Visitors

To apply for a visitor firearms licence, you need to:

 

 

• be 16 years of age or over
• hold a current firearms licence in your home country
• be from a country that has similar firearms safety and licensing practices to New Zealand
• complete an online application at least four months before your visit to New Zealand
• demonstrate you are a fit and proper person* to possess and use firearms while in New Zealand.

Note: Being a fit and proper person means you meet a certain standard of conduct and character. It is up to you to satisfy New Zealand Police that you are fit and proper. See Fit & proper definition for more information.

 

When applying for a visitor firearms licence, you must tell us about any:

• criminal convictions, including driving-related offences
• pending criminal charges
• unsatisfied judgments in court
• adverse findings against you by a court in civil proceedings.

 

If your home country/state does not issue firearms licences:

• Some countries or states do not issue firearms licences. If you are from a country or state that does not issue firearms licences, you will need to provide proof that you can legally own a firearm in your own country/state, and that you have been trained in the safe use of firearms. 
• You can do so by uploading a copy of one of the following:
  • Hunting permit.
  • Concealed carry permit.
  • Hunter education certificate.
  • Other relevant document.
• You will also need to provide proof of your good character, such as a certified criminal history. See Immigration New Zealand’s advice on how to obtain a police certificate (also known as a criminal history check) from other countries.

You cannot get a visitor firearms licence and must instead apply for a New Zealand firearms licence if:

• you intend to stay in New Zealand for longer than 12 months 
• you intend to immigrate to New Zealand.

 

The application process

See Apply for visitor firearms licence & import permits page for step-by-step instructions to apply for a visitor firearms licence.

!	Important:
	Once your application for a visitor firearms licence has been approved, you can only make minor changes to your arrival date and/or your departure date. If you seek to change any additional details you will have to re-apply for your visitor firearms licence, including paying another application fee.
!	Application approval
	If your application is approved, you will receive an email advising you of your approved application and the conditions that apply.
X	Application refusal
	If your application is refused, we will write to tell you why it has been refused.

If you intend to bring your own firearms into New Zealand, you will need to select from a list of standard firearms during the application and provide the following details:

• Make
• Model
• Calibre
• Action type
• Ammunition type
• Serial number

Bringing in your own firearm is limited to standard hunting rifles and shotguns, and in limited instances pistols when attending a pistol competition.

 

Prohibited firearms and parts

• Semi-automatic firearm, excluding:
  • a semi-automatic firearm that is capable of only firing 0.22 calibre or lower rimfire cartridges; has a magazine capable of holding no more than 10 cartridges; does not have a lower receiver that can be attached to a centerfire upper receiver to result in a firearm that can function
  • a semi-automatic shotgun with a non-detachable tubular magazine or magazines that cannot hold more than 5 cartridges
  • a small semi-automatic pistol
• Pump-action shotgun that can be used with a detachable magazine
• Pump-action shotgun that has a non-detachable tubular magazine or magazines that cannot hold more than 5 cartridges
• Centrefire pump-action rifle that can be used with a detachable magazine
• Centrefire pump-action rifle that has one or more non-detachable magazines (tubular or otherwise) that can hold more than 10 cartridges

See Sections 2A, 2B and 2C of the Arms Act 1983 for details on the firearms, magazines and parts that are prohibited in New Zealand. If you aren’t sure if a firearm or part is prohibited, refer to this guide.

Your approved visitor firearms licence will be issued to you by New Zealand Police upon your arrival in New Zealand. Your approved visitor firearms licence is valid between the dates specified on your licence (based on your arrival date and departure date).

 

 

If you are arriving by air, airport staff will direct you to the nearest Police desk or office at your arrival airport. The New Zealand Airport Police will then:

• check your passport
• check your firearms licence issued by the country you live in
• check, if you applied to bring firearms into New Zealand, all firearms and parts.
• issue a visitor firearms licence to you and (if applicable) a permit to import firearms and/or parts.

If you are arriving by sea-port, go to the nearest local Police station in the area to pick up your approved visitor firearms licence.

Important points

• If you only applied for a visitor firearms licence and did not apply to bring firearms or ammunition with you as part of your application, then you will not be allowed to bring any firearms or ammunition into New Zealand with you.
• If you applied to bring firearms or ammunition with you as part of your application, you can only bring the firearm(s) or ammunition that have been approved by Police for you to import. These will be stated in your approved visitor firearms licence email.
• You must declare all firearms and ammunition to New Zealand Customs officials.
• If you arrive with firearms or ammunition that are not listed in your approved visitor firearms licence email, then they will be seized by New Zealand Customs.

You must:

• take all firearms and parts that you brought with you out of New Zealand
• report to the Airport Police (if leaving via an airport) or the nearest Police station (if leaving via sea-port)
• complete any form(s) required for an export permit, or if you are exempt from an export permit, complete notification of export forms. Follow the links below to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website for more information.

Export permit Exemptions form

If you need help, please contact the Export Controls office:

• Email: exportcontrols@mfat.govt.nz
• Phone: +64 4 439 8227
• Webpage: www.mfat.govt.nz/

Remember to arrange to import any firearms back into your country of origin before you leave New Zealand.

 

These offensive weapons are prohibited in New Zealand. If you want to bring any of these weapons into New Zealand, you must apply to New Zealand Police before you leave your home country. You must also provide a compelling and appropriate reason for importation of prohibited offensive weapons.

	For enquiries about the importation of prohibited offensive weapons, please contact Police at permitfirearms@police.govt.nz.
	The application to import offensive weapons [Form POL67OW ] is available in the Firearms Forms and Guide section.

 

Prohibited offensive weapons in New Zealand (excluding firearms):

• Bayonets.
• Knuckledusters or knives incorporating knuckledusters.
• Swordsticks (including any identifiable components of swordsticks).
• Any weapon disguised to give the appearance of another article*.
• Any knife with a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring, or other device in or attached to the handle of the knife (sometimes known as a flick knife or flick gun).
• Any knife with a blade that is released from the handle or sheath by the force of gravity or the application of centrifugal force, and that, when released, is locked in place by means of a button, spring, lever, or other device (sometimes known as a gravity knife or butterfly knife).
• Any knife, with the exception of a folding pocket knife with a blade less than 10 cm in length, that:
• is designed for ease of concealment on the person; or
  • has a double-edged blade that is designed for stabbing or throwing (as opposed to cutting)
  • is known as a fist knife, gimlet knife, punch dagger, push dagger, push dirk, push knife, T-handled knife, or throwing knife.

* This includes firearms disguised as other articles, such as walking stick shotguns.