Can a foreign national apply for an Indian Arms licence?

[dhirajb]

Hi Dhiraj,
I am also in US with Indian citizenship. I have gun license in India. Theoretically you are eligible to get license but it will not be easy unless you have some connections. It takes lot of time to get one.
Cheers
Mandeep

Thank you Nagarifle for your reply.

Mandeep,

Thanks for replying as well. Did you apply for the license while you here in US? I am thinking maybe there is some lawyer who can work this for me in Pune India.

Dhiraj

[nagarifle]

i would not waste time and money on lawyers as jack s*** they can do for you. they will only do what you can do that is submit the forms etc. the have no power to get anyone a arms permit. so please look into this in depth before wasting your money.

[msandhu]

Well i got it when i was in India and it took lot of effort to get one. Like naga said, it will be waste of time and money to go through lawyer. There are usually 2 ways .. One if you know someone with authority who can help you or recommend you to the issuing authorities. The other is go on your own but that might take some time. For more information on applying on your own , you can search the forum. There is lot of info on this.
Cheers
Mandeep

[Anand]

Hi GNR,
The Arms Law as such does not prevent you from applying for a license. There was a post here regarding a citizen of France or Kenya (I think) who owned a few firearms. The application of a foreign citizen can not be out right rejected on the basis of that person simply being a non-citizen of India. Of course all the other stuff like verification process/antecedants etc need to be done and there should be no other disqualification as in the case of Indian citizens.
If you happen to have a OCI card then its probably easier to fill out the application form where you will have to mention country of citizenship. As with "regular" citizens you will still have to provide address/idenstity proofs such as Ration Card, Drivers' License, Municipal/Property Tax Receipts,Pan card, Electricity Bill/Water Bill etc. If you are resident in India for extended periods then getting the above documents is not difficult.

Now considering the recent terror scenario the authorities may not issue simply because they may "feel" you could commit a crime and then run away to your other country of citizenship.
Regards,
Anand

[nagarifle]

just go for it, as long as you are living in India, you should get it. please let us know what happens.
all the best

[peacemaker]

sagar_doon
my case is exactly the same as yours

please advise me

[nagarifle]

well i can tell you of a frangi who got his arms license. so its possible for frangi to get one.

[peacemaker]

nagarifle,
could you please be more specific?

[nagarifle]

nagarifle,
could you please be more specific?

well in my neck of the woods there is a person of foreigner stock and he got his license. took around six months or so.
he applied as per normal rules but had to do a little leg work(no offense to disabled people.- or to totally legless ones due to alcohol content in the blood stream:lol: ) he went and chased the file around from one office to another. in the end he got his license.

Also i have heard of one other in south India who also has arms license.

the point is if one does not try one does get even a no from the authorities.
if they say no then ask them in writing as per the arms act. unless its not in the public interest. either way if one does not try then one does not get anything.

[peacemaker]

either way if one does not try then one does not get anything.

cliche

[veejosh]

CONGRATS!!(To you know who)

Regards

Vikas

[nagarifle]

also arms act allows many not Indian citizens to have arms check out the notification in the general section of the forum.

ggooo 444444444 it

also arms act allows retainers as well ,that can be like, license can be in wife name and dear old hubby/ driver is the retainer.

[tradersaq]

Hi All,

I had a few related questions to the above discussion so hoping to get some help from you folks.

I am a British citizen with a PIO card and visit India regularly even though I reside in London. My father possesses a shotgun which I would like to transfer on my name. As I don't live in India permanently, I understand that I would need to put down a retainer who will keep the gun in their possession during my absense. Here are my questions:

- Do I have the legal right to transfer and possess a gun even though I am not permanently living in India?
- Does the retainer have to be a family member or it can be a friend who lives at a different address?
- Does the retainer have to actually keep the gun in their possession or can it be kept at a different location?

Would appreciate any clarifications on the above.

Thanks,

Tsaq

[Anand]

hI tradersaq,

Q 1."- Do I have the legal right to transfer and possess a gun even though I am not permanently living in India?"
A. Generally Arms licenses will be issued to residents of India, having a PIO card does not qualify you for one. You may get an Arms license even if you are not a citizen of India.

Q 2."- Does the retainer have to be a family member or it can be a friend who lives at a different address?"
A.The Arms Law does not say that a retainer has to be a family member, however, IIRC, there was a circular/notification to all licensing authorities to grant retainership only to family members (or something to that affect)

Q 3. "- Does the retainer have to actually keep the gun in their possession or can it be kept at a different location?"
A. The retainer gets his status from the licensee making an application to add the retainer on his license. Thus the retainer has no privileges of holding arms if the licensee dies or decides to remove him from retainership. The retainer can keep the gun in his possession, but usually since most retainers happen to be the children or servants of licensees anyway, the issue of keeping at a different address may not arise. However, there is a column for the address of the retainer in the Arms License, so I guess it is possible to keep it at a different address but am not sure.
Regards,
Anand

[Roland]

I am a foreign national with an OCI but permanently residing india since birth.
I have just got a retainers license and also applied for my own license which is under police verification.

In the meantime recently there is a draft proposal not to grant new arms license to OCI although granted under heirloom category.
At first glance it seems that I would be refused a new license. But again the law hinges on residency and I believe that I will get the license although I have OCI mainly because I am a permanent resident in India.

Views appreciated,

Roland.