How to get a US export ITAR license as a non-US citizen

[Blackstuff]

Its just so i can legally bring a load (30ish) magazines back when i (hopefully) go to Vegas next year. Probably not worth it if its $250 a go

Isn't there a caveat that dissembled magazines are "parts" and thus a dissembled 30 would be able to be brought back like a 10 rounder could? Or am I reading that wrong? If that isn't the case or the authority costs that much, it might very well not be worth it.

I think that only applies to state to state movement of magazines, even 10rd and less magazines are covered by ITAR for international export

[Laurie]

Correct - any firearm component no matter how innocuous such as small pins, screws, and springs is included. It also includes unchambered and unthreaded barrel blanks which are legally a lump of metal under our legislation, brass and bullets, many if not most optical sights and scope mounts.

[Grizzly]

Thanks Grizzly, that looks like the one, however it still seems to require the involvement of a US citizen. Would that be the shop (sorry, store) i bought the stuff from? What happens if its more than one store? Also, presumably this form has to be submitted prior to the purchase?

1. Find an FFL in US that exports (there are loads) eg. http://www.civilarms.com
2. Go shopping and get items sent to FFL
3. When ready send DSP83, letter from DTI UK gov stating you don't need an import licence assuming it's a personal import and Purchase Order of all items to FFL. 3 bits of paper, nothing more.
4. FFL applies for export licence with US gov - cost is normally $250, takes up to 30 days
5. Pay FFL their charge. Either approx $200 if you buy elsewhere or if you buy through them they'll just markup items.
6. Pay shipping
7. Goods are shipped to UK.
8. Pay VAT and import duty

That's about it.

[Blackstuff]

I was wanting to bring the goods back with me from holiday to avoid the shipping costs. I presume that wouldn't work in this instance or would it just be a case of finding the right FFL in the location i'm going to? Or can only the FFL, as a US citizen, use this process?

[Grizzly]

I was wanting to bring the goods back with me from holiday to avoid the shipping costs. I presume that wouldn't work in this instance or would it just be a case of finding the right FFL in the location i'm going to? Or can only the FFL, as a US citizen, use this process?

If you want to personally bring back you'd have to consider if your parts are subject to legal requirements when buying within the USA. So for example a lower receiver or complete rifle then no, the above wouldn't work because you wouldn't have the authority to buy and possess them in the USA before you stepped on the plane to fly home. An FFL does so he/she could buy then export to you. For anything else that would normally be restricted for export but something that a non USA citizen could buy over the counter e.g. magazine or Magpul stock, then as long as you have an export licence that lists your parts then I can't see why you couldn't collect the parts and paperwork from an FFL before flying home.

If you chose to courier there's nothing stopping you importing rifles, shotguns, lower receivers, bolt carriers groups, triggers, barrels and anything else as long as you have authority to possess in the UK and the appropriate export licence.

[Blackstuff]

That takes us back to my last post on Page 1. Who is the US citizen on that form and can it be filled in there and then in store, or would i have to know what i wanted before i got there and somehow get one store to act as the US citizen even if the magazines/over the counter parts are coming from several stores??

Thanks for sticking with this by the way!

FYI the DTI have not come back to me with any answers, unsurprisingly.

[techguy]

The export license takes 4-8 weeks to process so you couldn't do it in store anyway..unless you're having a reallllly long holiday :) The US citizen is whoever is acting as the agent in the application (the shop you're getting everything from, or the export agent you are using)

You have to specify what it is you're buying, quantities and value on DSP-83. So you would need to know what you're buying, where from, and at what cost before the application.

Besides that, most stores wouldn't touch export stuff with a barge pole, it's usually only companies which specialise in exports that would even entertain it.

[Blackstuff]

So will shops even sell someone without an American accent anything, paperwork or not?

I did do quite a convincing American accent when i went to NYC....(I had to as the barmen and taxi drivers couldn't understand me otherwise! )

[phaedra1106]

Mark, I have no problems buying shooting related stuff from places like gun ranges, Bass Pro etc. in Florida.

The majority of my stuff I used to get sent to my friends (who have now moved to Illinois), this year I'm getting it shipped to the villa we're renting. I use a pre-paid US MasterCard from FairFX, Brownells, Midway, 4Scopes, StarLine and Titan Reloading all accept it without a problem. There are a couple of stores who use a different card verification gateway that don't take it but I can't remember who they were.

Have you looked at Walmart?, they have some good prices on a lot of shooting kit and you can order it for collection at the nearest store at no cost.

[techguy]

So will shops even sell someone without an American accent anything, paperwork or not?

I did do quite a convincing American accent when i went to NYC....(I had to as the barmen and taxi drivers couldn't understand me otherwise! )

Yeah, you can buy pretty much anything in the shops.. except for complete firearms, and lowers.