Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
#1
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Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Hello,
I'm in the process of emigrating to the USA. I'm a keen shotgun and rifle shooter. I'm wondering how difficult or easy it is to take these with me when I emigrate. They are sporting shotguns and sporting bolt action rifles and as they are legal to possess in the UK will be no issue with USA gun laws. As they are personal possessions I don't need an export licence to ship them out of the UK but my question is what is involved in entering the USA on an immigrant visa with them.
Has anyone done this and have some advice to pass on?
The other option would be to sell them in the U.K. and buy again in the USA, but I'd rather avoid the financial loss I would incur on this route.
I'm in the process of emigrating to the USA. I'm a keen shotgun and rifle shooter. I'm wondering how difficult or easy it is to take these with me when I emigrate. They are sporting shotguns and sporting bolt action rifles and as they are legal to possess in the UK will be no issue with USA gun laws. As they are personal possessions I don't need an export licence to ship them out of the UK but my question is what is involved in entering the USA on an immigrant visa with them.
Has anyone done this and have some advice to pass on?
The other option would be to sell them in the U.K. and buy again in the USA, but I'd rather avoid the financial loss I would incur on this route.
#2
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Are you flying into the State you will be residing in and assuming so which State?
To keep things complicated every State has its own rules and flying into DIA should not be an issue but elsewhere do not know. Some ammo seems to be getting hard to find.
To keep things complicated every State has its own rules and flying into DIA should not be an issue but elsewhere do not know. Some ammo seems to be getting hard to find.
#3
Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Are you sure you'll incur a loss by selling and purchasing again in the USA? Generally firearms are far more expensive in the UK. Unless there was some big sentimental attachment that's the path I'd take.
#4
Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
and as they are legal to possess in the UK will be no issue with USA gun laws.
Anyway. You cannot import firearms yourself, it must go through a dealer with a Federal Firearms License - basically because you still have to have your ATF NIC check to clear you to own a firearm. Best to contact one in your local area you will be moving too and see if they have experience with importing - they will charge a fee no doubt. They will have to be shipped of course.
I agree with Tom above, better to sell and repurchase.
If you care to look, there's a whole 104 page handbook here that the ATF produce that will tell you the rules and regulations:
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/gu...s-war/download
#5
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Thanks for your response​​​​​. I'd be moving to Georgia, if that helps. I wouldn't be complicating the issue any further by trying to bring in any ammo, or powder or primers.
#6
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Thanks. That's what I might end up doing. Hardware is cheaper in the US especially if sticking to American brands and American made hardware. I have a couple of rifles that I'd hate to see go, but may have to face up to that.
#7
Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Oh and to note, the only way you can carry a long gun in GA legally without a Georgia Weapons Carry License is to do so openly. You cannot conceal it in any way (such as putting a towel or something else over it while in a vehicle) You can conceal them if they are completely unloaded.
The GWCL is simple to get, and GA is a 'shall issue' state, but it usually takes 6 weeks or so for the FBI check to come back.
I would recommend that you familiarize yourself with GA weapons law before you arrive
The GWCL is simple to get, and GA is a 'shall issue' state, but it usually takes 6 weeks or so for the FBI check to come back.
I would recommend that you familiarize yourself with GA weapons law before you arrive
Last edited by civilservant; Sep 8th 2020 at 11:58 am.
#8
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
You clearly have no idea here. While they may not be illegal, you cannot just waltz in with them like the ATF won't care.
Anyway. You cannot import firearms yourself, it must go through a dealer with a Federal Firearms License - basically because you still have to have your ATF NIC check to clear you to own a firearm. Best to contact one in your local area you will be moving too and see if they have experience with importing - they will charge a fee no doubt. They will have to be shipped of course.
I agree with Tom above, better to sell and repurchase.
If you care to look, there's a whole 104 page handbook here that the ATF produce that will tell you the rules and regulations:
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/gu...s-war/download
Anyway. You cannot import firearms yourself, it must go through a dealer with a Federal Firearms License - basically because you still have to have your ATF NIC check to clear you to own a firearm. Best to contact one in your local area you will be moving too and see if they have experience with importing - they will charge a fee no doubt. They will have to be shipped of course.
I agree with Tom above, better to sell and repurchase.
If you care to look, there's a whole 104 page handbook here that the ATF produce that will tell you the rules and regulations:
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/gu...s-war/download
Thanks for the ATF documentation by the way.
#9
Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Yes I realise I just can't turn up with them at my point of entry and that I'd have to have them sent from the UK by an RFD to an FFL while I'm (hopefully) cleared through my ATF NIC check. A further complication is I use moderators (supressors) on my rifles (very common in the UK not so much in the US) so would need to pay the $200 tax stamp (Georgia) on each of these if I were to bring them over, again assuming these would be approved by ATF.
Thanks for the ATF documentation by the way.
Thanks for the ATF documentation by the way.
#10
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
It can be done, I know somebody who did it to Colorado.
Not familiar with Georgia, do you know a FFL?
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/import-...fense-articles The official source to get them into the country, might take a few months.
Not familiar with Georgia, do you know a FFL?
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/import-...fense-articles The official source to get them into the country, might take a few months.
#11
Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
I don't think you can legally import suppressors. I believe they can only be supplied to dealers as samples, and as such an individual cannot buy them.
#12
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
Oh and to note, the only way you can carry a long gun in GA legally without a Georgia Weapons Carry License is to do so openly. You cannot conceal it in any way (such as putting a towel or something else over it while in a vehicle) You can conceal them if they are completely unloaded.
The GWCL is simple to get, and GA is a 'shall issue' state, but it usually takes 6 weeks or so for the FBI check to come back.
I would recommend that you familiarize yourself with GA weapons law before you arrive
The GWCL is simple to get, and GA is a 'shall issue' state, but it usually takes 6 weeks or so for the FBI check to come back.
I would recommend that you familiarize yourself with GA weapons law before you arrive
Yep familiarising my self with the GA gun laws is one of the things on my long and getting longer things to check out.
#13
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
#14
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
#15
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Re: Emigrating to USA with personal firearms
US is weird about suppressors you need a special Federal license, can be done but not cheap, my recollection is that the UK encourages them for obvious reasons.