Moving to New Zealand and taking firearms

ALLHONE hunting knives designed and made in NZ
Jagged77

Jagged77

Well-Known Member
Supporter
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.
 
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.
 
shbangsteve said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
6mmAI said:
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.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I’ll send you a pm. Thank you
 
It used to be the case that UK FAC was valid in NZ, Least that's what I was told by a NZ RFD circa 2016. I worked there as a PH at the time and my authority was under my employers rather like a UK RFD servant situation. Clearly not the case anymore & on both points I think - but an interesting tidbit.
 
If it is any help to you, a friend used PQD when he emigrated to South Africa. I think they stored them for a while whilst he waited for his new licence, then shipped them. He said it was very expensive but they were family guns with sentimental attachment.
 
Thanks both, I should be able to apply for my licence after a year. Fortunately we have old friends from the uk that live there and I can use as a reference (if you didn’t know anyone though you’d have to wait longer as you need to know the referee for 3 years).

Regarding shipping, I’m in context with a specialist shipping company that has an open export licence that will store my guns and ship them when I’m ready. The more guns you ship the cheaper it becomes per gun. It’s still not cheap though.

The messy bit at the moment is shipping my reloading components, scopes and airguns in my personal household container. Airguns (for export purposes like this) are classed as firearms and the reloading components and scopes (especially digital or thermal) are dual use and all require a SIEL. Fortunately I’ve had some help from an experienced export specialist at work who set me on the right path. It’s an involved process though.
 
Jagged77 said:
Thanks both, I should be able to apply for my licence after a year. Fortunately we have old friends from the uk that live there and I can use as a reference (if you didn’t know anyone though you’d have to wait longer as you need to know the referee for 3 years).

Regarding shipping, I’m in context with a specialist shipping company that has an open export licence that will store my guns and ship them when I’m ready. The more guns you ship the cheaper it becomes per gun. It’s still not cheap though.

The messy bit at the moment is shipping my reloading components, scopes and airguns in my personal household container. Airguns (for export purposes like this) are classed as firearms and the reloading components and scopes (especially digital or thermal) are dual use and all require a SIEL. Fortunately I’ve had some help from an experienced export specialist at work who set me on the right path. It’s an involved process though.
Click to expand...
How long is your current UK FAC valid for in NZ ?
 
Yes i believe so, as I mentioned before, in 2016 I was told a UK ticket was valid in NZ (but as you've confirmed looks like that sadly now isnt the case)

Pretty forward thinking of NZ to have had that in place. Unfortunately I think post their mosque mass shooting, the knee jerk brigade won and alot of their laws tightened up significantly.

I remember when I worked there, as I was employed by a outfitter, I could just crack on with whatever type of firearm doing whatever under the outfitters ticket. Again, no idea if that arrangement is still the same.
 
12gsnapcaps said:
Yes i believe so, as I mentioned before, in 2016 I was told a UK ticket was valid in NZ (but as you've confirmed looks like that sadly now isnt the case)

Pretty forward thinking of NZ to have had that in place. Unfortunately I think post their mosque mass shooting, the knee jerk brigade won and alot of their laws tightened up significantly.

I remember when I worked there, as I was employed by an outfitter, I could just crack on with whatever type of firearm doing whatever under the outfitters ticket. Again, no idea if that arrangement is still the same.
Click to expand...
I’ve not looked into visitors permits as they won’t apply in my case, but I think you can visit for a year and taking one flight out of the country will count, then repeat (I could be wrong). Just depends on visa type - a permanent residence visa means I need to start from scratch and since I’ll be leaving the UK I give up my UK FAC too.

Unfortunately things like rifle stocks count as firearms components and can only be held with a licence so I can’t take any of my many spare chassis and stocks. Once a licence is granted however then it’s a case of getting what you want (that’s not on the restricted list).
 
My son lives overthere and we are considering moving there on a parent or investment visa so could I take my firearms over and transfer them to him whilst I get sorted ?
Where do you get advice from ?
 
shbangsteve said:
My son lives overthere and we are considering moving there on a parent or investment visa so could I take my firearms over and transfer them to him whilst I get sorted ?
Where do you get advice from ?
Click to expand...
I’ve had a few sources of information but going directly to the police and import departments have been the most helpful. As I understand it, on a visitors firearms permit you have to re-export the guns. However if your son were to import them (the application process is free) and you were to transfer them to him on arrival, that might work. You would need to export them from the uk also which would require an export licence (SIEL).

Alternatively you could ship them to him for around £1300 ish (for say 6 guns). He’d still need the import license but I’m led to believe this is straight forward for NZ licence holders.

Please take above with a pinch of salt - I’m not an expert by any means but I have spent some time researching it.
 
Jagged77 said:
I’ve had a few sources of information but going directly to the police and import departments have been the most helpful. As I understand it, on a visitors firearms permit you have to re-export the guns. However if your son were to import them (the application process is free) and you were to transfer them to him on arrival, that might work. You would need to export them from the uk also which would require an export licence (SIEL).

Alternatively you could ship them to him for around £1300 ish (for say 6 guns). He’d still need the import license but I’m led to believe this is straight forward for NZ licence holders.

Please take above with a pinch of salt - I’m not an expert by any means but I have spent some time researching it.
Click to expand...
Thanks I'll do some research
 
I moved to NZ as a permanent resident in February this year.

Moving as a resident prevents you from taking any guns using a visitors permit.

I opted to sell all my UK firearms and will buy rifles and kit once my NZ firearms license is granted which could take up to a year.

In general, optics and firearms are slightly cheaper in NZ and buying something here enables you to get something suited to NZ hunting which often involves covering a lot of ground.

The added bonus is that there is far greater flexibility with calibre choices and it’s a pretty straightforward process.

For all up to date information on the NZ application process use the link below for the NZ Firearms Safety Authority.

Before you apply for a firearms licence | Firearms Safety Authority New Zealand

Find out what a New Zealand firearms licence allows you to do, who can apply and what you need to provide in your application.
www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz
 
They got a 1.5 out of 10 vote in a survey of firearm owners. Backlogs just for simple sales of firearms as it has to be approved by them and approving changes of addresses is a joke and no Ai algorithm will expedite them any faster.
You can loose your license for a variety of offences and claims that have no relevance to firearm ownership.
Also if you have any dealings with police, record it.
In New Zealand, it is generally legal to record police in your own home for legal protection, as you have a right to document interactions on your property, provided you do not obstruct them in their duties.
Recording can serve as a vital, independent record of events to ensure accountability.
So pretty much adopted your UK system, you'll all fit in seamlessly.
 
@theroedeerguy said:
I opted to sell all my UK firearms and will buy rifles and kit once my NZ firearms license is granted which could take up to a year.
Click to expand...
This has to be the sensible approach surely?

Whilst good shipping agents are like good accountants, in that they’ll quickly pay for themselves, there’s very little point in my mind paying to put his kids through college to handle a complex export, when the kit may or may not be suited to local conditions.

Surely you can stash the chassis and stocks with a mate for a year & export at a later date (even by hand during a future visit home)
 
udderlyoffroad said:
This has to be the sensible approach surely?

Whilst good shipping agents are like good accountants, in that they’ll quickly pay for themselves, there’s very little point in my mind paying to put his kids through college to handle a complex export, when the kit may or may not be suited to local conditions.

Surely you can stash the chassis and stocks with a mate for a year & export at a later date (even by hand during a future visit home)
Click to expand...
Yes & no, I decided to export mine to nz as I’ve A perazzi mx8, & 5 rifles what are semi custom on sako 75 actions, and I got offered £2k for all the rifles, so would be daft to accept that, it’s been somewhat a ball ache getting them here mind, due to the war, it’s been 8/9 months so far and there not here yet, but now in final stages hopefully……
 
I’ve sold quite a few but the second hand market in the UK is hit and miss. I’ve listed some that have sold quickly and others very little interest.

I’ve whittled my collection down to around a dozen that I want to keep and am happy with the cost to bring them over - things like an AI AX and .50bmg will cost a lot to replace in NZ.
 
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