Form 4457

[Countrylife]

I've talked to 3 different customs locations here in Texas. Basically what I've been told is that I need to come in early on the day I depart to fill in the form 4457. I had one tell me that I don't need a 4457 and that they'd accept my word that I bought my gear in the US and I had another one tell me that I do need a 4457. (no firearms on this trip) I'll be leaving from IAH on a flight to LAX and going overseas from there. I've been told the US Customs is next to Starbucks in Terminal E, so that means I have to go thru airport security, which means I need a boarding pass, which means I have to wait until the last minute.

I really do not like waiting until the last minute to do things, so how do you handle your form 4457? Is it really no problem to get one at the last minute? Is the office staffed even when international flights are or are not arriving?

 

[mdwest]

Im not sure there is a straight answer to your question...

I got a 4457 issued for my .375 and one of my .308's last year.. I had to call the customs office in McKinney, TX three different times before I could get them to schedule an appointment for me (about a week later).. when I arrived I sat and waited about 20 minutes for the customs agent to get some other tasks done, then he helped me with the 4457.. From the first call until the time I had a 4457 in hand took about 3 weeks..

My wife processed a 4457 for one of her 308's about 2 weeks ago.. She called DFW thinking she would need an appointment like I did in McKinney... The agent that answered the phone told her what their office hours were and said they dont take appointments.. just come by whenever, and its first come first served.. she immediately drove to DFW.. there was no one in line in front of her when she arrived.. they processed her immediately and she had a 4457 in hand within 5 minutes.. For her the time from first phone call to having a 4457 in hand was less than 90 minutes.. and an hour of that time was spent driving to DFW International..

Me personally, I wouldnt wait until the last minute.. I'd get it done as soon as possible..

I would hate to be 2 hours from departure on an international hunt only to find out you couldnt get a 4457, cant take your guns with you, and dont have enough time to get them back home before you have to board your flights...


As far as "accepting your word"... I wouldnt count on that.. that MIGHT be the case sometimes.. but I know when I came back into the country last june the first thing they asked me for was a copy of the 4457..

 

[Hogpatrol]

A 4457 form proves you or someone else had in possession the item in the U.S. and it was not acquired outside the U.S. while on your current trip. It's so you don't have to pay duty. Used for cameras, jewelry, electronics, firearms, etc. It takes me 20 minutes to drive to customs, five minutes to fill out the form and another half hour discussing my upcoming Africa hunting trips with the guys. I don't even call ahead of time. Just show up, ring the buzzer and walk in. The BS with appointments, etc. is just that, BS.

From the CB&P website:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/327/kw/form 4457 instructions/session/L3RpbWUvMTUxNjkwNTY0Ny9zaWQvbHJSSUJGRG4=

As long as the Certificate of Registration is for the same equipment, it can be used more than once. The description of the item and serial number must match. The intent is to prove the item was in the U.S. prior to your travels.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I've talked to 3 different customs locations here in Texas. Basically what I've been told is that I need to come in early on the day I depart to fill in the form 4457. I had one tell me that I don't need a 4457 and that they'd accept my word that I bought my gear in the US and I had another one tell me that I do need a 4457. (no firearms on this trip) I'll be leaving from IAH on a flight to LAX and going overseas from there. I've been told the US Customs is next to Starbucks in Terminal E, so that means I have to go thru airport security, which means I need a boarding pass, which means I have to wait until the last minute.

I really do not like waiting until the last minute to do things, so how do you handle your form 4457? Is it really no problem to get one at the last minute? Is the office staffed even when international flights are or are not arriving?

If you are in Houston. dHS is right off the beltway and you can bring your items there Monday through Friday and do your 4457. Do not believe anyone that says the government will take your word for anything. If you need the address to DHS just let me know

 

[Countrylife]

I'm in Houston frequently. Customs only gave me the location inside the terminal, so if there is a better location I'd love to have it. I'm prepared to make a special trip just to get the 4457 signed, even if it takes all day - or even two. I'll get to see my grandson if it takes two days so there is an upside to however long it takes.

 

[Divernhunter]

I got mine a few months in advance on both trips to SA. They(SA) require one and it must have an date on the top of the form when I went in 2017. The ones I had in 2013 did not have the dated form so I had to redo them all. To protect yourself get one for all computers/binos/cameras etc before you go.

Find a place that is not requiring you go thru check points at the airport to get them done.

 

[wesheltonj]

NO gun, you don't need a 4457. Back in 1985 my first trip to Europe I went to customs to get one for my camera and was told not to worry the price of cameras were cheaper in NY then Europe, no-one will be checking. And in the years since I have never used a 4457 except when taking my rife out of the USA. I have been in and out of both DFW and IAH no one was ever checked. In fact at IAH with my gun I could have walked right out without them checking, I had to track someone down just to get them to inspect my 4457 and gun.

 

[brandondd24]

I also walked into customs in Minneapolis. Not a problem and was done in minutes

 

[Hogpatrol]

I got mine a few months in advance on both trips to SA. They(SA) require one and it must have an date on the top of the form when I went in 2017. The ones I had in 2013 did not have the dated form so I had to redo them all. To protect yourself get one for all computers/binos/cameras etc before you go.

Find a place that is not requiring you go thru check points at the airport to get them done.

That's strange. I went in 2017 and used a service, filed forms with no dates and didn't have any issues with the import permit. My hunting buddy decided to go with me two weeks before departure, same protocol, same service, his permit was also waiting for him when he got to Joburg.

 

[JimP]

On all my trips outside of the US I have never had US Customs check any of my optics or camera gear that I do have listed on a 4457, only my firearms and when I came back from Canada they didn't even check that.

 

[MMAL]

I have traveled extensively overseas, unfortunately not for hunting. I do not have a 4457 for anything but firearms. The only time I have heard of a 4457 other than firearms is commercial video/photo equipment. This if your not a professional with three cameras and six lenses do not worry about one camera or binoculars.

 

[CAustin]

I've talked to 3 different customs locations here in Texas. Basically what I've been told is that I need to come in early on the day I depart to fill in the form 4457. I had one tell me that I don't need a 4457 and that they'd accept my word that I bought my gear in the US and I had another one tell me that I do need a 4457. (no firearms on this trip) I'll be leaving from IAH on a flight to LAX and going overseas from there. I've been told the US Customs is next to Starbucks in Terminal E, so that means I have to go thru airport security, which means I need a boarding pass, which means I have to wait until the last minute.

I really do not like waiting until the last minute to do things, so how do you handle your form 4457? Is it really no problem to get one at the last minute? Is the office staffed even when international flights are or are not arriving?

Do not wait until 5he last minute. Go get your 4457s asap!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

You need the Form 4457 to bring the gun, scope, expensive stuff, back into the US. You can get it well ahead of time (days, weeks, etc.) . I go into the office without the guns first and tell the guy at the desk what I want to do and let him tell me it's okay to bring the rifles in.

https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/houston-airport

Directions to Port Office:
From I-45 (heading north)

Follow signs to the Beltway 8 Intercontinental Airport exit. Take Beltway 8 to the Aldine Westfield exit. Stay on the frontage road through the Aldine Westfield intersection. The building will be on the right side of the feeder road.

From Intercontinental Airport

Travel south to JFK Blvd. to Beltway 8. Turn right onto the Westbound Beltway 8 feeder road. Stay on the feeder road to the stoplight at Aldine Westfield. Turn left at Aldine Westfield, and then left, again, onto Eastbound Beltway 8 Feeder Rd. The building is on the right hand side of the feeder road. Parking on first floor of garage.

 

[gillettehunter]

You guys have a few hoops to jump through. Easier for us in WY. We have the whole sum total of one customs agent. He tells me to fax or e-mail the rifle/scope info along with my return address. About 3 days later my 4457 arrives in the mail. Don't know why they have to make it so hard.... Sheesh
Bruce

 

[Hogpatrol]

You guys have a few hoops to jump through. Easier for us in WY. We have the whole sum total of one customs agent. He tells me to fax or e-mail the rifle/scope info along with my return address. About 3 days later my 4457 arrives in the mail. Don't know why they have to make it so hard.... Sheesh
Bruce

You're not residing in a different state. you are living in a different universe. Urban areas are are a vastly different world than the one you live in. Call the same guys in Chicago, Philly, NYC or any other big city and see if you can do that. Wyoming might as well be Mars to them.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

You guys have a few hoops to jump through. Easier for us in WY. We have the whole sum total of one customs agent. He tells me to fax or e-mail the rifle/scope info along with my return address. About 3 days later my 4457 arrives in the mail. Don't know why they have to make it so hard.... Sheesh
Bruce

You're not residing in a different state. you are living in a different universe. Urban areas are are a vastly different world than the one you live in. Call the same guys in Chicago, Philly, NYC or any other big city and see if you can do that. Wyoming might as well be Mars to them.

Having just moved back to Houston from Lagos, Nigeria, I went the other day to get a Texas driver's license. My first attempt was at lunch time and the line was out the door of the building, so I decided to try another day. Went back the next day around 9:30 am and went in and did an online kiosk sign in and got assigned a number. My number was about 200 numbers higher than the current number being served and the waiting area had several hundred people waiting. I went outside and sat in my car for about an hour and went back in to check the progress, which was only about 30 numbers. I went back to my office for a few hours, ate lunch and went back to the driver's license office at 2pm. Ended up waiting over another hour until I finally got called. By the time I left, right at 6 hours.

 

[Countrylife]

Well, that was interesting!

I called the number on the website which refered me to another number which refered me back to the first number. So i just decided to make a road trip using 375 Ruger's directions. It was actually quite easy to get there, and the signs told you where they were in the building. But they'd run out of form 4457 and had gone to a copied form on an 8.5 x 11 sheet. I've got the stamp and a signature, so I'm all set. Must of taken all of 5 minutes once I got there.

4 weeks and 2 days to go.

 

[Shootist43]

When I went to South Africa I had to send a Notarized copy of my 4457 to Henry at Rifle Permits. I made several copies of the Notarized document and put one in every piece luggage containing a listed item. IMO it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[postoak]

The real question is if you have a 4457 that doesn't have a date on the form itself do you have to go get a new one? Mine is dated by hand 6/14/13.

Wait, on the back in small print it says *US GPO:2001 645 005/50046. Is that the date that SAPS is fussing about?

 

[Travis2282]

I am heading to customs today to get my 4457 filled out so I can send it to Henry at rifle permits.