CBP Form 4457 Questions

[swashington]

Hey all, I am working on my form for the late May departure and have some questions about the 4457

What is the number line at the top?
I am leaving and returning in Atlanta, what do I put as the port, the City or Airport name?
How soon in advance do I need to get it signed by CBP? I was planning on doing it early in the day prior to the 10pm departure. Is that a bad plan?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JimP]

You're getting a late start on it, I'd have it done and ready by now.

Just fill out your name, address, and the description of the items such as your rifle on the form. Leave the rest blank. I'll also put the scopes serial number on it also.

You might want to get a second one with your binoculars, camera, and such if you are taking any expensive items with you. This just shows that you owned them prior to departure and didn't purchase them overseas.

Do you have your SAP"s 520 forum filled out and NOT SIGNED yet? Evidently you are not using a pre approved service so go over it multiple times to make sure that everything is correct before leaving.

 

[Franco]

You're getting a late start on it, I'd have it done and ready by now.

Just fill out your name, address, and the description of the items such as your rifle on the form. Leave the rest blank. I'll also put the scopes serial number on it also.

You might want to get a second one with your binoculars, camera, and such if you are taking any expensive items with you. This just shows that you owned them prior to departure and didn't purchase them overseas.

Do you have your SAP"s 520 forum filled out and NOT SIGNED yet? Evidently you are not using a pre approved service so go over it multiple times to make sure that everything is correct before leaving.

Agreed, most countries require a copy of that form prior to your entry.

Use one form for rifle/scope and as Jim said use a second one for other items. If taking more than one gun, I would use a separate form for each.

 

[swashington]

I do have the SAP form completed already and electronically signed through Firearm Permits. Where do I go to get this one signed, driving to Altanta just to get a signature before I leave is a full day. Do I have to take the firearms with me then?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Per my local customs office, I put the rifles and scopes on the same form. If you can find the local customs office near your departure point, the form could stamped there. Yes, you need the firearms with you so they can verify the serial numbers entered in the form match the rifles/scopes.

 

[Franco]

The Customs officer will need to see/verify the serial numbers of whatever you are listing.

 

[Russ16]

You can find ports of entry here. Call the office closest to you and ask about hours and procedure for bringing the guns in to them. They are all a little different.

Locate a Port of Entry

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

 

[coreydb]

Atlanta is a port of entry. Google its location and go from there.

 

[Javaman]

Hey all, I am working on my form for the late May departure and have some questions about the 4457

What is the number line at the top?
I am leaving and returning in Atlanta, what do I put as the port, the City or Airport name?
How soon in advance do I need to get it signed by CBP? I was planning on doing it early in the day prior to the 10pm departure. Is that a bad plan?

Thanks in advance.

Leave Number box at the top blank.

Leave Port box blank - that’s for the CBP officer to fill in when they are signing the form.

Leave the Date box blank - that’s for the CBP officer to fill in when they sign the form.

IMPORTANT: make sure you are using the current 4457 that does NOT have an expiration date in the top right corner. Old ones expired.

Make sure the CBP officer stamps the form once they have signed and dated it. No stamp = not valid = potential problems on re-entry into the US.

You can’t be too early in getting your 4457 signed and stamped.

Hope this helps.

 

[DJStang]

I just took my rifles and 4457 forms to the CBP office at the Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) and did them there. My flight left from PBI to Atlanta, then on to Johannesburg. The CBP officer at PBI told me that since I was leaving/arriving starting at PBI that is all I had to do, despite flying out of the US from Atlanta.

Did the same thing for my hunting trips to Spain and Scotland. No problems either time.

 

[swashington]

Thanks all, now I am getting somewhere. Spoke with my closest office (3 hours away) and they will be expecting me Monday. Should be pretty easy, the lady on the phone pretty much mirrored everything you guys posted.

Thanks again!

 

[chase0109]

“IMPORTANT: make sure you are using the current 4457 that does NOT have an expiration date in the top right corner. Old ones expired.”

Javaman,
All your info is spot on. If he’s going somewhere other than Africa than making sure he is using the new 4457 is important.

But for anybody going to Africa I don’t think it matters if there’s an expiration or not. Since you’re 4457 must be dated in the same calendar year you travel Into South Africa it kinda negates the entire purpose of no expiration date.

I live three hours from my nearest CBP office to get a 4457. And unfortunately, I have to drive in there every year and get a new form even though none of mine have an expiration date on them. I really wish somebody could convince SAPS to honor 4457 forms even if they’re not dated in the same year. I’d be ecstatic if they even changed it to dated within three years.

Would save me a six hour trip every year lol.

Chase

 

[JG26Irish_2]

South African temporary import rules from USA require that we arrive using the most recent CBP form for the 4457. I went last year and since that time, the form was revised. So, I had to return to CPB to get a new form filled out. I listed a rifle and scope on each form. Last year, I took binos and camera as well and had no form for either. It was not an issue.

As for the SAPS form. It is very long and detailed and designed to cover a wide array of applications. As a hunter entering for the purpose of safari, you only fill out the applicable portions of the form and make certain that items like name, address and description of your rifles match the 4457 EXACTLY. I did my own and had no issues whatsoever. I found a guide to filling out the SAPS form which was very helpful. I think it was on their RSA website. Not sure. Be sure to include a copy of your passport with the paperwork and put the originals in the gun case with the rifles and keep a complete copy with you in your carry on.

For RSA, this is a common event as hunting is their most common form of tourism. I had more issues getting back into the USA than I did entering South Africa. It was not because my paperwork was not right. It was because my flight had about 180 hunters on board and I was last in line and they had only one TSA/Customs agent doing the firearms inspections for the first hour and two agents after that. It took 2.5 hours for me to get through and then recheck my rifles at baggage check for my final flight to home. I arrived at my gate before the flight had left but the gate agent gave away my seat and since the flight was 100% full, they closed the doors and gate 10min early and left without me.

Delta was 100% un-cooperative and when two other hunters who were also on my flight got a bit loud about being f##ked over by Delta the Delta agent threatened to call security and have use all arrested or let us sit in the airport for three or four days until we cooled off. She was a bitch on a power trip. So, my bags and rifles arrived on time to meet my wife and I was left in Atlanta for 4 extra hours. Delta refused to let my wife claim my bags and rifles since she was not me. WTF. They did hold them in a semi secure area until I did arrive. So, all ended well. It was just a hell of a welcome home. Moral of that story is if you have an option, avoid Delta. And if not, leave lots of time to clear customs back into the USA. My flight from RSA arrived about 8:30am and my connect was at 1pm which turned out to not be enough time. We left Joburg two hours late but made up an hour in flight. Delta has a hard time keeping its flight on time. My flight to Joburg this year is already delayed by 1.5hrs leaving Atlanta. The sad thing is that Delta is about the best option for us to fly to Joburg from anywhere in the Southern USA. Just be aware.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Get it done ASAP!

 

[Hillcountry63]

Hey all, I am working on my form for the late May departure and have some questions about the 4457

What is the number line at the top?
I am leaving and returning in Atlanta, what do I put as the port, the City or Airport name?
How soon in advance do I need to get it signed by CBP? I was planning on doing it early in the day prior to the 10pm departure. Is that a bad plan?

Thanks in advance.

In Atlanta, where you have to get your 4457 paperwork processed is off airport property across the interstate, you would need to get a cab……bad idea to try to do it day of. What airport are you flying out of? They should have a CBP office there to process your paperwork. Yes you’ll need to have your rifle with you but in Atl they don’t want you to bring it in the last four times that I’ve went down there.

 

[Speedster]

My experience is similar to JG26Irish_2. I have been to SA twice and did my SAPS form myself. Had no issues at all getting in to SA and only a few minutes slower than ones who used a permit service although, if you are inclined to use a permit service, by all means do so as they are very efficient.
The second trip coming back into Atlanta, the firearm office was under reconstruction and the area was moved out across from the normal location. There were multiple officers working the area and I got through very quick with no issues. The first time was a different story. The people working the office took a long time to open up and were in absolutely no hurry to get everyone through in a timely fashion. Quite frankly they were surly and rude to everyone. I had about a 4 hour layover so it was not a big issue but anything less than 3 hours would have been cutting it close.

 

[JimP]

I have learned that when dealing with people in authority who can make your life a living hell that you bite your lip and just answer their questions.

I also found that if you have a short time for a connecting flight to just ask if you can cut the line, don't start yelling that you need to catch another flight but ask politely and thank them if they do.

I know that it might be hard to do after a 15 or so hour flight but it does work.

 

[Hogpatrol]

OT, but at Atlanta, is the shoe/boot inspection and spray protocol still in effect?

 

[Javaman]

“IMPORTANT: make sure you are using the current 4457 that does NOT have an expiration date in the top right corner. Old ones expired.”

Javaman,
All your info is spot on. If he’s going somewhere other than Africa than making sure he is using the new 4457 is important.

But for anybody going to Africa I don’t think it matters if there’s an expiration or not. Since you’re 4457 must be dated in the same calendar year you travel Into South Africa it kinda negates the entire purpose of no expiration date.

I live three hours from my nearest CBP office to get a 4457. And unfortunately, I have to drive in there every year and get a new form even though none of mine have an expiration date on them. I really wish somebody could convince SAPS to honor 4457 forms even if they’re not dated in the same year. I’d be ecstatic if they even changed it to dated within three years.

Would save me a six hour trip every year lol.

Chase

Hmmmm … interesting.

I’ve never heard about the 4457 needing to be dated in the same year that you travel into SA. We use Gracy Travel and it’s nowhere in their documentation. Maybe we haven’t had issues because I keep taking different guns and getting new 4457’s a couple of months ahead of each trip. I’ll make sure to enquire with Gracy Travel and ask them to update their information as needed.

My comment was more about re-entering the US. I’ve come in through BWI before and they made a scene about expired 4457’s. When we tell the story to IAD (Dulles) agents, they laugh at the “Balti-morons.”

 

[JimP]

As a fyi, a 4457 never expires, you can use that one that you got 40 years ago to reenter the US. However to get your rifle into South Africa you have to play by their rules. And according to the South African Police if the form date is past the time that you enter it is expired. Don't even try to argue with them. That is why we have found forms that don't have a date on them as far as the form itself.

Also having it dated and signed by the US Customs in the same year as you hunt is also one of the South African Police's policy. Don't like it then try to argue with them trying to enter South Africa with a rifle and see what happens.

As I said earlier, when there are people in authority that can make your life a living hell, do as they say. It's their playpen.