOUTH AFRICA Name TROUGH JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL Type AIRPORT.
FIREARM OFFICE, JHB INT Type AIRPORT
1. Disembark from the aircraft and clear Immigration at the correct terminal.
2. Collect your luggage from the luggage carousel.
3. Passengers arriving in terminal A2 (SAA and partner airlines) proceed to the Securicor luggage cage across from carrousel one. Passengers arriving in terminal A1 (Foreign airlines) proceed to your airline desk to claim your rifle case.
4. Show your passport and luggage tag to claim your rifle case. You will be required to sign in Securicor's register that you received your rifle case.
THIS SERVICE IS FREE OF CHARGE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY AIRLINE OR SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR THIS SERVICE.
5. Proceed to the South African Police Service Firearm office in
Terminal A2 across from carrousel one. Passengers arriving in terminal A1 will be escorted to the Firearm office by an airline ground staff or airline security member.
6. At the SAPS Firearm office you will be required to produce the
following documents:
* A completed SAPS 520 application form. (The following
sections of the SAPS520 must be completed; E1 to
E25.4, G1 to G9.2, I1 to I4.4 and J1 to J4. The SAPS520 must be completed in black ink
* Passport
* Firearm license from country of residence. (
USA citizens a form 4457)
* Proof of export of firearms from country of residence. (This is to proof that your firearms have been legally exported from your country of residence, if your country does not have an official export permit we require a letter from a government agency from your country of residence stating this. USA citizens a form 4457).
* Return airline ticket
* Invitation letter from your outfitter (this letter must be
on your outfitters official letterhead and must
include:
1) the name of the person being invited,
2) the duration of the hunter's stay,
3) the physical address and tel. no of the farm where the hunt will take place,
4) the type off animals that will be hunted,
5) the recommended calibers required to hunt these animals,
6) the outfitters license number and the province he is licensed in).
7. You will be asked to enter the firearm office.
* Your documents will be inspected. (If your documentation is not in order, you will be asked to rectify it and to join the back of the line.)
* Your firearms and ammunition will be inspected.
* You will then be asked to wait outside the office while your application is being processed.
8. The following firearms and ammunition will not be allowed to enter
* More than one firearm per caliber per person,
* More than 200 rounds of ammunition per person per firearm,
* Any pistol or revolver.
Reasons why your application will not be approved:
* If you have any of the abovementioned firearms and/or
ammunition,
* If any of the supporting documents as required in #6 cannot be produced,
* If you are less than 21 years of age,
* your application for a temporary import permit will be
refused and your firearms and ammunition will be
confiscated and will only be handed back to you when you depart back to your
country of residence.
9. When your application has been processed and your permit has been issued you will be called back into the office where you will sign for the permit. Remember this process can take up to two hours during peak times. Ensure that you have enough time if you have to take a connecting flight.
10. THE ISSUING OF THE TEMPORARY IMPORT PERMITS FREE OF CHARGE. DO NOT TIP OR PAY ANY POLICE OFFICER FOR THIS SERVICE.
11. After you have received your temporary import permit you proceed to the red channel at customs. Declare your firearm at customs and show them your temporary import permit. Proceed past customs to the arrival hall.
12. If your outfitter meets you at Name Johannesburg International Type Airport, good, you can relax. If you have a connecting flight, you still have more work to do.
13. If you want to use a porter take note of the following:
* You do not have to use a porter.
* Official porters are dressed in orange overalls and they
have a permit with their names on it.
* Porters are not allowed to handle or push the luggage
trolley with your rifle case.
* The suggested price for porters is 1
US Dollar per bag or
they may be paid in South African Rand.
14. If you have a domestic connecting flight you have to do the
following:
* Exit the international terminal building.
* Turn left. The domestic terminal is about 500 yards away on your left-hand side.
* At the domestic terminal, go to the second floor. This is
domestic departures. Check in for your domestic flight.
* Your rifle case will be tagged and you will be required to
take it to the airline security desk that is situated just before the security checkpoint.
* The airline security will check the serial number of your firearms and your temporary import permit. THIS SERVICE IS FREE OF CHARGE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY AIRLINE OR SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR THIS SERVICE, EXCEPT IF YOU HAVE A HANDGUN. THE AIRLINES CHARGE A R100 HANDLING FEE FOR HANDGUNS. INSIST ON A RECEIPT FOR THIS PAYMENT.
Keep your import permit in your possession.
* Your firearm will be placed on the aircraft by the airline
security.
* Collect your firearm from the airline security desk at your
domestic destination.
15. If you have an international connecting flight you have to do the following:
* Use the elevator to go up to the international departure hall.
* Check in for your international flight.
* Your rifle case will be tagged and you will be required to
take it to the airline security desk that is situated just before the security checkpoint.
* The airline security will check the serial no of your
firearms and your temporary import permit.
THIS SERVICE IS FREE OF CHARGE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY AIRLINE OR SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR THIS SERVICE, EXCEPT IF YOU HAVE A import permit in your possession as
it will be required for inspection on your transit flight back to your country of residence.
* Your firearm will be placed on the aircraft by the airline
security.
16. Enjoy your hunting.
* The temporary import permit serves as your firearm license in
South Africa and enable you to buy ammunition in
South Africa for the calibers noted on the permit.
* At all times while you are in possession of your firearms,
you must have the temporary import permit on your person.
* When you are not using the firearms, it must be locked in a safe.
17. On your final departure from
South Africa you have to do the
following:
* Check in for your international flight.
* Your rifle case will be tagged and you will be required to
take it to the airline security desk that is situated just before the security checkpoint.
* The airline security will check the serial no of your firearms and your temporary import permit. THIS SERVICE IS FREE OF CHARGE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY AIRLINE OR SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR THIS SERVICE, EXCEPT IF YOU HAVE A HANDGUN. THE AIRLINES CHARGE A R100 HANDLING FEE FOR HANDGUNS. INSIST ON A RECEIPT FOR THIS PAYMENT.
* On your final departure from South Africa the temporary
import permit must be handed back when you check in your rifle case.
18. If anybody involved in the above-mentioned process ask you for money that person is trying to get a bribe from you. That is a criminal offence. Every person involved in this process is in possession of an ACSA access card with his/her name and photograph. If a person asks you for a bribe ask them for their ACSA permit and make a note of their name.
Report it immediately to the South African Police Service. If it is a South African Police Service member that asks for money, report in immediately or as soon as possible to the Client Service Center in the multi storey parking area or any other SA Police Station. If any SA Police Service member refuses to take down your complaint or do not give you a case reference no contact the SAPS commander at Jhb Int Airport Director BM Zuma at 0827789639 or Superintendent SB Mhlangu at 0835894220