will8080 Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 Interesting legal question if anyone can help? I have dual nationality, UK and Austria. I'm resident in the UK and have lived here my whole life, and also hold a UK SGC. In Austria, purchase of a normal, for example, O/U shotgun is essentially unrestricted - it's your right, no license required, just a 3 day wait for a criminal record check and that's it. If I wanted to buy a shotgun in Austria as an Austrian citizen, and wanted to bring it back to the UK, how would I enter this in my UK SGC? Would it just be a case of entering it on my certificate myself and also notify the UK police? Not sure anything equivalent to the way a UK RFD enters it on your SGC exists in Austria. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 I would email your FEO or Firearms Licensing Department, they will know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 (edited) I'd ask UK Customs and Excise. AFAIK you present it at the UK border (wherever that may be) and declare it and Border Force write it on your SGC there and then. It may make this easier if you bring it back as hold luggage on a direct flight from Austria to the UK as then you are "legal" when you board and legal when you land and declare it. And advance printed letter and reply to and from your firearms licensing team in the UK also helps remove any doubt of your trying to bring it into the UK undeclared. Edited February 13, 2022 by enfieldspares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will8080 Posted February 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 (edited) Thanks all, I would of course enquire with my FEO but thought it good to ask here first in case anyone has experience of a similar situation. I suppose I really just want to get some clarification as if the steps and paperwork are going to be hugely complex then I may decide it's just too much trouble. There are some very nice guns for sale in Austria for excellent prices, and of course the Austrian side of the purchase is totally straightforward. I am just concerned that the importing aspect could be a nightmare. Edited February 13, 2022 by will8080 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggy74 Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 imagine you would have to pay import duty on it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 (edited) Is there no requirement for a waffenbesitzkarte or jagdschein if applicable? Have had to use the German terms as don't know the Austrian versions. Edited February 13, 2022 by wymberley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will8080 Posted February 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 Not as far as I can tell for Category C guns, which covers single barrel, S/S, O/U shotguns and manually operated hunting rifles. I think there is paperwork as you mentioned for category B and A guns though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 37 minutes ago, will8080 said: Not as far as I can tell for Category C guns, which covers single barrel, S/S, O/U shotguns and manually operated hunting rifles. I think there is paperwork as you mentioned for category B and A guns though. Makes you wonder. Austria has the world’s 14th most heavily armed civilian population with 30 guns per 100 people whereas with all our regulations we have just 5. Obviously don’t want the plebs getting uppity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted February 13, 2022 Report Share Posted February 13, 2022 (edited) Dont forget the tax. Edited February 13, 2022 by oowee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted February 14, 2022 Report Share Posted February 14, 2022 Assuming you're flying in then you have a £390 allowance for goods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel100 Posted February 14, 2022 Report Share Posted February 14, 2022 On 13/02/2022 at 15:35, will8080 said: Interesting legal question if anyone can help? I have dual nationality, UK and Austria. I'm resident in the UK and have lived here my whole life, and also hold a UK SGC. In Austria, purchase of a normal, for example, O/U shotgun is essentially unrestricted - it's your right, no license required, just a 3 day wait for a criminal record check and that's it. If I wanted to buy a shotgun in Austria as an Austrian citizen, and wanted to bring it back to the UK, how would I enter this in my UK SGC? Would it just be a case of entering it on my certificate myself and also notify the UK police? Not sure anything equivalent to the way a UK RFD enters it on your SGC exists in Austria. Thanks! I've re-entered the UK (ferry) with a friend who had firearms purchased in Belgium. He needed paperwork to move from the dealers premises in Belgium to the port of embarkation. In Belgium he had the Belgian dealer enter the items onto his UK FAC. That way he did not need to declare at UK customs, unless asked, and simply advised his local Firearms department of the acquisitions when he got home, just as he would have done with a UK purchase. I know some will say get the Border Force to do it. My experience is that they wouldn't know what to do and would need much higher authority before putting pen to paper. Could you go to the dealer in Austria and get them to enter it onto your SGC? As others have wisely said, print off and have with you any correspondence with the police etc. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HantsRob Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 (edited) I'd be very careful with what Andy said above, that could be considered tax evasion. Call customs, speak to someone involved in firearms importation, and do it properly and pay the import duty. Worse case blagging it? Imprisonment, losing the gun, and a big fine. It's really not worth the risk. You can't go to America and buy loads of expensive tech, unbox, and pretend you took it out. (well you can, but if they find out.....) Same applies to guns. Edited February 15, 2022 by HantsRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will8080 Posted February 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 Thanks everyone for all the advice. I hadn't even considered the duty / tax element, seemed like such a minefield to do with the firearms licensing side of it that I hadn't thought of taxation. The excellent selection of shotguns there and the good prices are tempting but I'll probably end up paying over the odds when all is said and done, and have spent many hours on paperwork and research and admin just to try and not get in trouble. Oh well, was a nice idea 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HantsRob Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 Will, once it's imported (and you may need to pay export tax the other side too!), you may need to UK proof the barrels if you were going to resell also. Importing will be VAT at 20%, so that's a massive chunk. But, it'll be more with everything else. Also if you fly they'll charge more to handle it, and it'll need to be in a lockable case etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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