Moving to New Zealand and taking firearms

[Jagged77]

More of an export compliance rather than legal thread but close enough.

Has anyone got any recent experience of moving from the UK to NZL on a residence visa and taking their firearms?

I’ve spent quite a while researching this and have a good basic understanding of what i can and can’t do with advice from UK export, NZL customs, UK and NZD RFD’s and NZL police. However nothing beats first hand experience.

My options are realistically:

1)Sell all my (many) guns and parts (stocks) and start again - there is a lot to sell!
2)Store in the UK until I’ve been in NZL a year and apply for my licence and then import them (expensive)
3)Export them to a NZL to store locally until I can get my license (also expensive)

I cannot get a visitors permit on a residential visa (doesn’t solve the problem of permanent import of my firearms anyway). I also can’t ship in my personal effects container unless I had both a UK and NZD firearms licence.

If anyone had any further suggestions on any of the above including potential storage options I’d be grateful if you can share.

 

[shbangsteve]

Moving to New Zealand.
You lucky barst**d.
Fabulous country, we have just been for 5 weeks. My son lives there.
I stand to be corrected but he told me that he needs 12months continuous residency before he could apply for a F.A.C.
However he didn't have even a shotgun cert. when he was here so things might be easier for you. Email the relevant authorities over there.

 

[Jagged77]

Moving to New Zealand.
You lucky barst**d.
Fabulous country, we have just been for 5 weeks. My son lives there.
I stand to be corrected but he told me that he needs 12months continuous residency before he could apply for a F.A.C.
However he didn't have even a shotgun cert. when he was here so things might be easier for you. Email the relevant authorities over there.

Yes 12 months and you have to know a NZ resident for 3 plus years for a reference. No difference if a UK FAC holder or not. Fortunately I do have long standing friends over there so it’ll be 12 months. I am OK with have a year or so out of shooting - can still go with someone, bow hunt and air rifle shoot.

 

[6mmAI]

I have recent experience of this, feel free to drop me a pm.

You can apply for a firearm certificate over here on a working holiday visa aslong as it’s 24 months or longer,
You need to have 2 references what are in nz, provide relationship details for the last 5 years,
Once you apply they will be in touch for you to select a date to sit there firearm safety course, upon completion of that they will then contact you, and your references about interviews and home visits.
Subject to all that being correct you will then be issued your firearm licence.

As for export / import of your current firearms that’s straightforward enough, just a lengthy process.

 

[Jagged77]

I have recent experience of this, feel free to drop me a pm.

You can apply for a firearm certificate over here on a working holiday visa aslong as it’s 24 months or longer,
You need to have 2 references what are in nz, provide relationship details for the last 5 years,
Once you apply they will be in touch for you to select a date to sit there firearm safety course, upon completion of that they will then contact you, and your references about interviews and home visits.
Subject to all that being correct you will then be issued your firearm licence.

As for export / import of your current firearms that’s straightforward enough, just a lengthy process.

Interesting, I’ll send you a pm. Thank you