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I was waiting 22 months, so I went into the firearms office and had a chat. They gave me a number of the backlog team in Wtgn...once I called them I had my license in about 5 weeks. Still just shy of 2 years. A total joke really. I think a 'polite squeaky wheel' works to some degree.
So, if you want to renew your driver licence or sit a driving test, arrange finance for a mortgage, visit an optometrist (as a few examples) you would expect those businesses to visit you after 5:30 p.m.or the weekend because it's so much of an inconvenience to yourself to organize this once every 10 years. I don't know what country you're living in but it can't be NZ. Besides, many vettors work in the evenings and the weekend's in this country i.e.NZ, But no, they don't exist where you live because its all a conspiracy theory by the police there to delay your licence renewal or first time licence.Quote:
Originally Posted by small_caliber
Drivers license: AA and some VTNZ are open for licensing and renewals on Saturdays and even SundaysQuote:
Originally Posted by 10-Ring
Optometrist: also open Saturdays and Sundays, just did that a month ago
My mortgage guy came to me, that's pretty much standard these days
So if it's all peachy, why are multiple mates a year overdue?
Finance managers i.e. bank referee's do visit after normal working hours and are quite accommodating. They want your money. More importantly they want you to lend off them, so they can make a butt-tonne of money off of you from the interest repayments from the loan.Quote:
Originally Posted by 10-Ring
If banks didn't accommodate for making meetings after the usual 9-5pm they would lose out on key revenue & profits.
Defending the deposition that police are simply doing their best and that we should work around this abysmal situation that they have created, is only but pandering to them.
It is the worst the firearms licensing system has ever been in the entire history of New Zealand. Trying to say that it isn't that bad, or they are only doing what they can, comes across as naive & foolish.
In my smaller rural town none of those places are open after hours. Didn't realise that happens in larger urban areas. My apologies. Takes me two weeks to get a phone interview with my GP. No chance of a face to face.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sasquatch
I never said any such thing as, "they are only doing what they can". As I mentioned earlier, some districts are definitely under performing and probably have been for a long time. It's unacceptable behaviour and I can understand an applicant's frustration with long waiting times. I have heard that those under-performer's are having pressure put on them to get up to speed. Whether they do or not remains to be seen. In contrast my B.O.P. district which comprises of Rotorua, Tauranga, Taupo and the South Waikato is one of the fastest in NZ with files being completed in a matter of months.
Bear in mind that there is a serious shortage of trained vettor's currently throughout the country. Some are just burn't out from overwork and long hours and have resigned. They're normal people who want a life too. Also, take into account that the Arms Officer has numerous change of addresses to organise, multiple on-line ammunition purchase forms to process in an average day. B,C, and D endorsements where there are three face to face referee interviews to be done in addition to the applicant. That's not an excuse; it's just a reality. $126 for a 10 year A licence renewal is chicken feed.
As far as I know it used to be a virtual right to have a firearms licence in this country provided the applicant and the referees checked out. I have heard that our current government had that changed to a privilege last year (could be wrong about that). I'm sure our Bill of Rights has some control over that though if it is the case.
To have an independent commercial company take control of firearms licensing you'd be looking at paying close to a $1,000 because they would need to employ at least three times as many people as the police have working for them, pay them a decent wage, charge for every on-line application for ammo sales, change of address visits, plus every kilometre traveled by the vettor, some of which I've heard do massive k's. An independent company would be expecting to make a decent profit on top of that as well. They wouldn't be doing it out of sympathy to firearms licence applicant's that's for sure.
The way I see it, if the government wants to implement all these checks and balances, its on them to ensure they have the staff and procedures in order to have licenses processed within an acceptable time frame at the end of the day.
Well, we will have to see what happens. I heard about the increased funding. There are some really good districts that get licences processed in a reasonable and prompt time frame and then you have the others. The impression you get by some on this forum is that all firearm licensing districts are taking a year or more. I can understand the frustration and anger for those that live in an area like that.
My timeline:
Renewal submitted: May 2021
Licence expired: June 2021. Cleared out safe and stored firearms and ammo with a licenced mate.
12 month extension granted: 08/10/2021. Took firearms and ammo back off mate.
Noticed 12 month extension was due to expire. Emailed Arms Office to get an update and maybe (:XD:) even an extension to the extension. Obviously got told no.
12 month extension expires: June 2022, as it was 12 months from original FAL expiry, not 12 months from the extension being granted in October 2021. Offload firearms and ammo again. This time to a different licenced mate.
Vetting interviews take place: Very early Sep 2022. During the day wasn't an issue in my case. I'm a shift worker, wife works just down the road and was interviewed at her place of work. Referee lives a block away and is retired. Interviewer was lovely, seemed scathing of Police and this govt in general, particularly regarding covid. I wondered if they were fishing to see what opinions I would open up about to a "sympathetic" bureaucrat.
3+ weeks later and still no FAL.
Total wait time since submitting the paperwork: 16 months so far. Not as bad as some, but bad enough.
Misses applied for her first time/new FAL in March. Done the course 3 weeks later, interviews done all in one location within 2h end of August and her license came last week.
Just got mine in Queensland after applying in early Jan - well over 9 months.
Annoying thing is I’m moving to ACT in Jan and will need a new one there.
Well…could be worse.
I’m looking at how I would import firearms when I move there. They say, I need a firearm license but for the firearm license I have to have a interview and tests and a place to store in NZ and a referee of NZ who’s known me for 3 years. Those are a lot of things that I can’t do whilst out of the country. Trying to sort out a way.
Bloody hell that is quick... Maybe I should move to the Waikato. Might get mine this side of Christmas...Quote:
Originally Posted by JaSa
Don't hold your breath here in the Waikato. I applied for renewal in February, despite 2 emails from me that the police replied to with confirmation they have the paperwork (one at 5 months of waiting)..............nothing. Mine expires in November, hopefully we will all be given an extension, but not holding out much hope.
My renewal just took 19 months - I’m Endorsed also.
They couldn’t organise a fuck in a whore house…
Couldn't run a bathQuote:
Originally Posted by Spanners
Kangaroo loose in the top paddock
The stairs don't reach the attic
A sandwich short of a picnic
The wheel is spinning, but the hamster has died
I find it interesting there are reports of people receiving their FAL or renewal lightspeed quicker in comparison, than a majority of others <<< anecdotally.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gruntled
Make of this what you will but when I filled out a change of address form last year and had to query something over the phone, my local arms officer noted something that intrigued me. When I asked her when shall I expect a visit? To which she replied: "You probably won't get one, it's generally for those that have been flagged get one sooner rather than later." From her indication it might be a year away or it might not happen at all.
It's been 10 months and I'm still waiting.
I was a referee for a FAL renewal on the Saturday just gone, mate received confirmation of renewed license yesterday, 3 working days turn around, not out of the woods until the license is delivered…wait & see
Just renewed mine, took 9 months.
Applied for new licence in October last year. Haven't been contacted re interviews yet...
i did a change of addy in december last year, my arms officer just asked for pictures and a brief description of where it was. I last had an actual inspection 2 years prior when moving and they also did my pistol serial numbers tooQuote:
Originally Posted by Sasquatch
That's rather shitQuote:
Originally Posted by hamishg
Got mine today with an extra 6 months on it. Process took 6 months. Southland.
I applied for as a new applicant on December 2020, I just had my interview last week almost 2 years to the day. I was very patient and didn't hurry them at all. Now i wait to see if a license shows up in the mail.
Had my vetting this week, just shy of 8 months after I’ve applied for first time licence. I’m in Wellington and the AO was from Bay of Plenty, apparently they’ve bought a few down country to try and clear the backlog.
When they called to arrange a time, it was this week or another month or two.
Far out, I thought my wait from June 2021 was long. I have chased them up a few times, who knows if its actually getting anywhere though.Quote:
Originally Posted by CovertHunter
All I want to do is go on a solo mission but have to always organise a mate with a license to go with. Literally nearly 2 years of my life where I go hunting half as often as I would've liked because of the fkin backlog. Just sad/dissapointed at this stage
It feel for you - it’s not good enough!Quote:
Originally Posted by Ewinghv223
I’m dreading having to go through the renewal process for mine in a couple of years.
@Finnwolf so long as you apply before your licence expires it will remain valid until a decision is made. They changed the legislation a few months ago.
From the Arms act
25A Application for new firearms licence made by holder of current licence
(1)
The holder of a current firearms licence (licence A) may, before the expiry of licence A, apply for a new firearms licence.
(2)
If an application for a new firearms licence is made but not determined before the expiry of licence A, licence A continues in force, unless it is sooner surrendered or revoked, until the date on which the licence holder is notified of the determination of the application.
(3)
A new licence issued on an application made under this section takes effect from—
(a)
the date on which licence A expires, if the new licence is issued before licence A expires; or
(b)
the date on which the new licence is issued, if the new licence is issued after licence A expires.
Just received my license in the mail today, just over 8 months since I first applied
Seems to work really well here in the King Country. Applied for renewal on 12/02/23,new card arrived today. Under 6 weeks, can't complain at all.
Hi team,im caretaker of a friends rifle,he has just recieved letter of approval for his fal.Can he have his rifle back in possession or do I hang onto rifle till he gets the fal hard copy in his hand.
Thanks for yr time in answering.
@Trout - you need to sight his valid firearm licence before supplying him with a firearm, even if it is his.
Imagine that you were answering a question from him as to whether or not he could go into a firearm/ammo dealers business and purchase a firearm or ammo. I think the answer is fairly straight forward. He cannot take posession of it until he has that piece of plastic in his hand, and it also being incumbent on you to sight that licence.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trout
A letter of approval is not a licence.
So his approval letter is not enough?.Thats fine he happy to wait.Doesnt want to loose it or get me in the shit.
Thanks guys,he thort letter might be enough.I said letter is not yr licence.
Thanks for yr clarification guys,now get out hunting tomoro.
That's quick by plod's previous standardsQuote:
Originally Posted by db91
Have you shot at the Kaitoke Range?
Yea, I thought I’d be in for more of a wait tbhQuote:
Originally Posted by 308
Nope, had a bit of an accident and lost some sight for a while right after getting my license so haven’t even been out 😞
Look after yourself and either hit me up when you're better or join HVDA - the range is the best facility in Wgtn but only short at 200m maxQuote:
Originally Posted by db91
Most people who join it do so for the range access and if you join as an associate it's cheaper so you don't need to send lots of dollars off to Deerstalkers HQ in Wgtn who have had a fine tradition of pissing money away in the past
@Ewinghv223
Though you loved to go out with Harry!
While I was twiddling my thumbs and felt lost without a rifle I did the next best thing, a compound bow, since then have changed to a recurve and now that own another fal I brought four more rifles.