IMPORTANT: Immediate Changes to South African Firearm Registration Guidelines for American Hunters

[Rule 303]

I guess being an Aussie isn't so bad on a few very rare occasion.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Here is a letter from the NRA that I received from an AH member.

This does not mean that you do not require the new form since the South African Police Services’ Central Firearms Desk has announced its decision to no longer accept the CBP Form 4457 if the date in the top right corner of the form has expired. They will want to be presented with the new form.

 

[Therack]

This does not mean that you do not require the new form since the South African Police Services’ Central Firearms Desk has announced its decision to no longer accept the CBP Form 4457 if the date in the top right corner of the form has expired. They will want to be presented with the new form.

Isn't all of this pointless? The SA police not accepting the 4457? I thought all they required for entry was their SAP 520 form and the 4457 was for entry back into the US. The SA police shouldn't care about the 4457, it's not required for entry into SA.

 

[JimP]

Isn't all of this pointless? The SA police not accepting the 4457? I thought all they required for entry was their SAP 520 form and the 4457 was for entry back into the US. The SA police shouldn't care about the 4457, it's not required for entry into SA.

But you need the 4457 to get the SAP's 520.

 

[Therack]

My SAP 520 was done by a permit agent in Johannesburg, I never saw that document until I landed in Joburg. The permit agent had certainly never seen my 4457. I had to provide make, model, caliber and serial number of my rifle to the agent but not from a 4457.

If I recall correctly nobody in South Africa asked for my 4457 upon arrival.
If I recall correctly!!!!! lol

 

[Areaonereal]

I believe you can have local law enforcement certify ownership and that is acceptable. SA interprets the 4457 as proof of ownership and legal permit of ownership( which it is not in its entirety as per the meaning of a 4457). Their laws of gun ownership is far and away more strict than ours.

 

[JimP]

When I had a permitting service do my 520 I had to send them a notarized copy of my 4457, this was in 2015.

 

[robertq]

This is page 2 of the 4457. The 4457 is for re-entry to the US for purposes of confirming ownership. This document apparently is required by SAPS for purposes of confirming serial numbers. Why are they demanding use of a form with a current date when it is not required by the US and further, the form itself has not changed at all? We are investigating this further with US Customs but so far, Customs does not care about the date on the form. It is the substance that matters and think about this....those of us who have the 4457 for decades, with the same information but with a different date of the form, it is still valid in the US so why is SAPS making us have to update the form unless there is additional firearms or personal effects to add? Where is the rationale behind SAPS requiring that the date of the form must be current and why the firedrill? Go to www.saps.gov.za and see for yourself....there is nothing published for this "new" requirement. In summary, the 4457 is showing that I have ownership on or before the date of the form which is still the same. What difference does the date make if US Customs does not care and why is SAPs making a big deal about the date when the information is the same? It is only an ownerhsip verification.
Robert

 

[Areaonereal]

I believe they interpret it as a Federal permit of ownership and unless it is not renewed, as per the expiration date, then ownership terminates. I think they do not understand in the least what the 4457 really is and the purpose it was intended for as proof of reentry to the US. Their firearms law and requirements are so strict, they believe the 4457 is a LICENSE to own that weapon, subject to expiration and renewal, why else would they want a 4457 with a 6 month issue date? OR, it just could be another back door to requirements for entry that would necessitate a "teeep" to clear if the dates were expired.

 

[wesheltonj]

What does it matter. If SAPS says they are not going to accept a "expired" 4457, then just suck it up and get a new one or use the outfitter guns. Fairly simple.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I've read all the posts and I'm scratching my head. I've been through Joburg SAPS four times in the last four years and was never asked to see a 4457 by ANYBODY! They checked the rifle serial numbers against the pre-applied permit and I closed the gun case. They never checked any ammo either. Flying in to Blomfontein, had to go through the same routine but they didn't ask for the 4457, only the SA permit. Are you guys trying to get your permits on the spot and not in advance? What am I missing here?

Having said that, I agree it is just plain stupid BUT if it provides another SA government job for someone to check the date, then it is no different than hiring someone at the U.S. government printing office to review the forms. Saw this at Blomfontein the last two years. They started to check the serial numbers on the rifles to see if they magically changed while in the cargo hold in transit at 30,000 feet. Make sense? No BUT it results in another government (read patronage) job to fill.

 

[Areaonereal]

if permits are issued prior to arrival, they have already looked at the 4457...serial number confirmation to match SAPS 520, then when you arrive they match serial number to 520.

 

[Areaonereal]

What does it matter. If SAPS says they are not going to accept a "expired" 4457, then just suck it up and get a new one or use the outfitter guns. Fairly simple.

absolutely correct...

 

[robertq]

What does it matter. If SAPS says they are not going to accept a "expired" 4457, then just suck it up and get a new one or use the outfitter guns. Fairly simple.

There are alot of people that live 8hr one way to get the new form which is the same as the one they have

 

[edward]

seems like south africa doesnt want the hunters money any more,as they keep throwing obstacles in the way.im old enough and crotchety enough to say screw them and stay home.ive been 5 times and loved every second over there but the fun has been taken away by all the bull shit.

 

[Buff-Buster]

@Buff-Buster as stated above SCI has issued this warning here in the US as well, check your 4457's you and Jeremy are going to be packing a lot of Iron in June.

Jeramie's 4457's are on the "new" forms. Mine have no dates on them at all. I'm getting the permits ahead of time. Supposedly, there are no issues with what I have supplied. We'll see!

 

[Hogpatrol]

There are alot of people that live 8hr one way to get the new form which is the same as the one they have

Good Grief! It's fifteen minutes for me. Where would it be eight hours? You don't have to get the forms stamped in your home state. They can do them anywhere there is a CBP office and there are literally hundreds of them all over the U.S. Hell, Montana has 16 of them.

 

[JimP]

Robert may of been stretching it a bit, but here in Colorado and if you live in Durango for example you'll be close to 8 hours if not more to a customs office. I'm lucky in that there is one 5 minutes away but you better call ahead of time and make a appointment. Utah on the other hand has one office but if you live in the south west area of the state you can go to Vegas to get to one but if you live in the eastern part of the state you better figure a day and a half to get your 4457 done.

Montana is a different animal in that you will have one at every border crossing into Canada plus at a few airports.

But there is nothing wrong with making a appointment with the office that is located in the airport that you are flying out of but if that airport doesn't have a Customs Office then you would need to retrieve your baggage at the airport that you fly into that has a office, but you better hope that you are not flying into JFK and thinking about taking position of your rifles and then rechecking them.

 

[Areaonereal]

IF you have an old 4457, why could you not fax or scan or snail mail the out of date one and have the information transferred to a newer form and have been t returned to you. Already proof from the old one is f your possession of firearms, customs should cooperate and issue an u to date form

 

[twilly24]

What does it matter. If SAPS says they are not going to accept a "expired" 4457, then just suck it up and get a new one or use the outfitter guns. Fairly simple.

I was waiting for someone to say it. I was trying to wait and be nice.

It is actually a 8 hour drive round trip for me. But suck it up buttercup it's Africa and it's worth it to me. First trip in june.