Effer's guidance needed 6NIA - for competition in US and returning into Canada

308BAR

308BAR

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Hey effers I need some guidance in filling out my first 6NIA form.

The BATFE has not updated the 6NIA for yet to reflect the changes to the requirement of the invitation or hunting license Section 14. Do I leave this blank? Since I do not have the invitations yet for the events I plan to attend.

In Section 15 "Firearms" under Firearms Registration Certificate Number column is a number needed or could I just put N/A since the LGR is gone?

In Section 15 under "Ammunition" under the name and address of Manufacturer what should I put? I reload so do I just put the case manufacturer on the application?

Sorry if I'm overly complicating things but I don't want to get any information incorrect and be turned away at the boarder.

Also when returning into Canada do I need any forms or other specifics?

Thanks in advance.
 
You can leave the Firearms Registration Certificate Number column blank or put n/a.
For your ammo put down "handloaded match ammo", manufacturer put down "self".

I always go with the non-game hunting licence fron North Dakota. I have been told buy US Customs that a hunting licence will work just as well as a Form 6nia and would use this when cutting through the US to go moose hunting.

However the Form 6nia is easy to get either with an invitation or hunting licence and is valid for 1 year. A lot less questions at the US border when you have a Form 6nia.

For coming back into Canada it is best to get a Y38 card for your firearms. These are free at Canadian customs and is just a hand written card with make, model and serial number of your firearms, scopes, camera, etc.
 
earlier this spring when filling out the form I called about including an invite or hunting licence (and they answered on second ring!! by someone who could answer ?'s. try that with any Canadian agency!) and was told no worries, don't include. BUT when you show up at the border you better have an invite or U.S. hunting licence.
 
shockman said:
earlier this spring when filling out the form I called about including an invite or hunting licence (and they answered on second ring!! by someone who could answer ?'s. try that with any Canadian agency!) and was told no worries, don't include. BUT when you show up at the border you better have an invite or U.S. hunting licence.
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I have crossed into the US with a rifle to fly to the UK and returned from the UK to the US with a Form 6nia. No invitation or hunting liecence and zero issues at US Customs driving over or on landing in the US. I have held several Form 6nia's over the years and have found the ATF and US Custom very easy to work with. On my last Form 6nia the ATF had actually stamped over the serial number of my firearm on the form. Everytime I went to the border I just played dumb about it if they even looked at the form. I told then that was what the ATF sent me and that I had used it to cross into the US several times and no one had noticed it before. Never had a problem and always sent on my way.
 
Coming back to Canada is usually a bigger PITA than going south.

As far as the Form 6 NIA goes, you no longer have to send them a copy of the hunting licence or invitation. Just write N/A or leave it blank.

When you get to the CBSA agent, have your passport, PAL and preferably one of those CBSA Form Y38, Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation ready to hand over all at once.

You will need to take your gun to a CBSA office before you exit Canada to get a Form Y38, Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation (aka green card) CBSA writes down the manufacturer, model and the serial # of the gun and scope, stamp the card and it proves you had the gun in Canada on the day it was stamped. It's used to show CBSA at the border when you come back that you are returning with a gun that was already in canada, not bringing a new one in. Same form can be used for computers, cameras or anything else of high value that CBSA might try to charge you duty on when you return.
 
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A few tidbits I forgot to add...

1) You can fax it to ATF instead of snail mail.

2) If you put your email address in box 4 of the application instead of a return fax # they will email it back in .pdf format to you. I have found that the turn around time for approval is 4 working days or less if you provide an email address.

3) Put every gun and every type of ammunition that you might possibly take with you on the application. You can list ammo that is a different calibre than any of the guns listed if you are so inclined. You do not have to take all the guns or ammo listed into the US when you go but you cannot take anything which is not on the form. Think of the list as covering any eventuality.

If you want to add a gun or ammo you have to do a whole new application and anything listed on the previous one becomes void. You can only have one valid Form 6 NIA at a time.

4) If you intend to list restricted or prohibited firearms (restricted or 12.6 handguns or a AR15 , etc) you will still have to put down the firearm certificate #. For non restricted firearms just leave the space blank or write n/a.

5) You can include copies of your PAL and/or the firearm registration certificates for restricted firearms on a separate page when you fax your application. I'm not sure if this helps or not but I have done it in the past when putting restricted firearms on the Form 6 and my applications have been processed very quickly.
 
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During my last 2 border crossings in June & July, I was asked for my match invite. Normally I register the match and get them to send me an invite before I submit my 6NIA. Coming back I just showed my Registration certificates both restricted and the obsolete non restricted certificates as border services accepts them as proof that the firearm originated in Canada. It paid to keep them as they are still accepted.

When I fill out the ammo section, I list the ammo and put "Reloads" & "My name" with the caliber and qty. no problems. Prairie guy, I currently have 2 valid 6NIA's. One for firearms that I purchased just after submission of my first, no problem from the Border Patrol
 
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Garand said:
When I fill out the ammo section, I list the ammo and put "Reloads" & "My name" with the caliber and qty. no problems. Prairie guy, I currently have 2 valid 6NIA's. One for firearms that I purchased just after submission of my first, no problem from the Border Patrol
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Garand,

According to info I have from the ATF, every Form 6 issued to you is superceded by the most recent. Only your most recent Form 6 is valid. If you ever get secondaried and the CBP agent calls ATF to verify the Form6 and you are using an old one the ATF will tell the border agent it is not valid and then good luck.

You cannot get a supplementary Form6 to add guns or ammo to an existing one. As soon as you submit a new application and it is approved the old Form 6 is dead and anything listed on the old one which is not on the most recent is not longer importable to the US.

I strongly suggest you contact the ATF and confirm that you have two valid Form 6's. You'll be the first one.
 
Well in June I crossed the border at Wild Horse with a 6NIA listing 22 firearms for the wife and myself, and a second one listing an additional 2 firearms, match invitation, passport and nothing was said. 5 weeks later the wife and I crossed at Coutts with the same paperwork. Both 6NIA's were verified on their computers and we were told to have a good match. If I read the paperwork correctly, they tell you to send in another 6NIA if you want to bring in additional ammo or guns.

I'm good to go for next year, my submitted submission is for 24 firearms.
 
A hunting license along with your form 6 will not get you into the US unless you are going hunting in the US.

The only reason, previously, to send a hunt license with your form 6 was to ensure that the form was valid for 1 year. If you included a match invite instead, it is my understanding that, the form was only good up until that date. (This could be wrong but it is what was told to me when I first decided to start heading to US matches)

I actually got declined entry last year based on the Hunting license alone, but was eventually granted entry based on the fact that I had an invitation with me.
 
The philosophy that has worked for me in the last five years of crossings in Alberta and BC is that the on-line small game hunting license I get from the State of Alaska allows me to obtain the Form 6 from ATF and move within the US as a foreign national with a firearm and ammunition. A Match Invitation letter allows Homeland Security to permit me to enter the US with these items. Two different departments, two different objectives. I don't try to figure it out.

For the ammunition on the Form 6, I indicate Handloads and make sure that I don't come up short - there is no penalty for bringing in less than what you have indicated on the permit. Don't go over.
 
CyaN1de said:
The only reason, previously, to send a hunt license with your form 6 was to ensure that the form was valid for 1 year. If you included a match invite instead, it is my understanding that, the form was only good up until that date. (This could be wrong but it is what was told to me when I first decided to start heading to US matches)
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I submit my 6NIA & match invite for a match in Phoenix in Feb, which when it arrives it is good for 365 days. I use it in Feb. in Jan I register for a match in Wyoming, I get the match invite and use it with my 6NIA to cross in June. In March, I register for a match in Montana in July. In July I cross into Montana with the same 6NIA and a current match invite. Like I said while Washington says the invite isn't required, the border guards still expect to see it.
 
I get 6NIA every year with my Alaska Small Game Licence. The 6NIA is valid for the entire year that the licence is in force. This saves me from getting 6NIAs for a whole bunch of dirreent matches throughout the year. Alaska Small Game permits are something like $20 and available online.

But since I'm not actually going to Alaska any time soon - it helps to have an invite to the specific match I'm going to when I cross the border in Michigan.


CyaN1de said:
A hunting license along with your form 6 will not get you into the US unless you are going hunting in the US.

The only reason, previously, to send a hunt license with your form 6 was to ensure that the form was valid for 1 year. If you included a match invite instead, it is my understanding that, the form was only good up until that date. (This could be wrong but it is what was told to me when I first decided to start heading to US matches)

I actually got declined entry last year based on the Hunting license alone, but was eventually granted entry based on the fact that I had an invitation with me.
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I've done the same as KS, Rich and BW for years. The Hunt licence is only to get the N61A approved. The Match invite is to get accross the Border. Like the US Custom guys told us once. BATF doesn't let you in..............us Customs guys at the Border do! Getting back into Canada can be a pain also. You need your kit either on a green card or use the old firearms licence if you still have them. I asked the CBSA lady at YEG and was told the old licences are more than acceptable. All they're looking for is proof you had the kit when you left.
Cheers
 
This is what I do and have been complemented multiple times by both the US and CDN border guards when I cross.

I keep all the information required to enter and return from the US in a tabbed binder. Each tab contains a single item. The first tab is always the Form 6 then the next is the match invite then the next tab is the hunting licence etc. I put both the US info and CDN info into the same binder under different tabs.

In my case I am always carrying single shot match rifles. I have noticed over the years that immediately after telling them I am carrying "single shot target rifles" the body language of the guards relax. I have never been searched or detained long after showing the binder or telling them that.

On our way down to Raton last year, the border guard told me that I was very welcome to bring firearms to the US if I continued to provide the information sorted for him in the binder. We were asked to go into the waiting room while the inside guard looked at my information. Process took 10 minutes.

Steve
 
The last 2 yr. I have got the 6NIA forms approved and returned to me with no match invite or hunting license. These are not requirements anymore. I carry a copy of the 'ruling' with me, but have never been asked for it. Never have cbp agents asked me for anything other than 6NIA. I understand different states have different rules but we no longer need a hunting license or invitation to enter US with firearms/ammo. YMMV. Mark
 
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