Exporting a firearm to the UK

TenX

Hi,

Could someone please advise on how to export a firearm from ROI to the UK. I used to shoot in Ireland but have since moved to the UK where I now have an FAC. A family member has my old .22 on their Irish FAC and no longer wishes to use it. How do I get it transferred off their Irish FAC and onto my UK one?

Does this have to be done as a dealer to dealer transaction, ie. Firearm transferred to an Irish RFD and then exported to a UK RFD of my choice who will enter it onto my UK FAC?

Could I do it myself with the correct paperwork?

Thanks

TenX

gunhappy_ie

A dealer to dealer transfer is not nessessary.

Ive only imported firearms into Ireland but I assume its fairly simular.

Firstly youll have to get the rifle put on your licence.

Then get on to the UKs version of Dept of justice who handle firearms to get an import permit.

Get an export permit from the Irish Dept of justice and your good to go !!

FOXHUNTER1

The man at this end will also need to get a removal order from his local super before the dept will issue an export licence.
The removal order will last a month from the date of issue which should be plenty of time to get the export sorted.

dCorbus

Have a read of this pamphlet from the BASC about importing and visiting the UK with firearms: BASC Pamphlet on Firearms Shipment to UK

To export the firearm permanently from Ireland into the UK (or any other EU state) you'll need to follow these instructions from the DoJ to obtain a transfer document (link: DoJ Export of Firearms from Ireland by Individuals):

1. Complete the application form fully Firearm Export Form (for Individuals)
2. Make sure you have filled in:
(a) the exact makes and models of the firearms
(b) the correct category A-D EU Firearms Categories A-D
3. Attach to the application a copy of the valid firearm certificate for the firearm to be exported.
4. In cases where there is no valid firearm certificate, you must apply to a Garda superintendent for a document entitled an Authorisation for Export or Removal and submit a copy of this document with the application
5. You can fill in the form using type or in handwriting. If completing it in handwriting please use black ink and block capitals.
6. Forward the documentation to the Crime 4 Division of The Department of Justice and Law Reform. We will issue to you a transfer document which you can use to legally export the firearms and/or ammunition.

In relation to a form for the required "Authorisation for Export or Removal", I cannot find anything online for this, so you may have to call into the Super's office to get it or perhaps contact the FPU to obtain a copy.

Although you may not need this, as the firearm is still (as I understand from your post) licenced here. In that case all you need do is attach a copy of the valid FAC for the rifle with your application to export it.

Not sure how the paperwork works at the UK end of things. But I'd say it's pretty straightforward and should involve no more than having the firearm added to your UK FAC (But check this with your local constabulary and don't take my word for it).

Hope that helps.

dC

meathstevie

Could apply to TenX, if your relative does not want the gun in their name anymore there's no problem scrapping the licence and having the gun stored in an RFD's premises, the authorisation to export from the Super will come into play in that case. You can own a gun without a cert but can't have it in your possession without a cert.

dCorbus

I've just had another detailed look at how the OP could go about this.

Firstly, he'd need to arrange to have the Rifle put onto his UK FAC by way of a variation to his existing licence (if he has one) using the UK Form 101.

According to Section 4.2.2. of the UK Customs' document C2-25A:

Private individuals importing firearms (edit: into the UK) from another EU Member State require the following documents:

UK residents returning with a firearm purchased in another Member State or being sent to them by mail order:

- Firearms/Shot Gun Certificate issued by the Police for the area in which the importer lives; and
- Transfer Licence issued in the Member State of purchase.

Firearms may be imported against police authority to acquire or purchase noted in the importer's Firearm Certificate.

So my advice would be as follows:

a) Ensure that the Irish FAC is retained by your family member until the export / import is completed.
b) You obtain a variation on your UK FAC to include the specific firearm and have your FAC updated with this new information.
c) Once you have obtained your UK FAC for the rifle, your family member applies for the export / transfer document from the DoJ.
d) Your family member applies for the Irish Individual Export Transfer Approval from the Irish DoJ in their name and gives your name on the DoJ application form as the person to whom the firearm will be exported.
e) Once you have obtained both your UK FAC (for the new rifle) and your family member has obtained the Export / Transfer Document from the DoJ, you then make arrangements to have the rifle transported to the UK. (How this is best accomplished is another days work: One option, would be for your family member to then obtain a Europass and a UK Visitors Permit and bring the rifle over to you)
f) Once the transfer has been completed, your family member then uses the FCA2 Form over here and submits the FCA2 form to the Gardai to cancel their licence for this firearm here, ticking the box for "Exported Gun" and giving your UK details and a copy of the DoJ Transfer Document.

I'm not sure what paperwork would be required for you to travel over to Ireland, pick up the rifle, and then travel back to the UK. But how the paperwork on that would work to allow you to possess the rifle in Ireland for the short period you're in transit, I don't know TBH.

That all said, make sure to check this with both the Irish and UK authorities, and don't just take my word for it (I may be wrong and as I haven't done this myself, I can't say whether this works or not, it's just how I'd go about it, from reading the forms and documents available from the GS, DoJ, and UK police and customs).

dCorbus

I've done some checking and here are a couple of freight / courier companies which may be able to arrange to courier the rifle for you:

PBS International Freight: http://www.pbs-int.co.uk/firearms.html

Embassy Freight Services (Ireland): http://www.embassy-ireland.com/index.php

PAR Freight: http://parfreight.com/specialist_services.html

I haven't used any of these myself, so perhaps some of the other lads will have more first-hand advice and recommendations for you, but in the meantime I hope this info will be of some help to you. There's bound to be a good few forum members who've used a courier to ship stuff either into or out of Ireland.

TenX

Thanks for all the info DC.

I spoke to my local firearms team here and they will add it to my FAC and issue a European Firearms Passport for it.

I spoke to the DoJ and they want me to email them with details of what I want to do. They mentioned that my family member will need to get an Export Licence from them but first they should apply for an Authorisation for Export from the local Garda Superintendent. Looking at the DoJ website I can't see why this is required as my family member has a valid FAC in Ireland. I'll email them for an "official" response.

I will be driving over to Ireland so I was intending on bringing the rifle back myself. My main concern is whether I am authorised to possess it while in Ireland, in other words transporting it from my family members house to the ferry terminal. I'm covered when I get back to the UK. Do you know if I would have authority to possess in Ireland if I had the rifle listed on a European Firearms Passport issued by the UK?

TenX

dCorbus

They mentioned that my family member will need to get an Export Licence from them but first they should apply for an Authorisation for Export from the local Garda Superintendent.

AFAIK they're wrong about that bit.
Their own website states otherwise, as does the Garda Commissioners Guidelines on the subject:

An individual exporting a firearm to a member state of the EU:

- The form Firearms Import/Export Application Form for Individuals, accompanied by a copy of the valid firearms certificate for the firearm, should be forwarded to The Firearms and Explosives Unit, Crime 4 Division, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, 94 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2. Note: In cases where there is no valid firearm certificate, the individual must apply to a Garda superintendent for ‘An Authorisation for Export or Removal’ and attach this to the application made to the Department. An export licence will then be granted to legally export the firearm.

Seem's to be pretty clear-cut to me - Maybe when you ask them for their "official response", you could ask them why the information you have been given is in contradiction of both the DoJ published advice and the Garda Commissioners Guidelines.;)

Do you know if I would have authority to possess in Ireland if I had the rifle listed on a European Firearms Passport issued by the UK?

Again, AFAIK, No - you won't be covered if you only have the EFP over here. You'll need to apply for a temporary non-resident FAC (it's similar to the UK Visitors Firearms Permit we need to get to bring rifles over to the UK) and the form for this can be got here from the Garda website: http://www.garda.ie/Documents/User/Firearm%20Certificate%20Application%20Non%20Resident%20Firearms%20Acts%201925-2009%20as%20amended%5B1%5D.pdf

Page 26 of the Garda Commissioner's Guidelines covers this:

The Firearms (Firearm Certificates for Non-Residents) Act, 2000 as amended by section 67 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 deals with applications and grants for firearms certificates to persons ordinarily resident outside the State and over 16 years of age.
Section 2 of the 2000 Act as amended by section 42 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 now provides for a one year certificate commencing from the date of grant of the firearms certificate and expiring 12 months from that date.
An application for a firearm certificate, by a person not resident in this State, shall be made on a separate application form (available on the Garda Síochána website) to that of a resident of this State and the fee shall accompany the application. The application shall be made to the superintendent of the district where the applicant first wishes to shoot and the application shall detail the amount of ammunition being applied for. If the application refers to a restricted firearm, then the application will be forwarded to the chief superintendent of that division.
The application should be processed as quickly as possible, but it should be noted that an application for a certificate relating to a restricted firearm may take longer to process than an application for a non restricted firearm.

Cass

I wouldn't have as much knowledge on the whole process, but i would hazard a guess that you could get a visitor's permit to allow you to carry the firearm while here.

TenX

Dealer to dealer looks to be the more hassle free (but costly) option.