hey guys Im planning on moving into the U.S for a bit and contimplating on bringing 2 guns with me (shotgun and my 22). Just wondering if anyone knows how I would go about bringing it to the states with me legally or if I even need to do any paperwork or anything of the sort, thanks for the help.
how to transfer guns into the states
- Thread starter madchild_13
- Start date
Visiting the United States with firearms......things to know & be aware of
How long is a bit?? If it's under one year.......no problem.
What's your US citizenship status.......NIA (Non Immigrant Alien), permanent resident (green card holder) or US citizen?
US citizens & permanent residents can take firearms into the United States temporarily with no paperwork other than proof of citizenship or green card.
US citizens and permanent residents can apply to the US State Department to permanently import firearms into the United States, NIAs cannot.
US citizens or permanent residents can permanently import their personal firearms with their other belongings when moving to the United States to take up residence in a state, NIAs cannot.
It's a stretch........ but a friend or relative who is a US citizen or green card holder can buy and import your guns and you can technically borrow them from the friend or relative once they are in the United States. If the BATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms) suspect that you have in fact engineered a "straw importation" of the firearms to take illegal possession of them in the United States both you and your friend/relative co-conspirator will be turning big rocks into little ones in some US federal calaboose for a significant amount of time. BATF takes firearms importation scams very seriously.
In most states if a NIA has been a resident in the state for 90 days or more and has a valid hunting license from any US state as well as a valid I-94 card (alien identification number) they can purchase and take possession of a firearm in the United States. You must have documentary proof of at least 90 days continuous residency (rental, lease receipts, utility bills, etc.) in a state in order to purchase & take possession of a gun.
If you are a NIA you have to apply to the BATF for a Form 6 NIA permit to temporarily import firearms into the United States which is good for one year. You have to hold a valid US state hunting license & you cannot be a prohibited person (criminal record, US citizenship renouncee, dishonorable dischargee from US armed forces, etc.). You can apply for another Form 6 NIA before the old one expires.
You cannot leave the firearms in the United States and they must accompany you when you return to Canada if they have been imported into the United States with a Form 6 NIA.
As a Canadian NIA (must be a Canadian citizen) you must leave the United States every 6 months. If you are a Canadian resident whose citizenship status is other than a full fledged Canadian citizen, the maximum allowable stay time in the US is reduced to 90 days. If the US CBP officials suspect that you are trying to circumvent formal US immigration procedures by multiple consecutive 6 month stays they will ban you from entering the US for life as an undesirable alien. If you have acquired a living residence in the US and you are subsequently banned you will be SOL (Sh!t Outta Luck).
Don't take this anecdotal hearsay as gospel as I am not a lawyer and it could very well be incorrect or incomplete.
Life Memberships: NRA, GOA, CSSA, NFA, OFAH
CCW Permits: Utah, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine
How long is a bit?? If it's under one year.......no problem.
What's your US citizenship status.......NIA (Non Immigrant Alien), permanent resident (green card holder) or US citizen?
US citizens & permanent residents can take firearms into the United States temporarily with no paperwork other than proof of citizenship or green card.
US citizens and permanent residents can apply to the US State Department to permanently import firearms into the United States, NIAs cannot.
US citizens or permanent residents can permanently import their personal firearms with their other belongings when moving to the United States to take up residence in a state, NIAs cannot.
It's a stretch........ but a friend or relative who is a US citizen or green card holder can buy and import your guns and you can technically borrow them from the friend or relative once they are in the United States. If the BATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms) suspect that you have in fact engineered a "straw importation" of the firearms to take illegal possession of them in the United States both you and your friend/relative co-conspirator will be turning big rocks into little ones in some US federal calaboose for a significant amount of time. BATF takes firearms importation scams very seriously.
In most states if a NIA has been a resident in the state for 90 days or more and has a valid hunting license from any US state as well as a valid I-94 card (alien identification number) they can purchase and take possession of a firearm in the United States. You must have documentary proof of at least 90 days continuous residency (rental, lease receipts, utility bills, etc.) in a state in order to purchase & take possession of a gun.
If you are a NIA you have to apply to the BATF for a Form 6 NIA permit to temporarily import firearms into the United States which is good for one year. You have to hold a valid US state hunting license & you cannot be a prohibited person (criminal record, US citizenship renouncee, dishonorable dischargee from US armed forces, etc.). You can apply for another Form 6 NIA before the old one expires.
You cannot leave the firearms in the United States and they must accompany you when you return to Canada if they have been imported into the United States with a Form 6 NIA.
As a Canadian NIA (must be a Canadian citizen) you must leave the United States every 6 months. If you are a Canadian resident whose citizenship status is other than a full fledged Canadian citizen, the maximum allowable stay time in the US is reduced to 90 days. If the US CBP officials suspect that you are trying to circumvent formal US immigration procedures by multiple consecutive 6 month stays they will ban you from entering the US for life as an undesirable alien. If you have acquired a living residence in the US and you are subsequently banned you will be SOL (Sh!t Outta Luck).
Don't take this anecdotal hearsay as gospel as I am not a lawyer and it could very well be incorrect or incomplete.
Life Memberships: NRA, GOA, CSSA, NFA, OFAH
CCW Permits: Utah, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine
Last edited:
You can buy a hunting license from any State, including either here:
http://gf.nd.gov/hunting/,
or here;
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Licensing/licenses.htm.
You can read about related laws, and NIA requirements, here:
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/form6nia/index.htm
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm,
and apply for a Form 6NIA here;
http://www.atf.gov/forms/pdfs/f53303d.pdf
Also see:
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1maXJlYXJt&p_li=&p_topview=1
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1maXJlYXJt&p_li=&p_topview=1
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1maXJlYXJt&p_li=&p_topview=1
You can ask more questions here:
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cfg/php/enduser/home.php?p_sid=cwjejObj,
or here;
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=141&order=desc
Helpful Threads include:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210717
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208997
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187133
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=174373
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173641
http://gf.nd.gov/hunting/,
or here;
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Licensing/licenses.htm.
You can read about related laws, and NIA requirements, here:
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/form6nia/index.htm
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm,
and apply for a Form 6NIA here;
http://www.atf.gov/forms/pdfs/f53303d.pdf
Also see:
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1maXJlYXJt&p_li=&p_topview=1
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1maXJlYXJt&p_li=&p_topview=1
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...F9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1maXJlYXJt&p_li=&p_topview=1
You can ask more questions here:
http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cfg/php/enduser/home.php?p_sid=cwjejObj,
or here;
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=141&order=desc
Helpful Threads include:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210717
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208997
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187133
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=174373
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173641
Last edited:
Novus Collectus
Regular
- Location
- Maryland, USA
Most hunting licenses require a hunter safety course to be taken first, but there are hunting licenses that do not require this and sometimes are the cheapest.
Not sure about any other state, but in my state this is said license: Regulated Shooting Area Hunting License...$6.00
Not sure about any other state, but in my state this is said license: Regulated Shooting Area Hunting License...$6.00
