As an applicant for, or the holder of, a visitor’s firearms licence the changes that will impact you are described in summary below (section 22E).
- Those who come to New Zealand who are issued a licence for up to a year (a ‘Visitors’ licence) will no longer be able to purchase firearms for possession or use in New Zealand.
- A Visitor with a firearms licence may purchase a firearm for immediate export to their home country by the seller, subject to the usual export and import requirements of New Zealand and the visitor’s home country.
- If this section is contravened, the visitor’s licence is immediately revoked.
Customs requirements for craft temporarily visiting New Zealand (s66D)
- The Act codifies current practice relating to the handling of firearms that arrive on marine crafts from a foreign country.
- Owners or operators of marine craft such as ships, boats and yachts arriving from a foreign country that will be temporarily berthed, moored, or anchored in a harbour or the territorial waters of New Zealand, and that have any arms items on board that are not being off-loaded must:
- include details of all arms items on board the craft in an advance notice of arrival or in an inward report to the New Zealand Customs Service, and
- comply with any directions given by the New Zealand Customs Service or a member of the Police relating to the secure storage of those arms items. This may include a direction that the arms items be temporarily surrendered to a member of the Police or a Customs officer.
- If the owner or operator of a craft does not comply with such directions, then a member of Police or a Customs Officer may board the craft, and seize, and detain the arms items, using any reasonable force that is necessary.