South Africa trip documents

techno_brat

Well-Known Member
Hi, im new to the forum and find it very helpfull and spend most of my day at work browsing lol. In November i will be travelling to South Africa will a couple friends for a holiday and a spot of shooting. I have a quick question for those seasoned South African hunters, for the import docs you have to supply a certified copy of both my firearms license and passport, do these need to be done by a solicitor or can it be done by any establishment, i.e. post office offer this service, bank etc etc. your help would be greatly appreciated :cool:

Jack
 
Jack,

Download the form off the SAP website. Fill it in but don't sign it. Take original AND photocopies of your passport, FAC and letter of invitation from your outfitter. That's all you need.

I've always found that the SAP office process my permit before my guns have been brought to them.

I'm now averaging 40 minutes of plane wheels touching down to wheels rolling out of the carpark.

Stan
 
Hi Stan, cheers for that. do you just take normal copys of your docs? of certified ones? i was planning on getting PHASA to have out permits ready upfront, reason being as were not hunting game but shooting pests etc of a family friends farm and PHASA are helping us get the permit due to not having a outfitters letter.
 
bump :D anyone know if i need official notarised copys from a solicitor or will a stamped certified copy from the post office do?
 
Firtsly get your Outfitter to email/fax or post an invitation to hunt on agreed dates.
Go onto the SAP (South African Police) website and download an Import Licence for a firearm.
Fill the relevent sections in, and on arrival at, I assume Jberg go to the Police Firearms Office.
Hand over:
1) Your Passpost (Original)
2) Your Firearms Certificate (Original)
3) Your Letter of Invitation
4) Print out of your flight details.

They will then check your Serial Numbers against you certificate.
They will photo-copy everything and hand back all originals to you, along with your Import Licence.

If like me you are taking an internal flight, you need to check in then take your gun(s) and ammo to the Domestic Firearms Police along with your Import Licence.
Again they will check Serial Number against Import Licence, then they are responsible for getting your gun and ammo onto your plane.

A word of warning, having done 6 trips the only hassle I have is with the Domestic Firearms Police.
Although they are not Police in the real sence, theY are Group 4 Security, they are always asking for a "Back Hander" Dollars or Rand.
I always say that I have no change just Traveller Cheques.

If you have trouble filling in the form from SAP, PM me and I will forward one that I use as a template.

Good Hunting.

Regards

DavieH
 
cheers DavieH, i have all the docs in place etc, were getting professional hunters association of south africa to get our permits upfront because were not going game hunting but vermin shooting on a family friends farm. on their website and SAPS website they ask for a certified/notarised copy of passport and firearms license, where did you get it certified? luckily were getting picked up at jberg by my mates family.
cheers
Jack
 
Your Passport is certified by the British Government and your Firearms Certificate is certified by your Chief Constable.
I have never taken anything else.
To save hassle can you not use your family friends guns??
 
You might know this already but worth mentioning that you and your party should all have 2 clear pages in your passport or you won't get into South Africa.
My daughter flew from South America to hunt with me and found she didn't have 2 free pages by the time she arrived in Joburg, hell of a job getting round it...
 
thanks for you help guys, there are a couple rifles we could use but theres 3 of us and a couple people out there that will be shooting, plus its nice to use your own rifle that you trust. yeah i did hear that about the passport thing, all ok on that front, cant wait :cool:
 
The airport porter will offer to help, insisting on a generous tip, even some staff try it or more usually the porter will suggest you give them beer money! I was advised to say that security cameras are everywhere and that I could get arrested for bribing an official – that diffuses the situation. The porters can be useful, but two guns seems to need 2 x porters!

However, most of the staff are friendly and helpful, enjoy your trip.

If like me on your return you have to sign for your firearms at customs without sight of them its worrying. We then found them on a trolley with a porter in the baggage area, he happily let us take them with no checks.
 
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