Are Foreign Nationals allowed to Shoot?

[Locke]

I have cousin coming over from Scotland next month. I thought I might take her and her husband to the range. They’ve probably never seen a gun in real life being from the UK so should be an interesting experience for them.

I was just wondering how the law impacted visitors. If she was a US permanent resident she would have no problem purchasing a gun. I'll check the range rules beforehand but are there any state or federal laws that apply to foreign visitors borrowing or renting weapons for a day at the range?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[74novaman]

I have cousin coming over from Scotland next month. I thought I might take her and her husband to the range. They’ve probably never seen a gun in real life being from the UK so should be an interesting experience for them.

I was just wondering how the law impacted visitors. If she was a US permanent resident she would have no problem purchasing a gun. I'll check the range rules beforehand but are there any state or federal laws that apply to foreign visitors borrowing or renting weapons for a day at the range?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Range I go to in town requires you do leave your DL with them, so that may not work out so well for a Foreign National.

[Captain Matt]

I don't know any laws against it but IANAL. I remember reading about Japanese tourists going to a shooting range as part of their group tour of America. I think that was in California so I would be surprised if it wasn't allowed in Texas.

[Locke]

Thanks 74. I'll check with the range. They may take a passport.

[TDDude]

Ferinners can't purchase a firearm from a dealer until they get a "green card". There's nothing wrong with face to face as long as its done in good faith. Since you know the guy, no problem. The challenge would be for your friend to legally take it home when he leaves.

As far as simply just going out to shoot is concerned, Welcome to Texas!!!

[Jeremae]

I have seen several people from other countries shooting at large sanctioned IDPA matchs and watched the tv episode about the Japanese gentleman who had never touched a real gun before his trip here and then won the Steel Challenge match so know I it is done.

I am not certain of the actual laws involved but I am willing to bet there fed law allows for the posession of firearms for use in sporting event (and range practice is a sporting event).

[biggyin]

It's not a problem, I am from Scotland and my father in law used to take me before I got married. Never an issue.

[boomerang]

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#r1

[mr surveyor]

from the information given in the original post, I thought the question was whether the non-citizens could handle/shoot a firearm while here? I didn't think they were planning to purchase, but to experience. Then, again, I suppose that if the legal owner of a firearm were to hand a weapon over to a non-citizen on the firing line at a range that may be considered illegal possession of a firearm on the part of the non-citizen, and maybe some other violation on the part of the legal gun owner?

glad I live in the sticks where I can covertly let my non-citizen B-I-L (from North Carolina) shoot my guns when he comes to visit.

surv

[CompVest]

IANAL They don't need to have a sponsor to go to shooting. They can even borrow a gun and go to a range by themselves so long as they transport the gun legally to and from the range.

[Locke]

Thanks for all the responses. Looks like we'll have a fun day and a memorable experience for them. They would have no intention of taking the weapons back to Scotland. Gun ownership is heavily regulated there. If you are a landowner you can shoot rifles and shotguns on your own property but they do have to be registered. Non landowners have a difficult time purchasing guns but it can be done. They are stored at private shooting clubs not your home.

There is no such thing as a private citizen justifiably using a gun for self defense in the UK. The Anti's love to talk about the UK's low gun related crime statistics, which is true. They never talk about the very high rate of other violent crimes and especially knife crime. We have a "Gun Culture" here according to the Anti's Scotland has a "Knife Culture".

So just need to make sure we have acceptable ID for the range and we should be fine. I was born in Cambuslang, Scotland myself but no worries I have my papers in order.

[Bob Wolff]

There is a group from Slovenia and Italy who attend many IDPA state matches in the US each year

[NcongruNt]

Ferinners can't purchase a firearm from a dealer until they get a "green card". There's nothing wrong with face to face as long as its done in good faith. Since you know the guy, no problem. The challenge would be for your friend to legally take it home when he leaves.

As far as simply just going out to shoot is concerned, Welcome to Texas!!!

Actually, there's an easy way around that, as well. All that is required is a hunting license. Taken directly from the ATF link above:

(R1) May nonimmigrant aliens legally in the United States purchase or possess firearms and ammunition while in the United States?

Nonimmigrant aliens generally are prohibited from possessing or receiving (purchasing) firearms and ammunition in the United States.

There are exceptions to this general prohibition. The exceptions are as follows:

1.

nonimmigrant aliens who possess a valid (unexpired) hunting license or permit lawfully issued by a State in the United States;
...

[TDDude]

Ferinners can't purchase a firearm from a dealer until they get a "green card". There's nothing wrong with face to face as long as its done in good faith. Since you know the guy, no problem. The challenge would be for your friend to legally take it home when he leaves.

As far as simply just going out to shoot is concerned, Welcome to Texas!!!

Actually, there's an easy way around that, as well. All that is required is a hunting license. Taken directly from the ATF link above:

(R1) May nonimmigrant aliens legally in the United States purchase or possess firearms and ammunition while in the United States?

Nonimmigrant aliens generally are prohibited from possessing or receiving (purchasing) firearms and ammunition in the United States.

There are exceptions to this general prohibition. The exceptions are as follows:

1.

nonimmigrant aliens who possess a valid (unexpired) hunting license or permit lawfully issued by a State in the United States;
...

That's interesting however I've filled out quite a few of those yellow forms and I do remember seeing the section on "Resident Alien" & asking for the green card number but I've never seen anything about a hunting license.

That would be a great way around if it worked.