Thread: New FAL waiting time

Hi everyone. I’m new on the forum and possibly not good in navigation through the topics, so redirect me if topic like this already exists.
The story is prosaic and probably common.
I’ve applied for FAL last year (March 2021), then been contacted via email and advised to book my firearms safety course. I’ve completed and passed that course. And after that it’s been almost 17 months of waiting.
I emailed to FAL commission pretty much every month since begging of this year and all emails look the same( with a bit different wording): “your application is being prepared for vetting and once it’s done your file will be passed to betters for interview”. So, what that means exactly?
Can anyone help me with a bit of info about real situation? How long it takes? May I think or dream to have my license this year? What I should do to maybe speed them up a bit?
Thanks a lot.

Put your feet up for two years as my neighbours son did.

My renewal took 6 months and 1 day. A lot depends on staffing at your local police office, but the wait times are a matter of interest to ACT, as promised were made in parliament regarding the waiting times. Good luck, welcome, and hang in there!

In the meanwhile...

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...igeons+rabbits

How far in advance can you apply? My renewal isn't due until 2025, but starting to get twitchy!

Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

Put your feet up for two years as my neighbours son did.

Yeah. I heard about work years.
I’m just curious where is a limit? Why two years? Why not 1,5 or 3 for example?
And there is no database to check your application status? Or maybe there is?

@MB I did exactly that...mine expires 2023 only took 2 months or so and I now have my crispy new license. But they will short change your expiry date.... my new one goes to 2032. I guess they can only do it in 10 years blocks. Still glad I did it early. Especially when they rejig to 5 yr renewals
down the line to keep us all safe.

Two years for a renewal according to a guy I know who is waiting.
Totally unacceptable , definitely pays to plan well ahead.

What can you suggest me to do? So far I’m just email them once a month and ask the same question? Should I carry on this practice or stop to, maybe,Not piss them off? Or maybe someone can suggest me where to find the phone number? I live in Templeton, and there is no police station there? So where might be my “local” firearm officer? Thanks

Email the Minister of Police- he needs to know what's happening (or not happening).

Originally Posted by bombtrack

What can you suggest me to do? So far I’m just email them once a month and ask the same question? Should I carry on this practice or stop to, maybe,Not piss them off? Or maybe someone can suggest me where to find the phone number? I live in Templeton, and there is no police station there? So where might be my “local” firearm officer? Thanks

Contact your local MP (or a local opposition MP) - ask them to help you.
Contact Act MP Nicole McKee .

Thanks a lot. I’ll try. And hopefully it’ll work.

Took my work colleague just over 2 years for his FAL it was for the first time and not a renewal

Originally Posted by johnd

@MB I did exactly that...mine expires 2023 only took 2 months or so and I now have my crispy new license. But they will short change your expiry date.... my new one goes to 2032. I guess they can only do it in 10 years blocks. Still glad I did it early. Especially when they rejig to 5 yr renewals
down the line to keep us all safe.

That's pretty much in line as what i was told by our local firearms officers. It seems that the BOP area is on about a 3-4 month turn around, I was told also that it depends on how quickly PHQ get the files out to the officers. Not sure if that is the case with new licences but that was for renewals.

If government agencies were actual real businesses where they had to perform for their bread and butter then a lot of heads would roll. No accountability for piss poor service is the problem here so nobody gives a shit about making anything happen in a timely manner. It's the same across the board, IRD, Immigration NZ etc they're all the same, completely useless and foster a culture of being lazy useless pricks by not holding anyone to account for services they are supposed to be providing . They can claim they're understaffed and overworked all they like and the day I see they stop sending out hundreds of officers for the sole purpose of gathering revenue on the roads then I may be inclined to see some truth in that old chestnut but untill that day it's very clearly just complete incompetence and possibly an actual concentrated effort to make hunters and shooters give up and put it in the too hard basket. Immigration are the same, IRD are the same and I'm sure many other government agencies are also you are left believing that there is no other explanation for their lack of competence than an effort to make you give up or they are just actually completely mismanaged with zero accountability for poor performance