Thread: Import advice

Well I have had very differing imports. one was straight forward and painless, one was like pulling teeth. Admittedly, it was no fault of our system here in NZ, more just multiple straws on the camels back. The key is to have a seller who is prepared to go the extra mile for you....which is hard because they get nothing for the outlay of additional drama they have to go through.
Do I apply for the permit and have it sent to me? Just fill out the form (online) and it will get processed and (if approved) will be emailed to you along with all the details ready to forward to whomever needs it. I would locate said item, contact seller and explain what your situation is, apply for a permit, once issued pay for the item and so on. Quite a bit of good faith needs to exist between you and the seller, a deposit paid will prove you are genuine.
How does customs know that I have a permit? Well, if requested you will already have all the required documentation on hand via your import permit in which you can forward on. I have never had to do this. I think for it to even reach our shores its a given.
Do I need to say exactly where it’s being imported from? Or can I apply to import a mag, then try to locate one to import? You need to provide all the details, where, when, who, why etc. The more info and transparency you can provide, the easier it will be. You can apply for a permit and then find one I guess. I wouldn't hand over any moolah until I had a permit in case it was rejected....that said, I take the risk and hand over money prior.....99.9% of people can be trusted and are amazing to deal with and I refuse to let the 0.01% fuck it up for me.
Whilst the system is not ideal and a bit of a clusterfuck, it is (currently) free. It is slow, teeth pulling, stuff but if you follow the procedure its all good.
The last rifle I imported owes me about twice as what its worth. GST, broker blah blah...but its a honey so I don't care. Next time though, I will book a flight to where ever and bring a heap back with me, lot cheaper and wayyyy more fun. IMHO, if you have a seller that is willing to work with you it will be simple.

Just my 2c from experience.

WW