Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Customs form 4457

What do you list on the form besides the rifle info?
Do you list the scope by serial?
What about binos& cameras?
Do you fill out a seperate form for each?
Thanks

When I did it for my 2008 hunt, I put gun, scope, camera, and binos on it. I'm taking a different gun, this summer, so will put all 4 on there again.


maddog

Rifle description (make, caliber), serial number
Scope description, serial number
Camera, binocs- description, serial number if available

I fill out separate forms for rifles, cameras, binocs, etc., because I often take different combos of the above equipment along on trips. Saves trips to the Customs store to get new forms filled out.

Anything that is of value and could be percieved as having been purchased out of the country and thus subject to import excise taxes is adviseable to put on the form. Above are correct in putting rifle, scopes, binoculars, camera's and such on the form. MUCH easier to prove you have it NOW, than after and while trying to re-enter your own country after a LONG freaking flight and exhausted from same with a short temper.

You can list multiple items on a #4457. I suggest putting individual firarms on seperate 4457 forms. These forms do not expire so you can file them in a safe place and use them for future trips.
If you take the same rifle(s) with you on a subsequent trip you can simply pull the #4457 out of your file and do not need to go visit customs again.

When you go to a custom's office, one needs to take all items of personalty with them,correct. I know you do for rifles,of course, but does the same apply for cameras,jewelry,optics and the like?

I'll just comment that in dozens of trips outside of the U.S. to hunt, I have yet to encounter a U.S. Customs agent who paid the slightest attention to my binoculars, cameras, etc. upon returning. All they have ever cared about is the firearms--unless I am also bringing meat, hides or heads back as well. Then they mostly care about that stuff.

As was mentioned by Muledeer above. Over several hunting trips abroad I have never been asked for verification of ownership on anything other than my firearms.

If you are going to customs to fill out your #4457 for your firearms there is no harm in listing other expensive items such as scopes binoculars etc.

It costs nothing but a little extra time, and if it provides you with peace of mind there's no harm in it.

Agree. I travel internationally a lot and most of it business related. I always have computers, cameras, even binos and the like with me and have never been drilled over any of that sort of property. I would worry about the firearms and I would do one per form so you can use it again.

another +1

One possible benefit of of having "valuables" worth more than $250 listed on a 4457 might be in case one of the items gets lost or stolen. Could be helpful if you have serial numbers recorded on an "official" US issued document. At least the locals might fill out some kind of "report" that you can bring home and use for an insurance claim if have it.

My first trip I just listed my rifle with its scope together on one 4457. Second trip I had done some rifle and scope changes and had to go through the process again. When I came back I decided to take the time to every item individually on its own form. One rifle - one form. Once scope - one form. Once bino - one form etc.

Yes, it was a bit more time consuming but I filled out the forms ahead of time via the on-line form and then loaded up all my "stuff" in the truck and schlep it all to the Customs office. Customs agent came out to the truck, confirmed all the info and items matched, we went back inside and ran the info to make sure none of the stuff had been reported stolen and signed and stamped them and I schlep it all home again. Put all the forms in a file.

Now all I have to do is sort out what rifle/scope combo I am taking, pull the original 4457s, burn copies - one copy each with each rifle/scope combo in its case, one set of copies with me, one set with my GF and a spare set to give to the airlines rep if the guns don't show up at the destination. That happened on our first trip to Namibia. Filled out the airline lost bags form and since they were firearms also asked for a Nam police officer there too. Gave each a set of copies of our 4457s and gave the police a copy of the pre-filled out Namibian Temp Gun Import form and the lost bags and rifles showed up at camp (8 hour drive NW of WDH) two days later.

When I got mine done I filled out two forms on my rifle and had the customs guy sign and stamp them both so if someone along the line won't accept a copy, you can give them an original. They will give you as many as you want. Other countries (SA) seem to thing they (form 4457) are some kind of heavy duty gun registration but they really don't mean much, except to show you owned the rifle/other stuff before you left the country.

We have a similar form here in Canada that was a slight problem to get filled out. It took a lot of convincing that RSA required a customs form for temp importtion. The customs officer said the actual license is required to bring the firearm back in to Canada. I gave him the downloaded RSA form and completion guide with that information highlightede.

He thought it a waste of time, but finally agreed to write it up andstamp it.

I tried showing the rifles registrations in Joburg, but they just tossed it aside, and demanded the customs forms.

Funny story on return home to Canada. Customs did not even oprn the gun case, just looked at my licenses, asked about the hunt and welcomed me home.

That was in Toronto, she was 25 and when asked she stated she was not a firearm owner, but she would love to hunt. I told her she should contact my daughter who lives in Toronto as she could be a wealth of info.

My city daughter comes home every fall and has brought various friends with her for me to take hunting.

Randy

that is a great way to "win over" some of those city types that don't understand the sport we love.......

Gents...although I scanned a copy of our passports to our Meet and Greet/rifle permit folks, they now write to say they need notarized copies. Is this simply a matter of me preparing a affidavit for one of our office notaries to validate and then forward the affidavits? There's nothing by way of a notarized seal on our passports themselves,that I'm aware of.

If I'm correct, I could knock that out in 30 minutes. Want to make sure I don't have to deal with the State Dept.

Thanks.

I just copied mine (and my wife's) passport on a copy machine at the bank and had a notary stamp and sign it....no one questioned it and like you, I sent it ahead for meet and greet...

Below is a copy and paste from Air2000 whom we have used in the past with no problems. We now use Gracy and simply send everthing to them on behalf of the clients and they forward it to South Africa.

For temporary firearm importation permits you need to complete and send to us:
�� A copy of the South African Police Service SAPS 520 form (obtainable from our website at
www.hunterssupport.com). You must complete sections E 1 to E 25.4, G, I and J (please don�t
forget to sign both sections I and J and submit the full application of 8 pages);
�� Please complete the SAPS 520 in black ink, no other colour will be accepted.
�� An authorization to Air 2000 to obtain a permit on your behalf in the form of the attached
Hunters Support Form to be completed and signed, giving hunters� support permission to
obtain your permit in advance;
�� An original notarized copy of your passport,( photo and signature page ) and the passport
must have a minimum of two free pages and a minimum of four months validity after the
termination of the hunt.
�� An original notarized copy of Proof of ownership of your firearms in the form of
o The US Customs form 4457 OR
o A letter from your local sheriff in the form of an affidavit confirming ownership OR
o An invoice from the gun shop where you purchased the firearms OR
o A copy of your firearms license. Whichever is applicable
�� An original notarized copy of Documentary proof of export of the firearms in the form of
o For all US citizens, US Customs form 4457 (one copy is sufficient)
o An original notarized copy of the Proof of Ownership (4457) and passport must be
signed and stamped as true copies of the original document by a Public Notary.
o A letter of invitation from your outfitter confirming the dates of your safari, where
you are hunting, what species you are hunting and what firearms the outfitter
suggests you bring that is applicable to you hunt.
All documentation is to be completed correctly as per above and sent via courier Fedex, DHL or UPS
to arrive at Hunters Support 30 days prior to your arrival for processing depending on whether is is a
normal application or 35 days prior if it is an application for a semi-automatic firearm or a handgun.
The postal service can be used and it is advised to use the Global Priority Mail service from the US
Postal Service. This service takes 10 days, any other form of service can take 90 days to land here in
South Africa.