Airsoft sending into UK

[Dave34.5]

Hello,

i have two Questions.

I would like to send my airsoft rifle to a shop into the uk for repairing because i go to England for a few months.

What else then the UKARA number of the shop do i Need ?

and what is the number of the border force to ask Questions ?

i googled everything but cant seem to find them.

Thank you very much

David

 

[Dave34.5]

And if I pick the gun up from the shop after repair can I use it on events or is that illegal ? 

 

[Yukarin]

Contact the store you want to have work done at, they might have a UKARA number or something similar they can give you to allow them to import your gun into the UK. You would add this number to the box you plan to send your gun(s) in.

And if I pick the gun up from the shop after repair can I use it on events or is that illegal ? 

No, its not illegal, UKARA is a defence to purchase and import RIFs in the UK. Playing airsoft with your kit is not illegal here, as long as you follow the basic common sense rules (unloaded RIF, covered with a rifle bag or similar until you are inside the game site).

 

[Dave34.5]

Ok thank you very very muvh

 

[Dave34.5]

Hey, 

So I got the ukara number. Do I just print it on the box ? And that’s it ? 

 

[Tommikka]

Stick the number on the box with the address, 

Technically a UKARA number isn’t required because it’s going to a trader for service.

If they give you a returns / warranty / service reference number then that would generally cover it

e.g.  

UKARA 12345

Warranty reference 67890

Airsoft shop

.....

United Kingdom

AA11AA

When Dye paintball closed their UK office the warranty service went to the German office, which means that Paintball guns that are illegal* in Germany are sent there for warranty work etc with no problems 

* German law has a much lower legal velocity then the rest of the world

 

[Dave34.5]

I don’t have a warranty number. Or anything. Just Ukara is that enough too ? 

 

[Rogerborg]

It should be, it's all that any of us get put on our shipments from outside the UK.

Give that Border Force say that they don't even hold data on the number of RIFs that they stop and check, I'd expect that you'd have to be very unlucky for it to even be an issue.

 

[Dave34.5]

Ok thank you.

im gonna print name, name of the shop and ukara number on there. I hope it gets through

 

[Dave34.5]

Ok Quick question again. 

The guy from the shop gave me his gfs ukara And Name    If i send it to that shop is that ok or doesn’t it need to be a particular adresse ? 

 

[Yukarin]

What shop is this out of curiosity? That sounds like a very weird way of going about it.

 

[Dave34.5]

I  met the owner and he is a great guy.  Invited me to a shoot and I asked him if I could send him my gun so it can get repaired and afterwards just use it Ns he was fine with to. 

 

[Dave34.5]

In case something goes wrong with the ukara what would happen then ? 

 

[Rogerborg]

UKARA numbers are associated with a post code.  Unless his girlfriend lives very close to the shop they won't be the same.

You're asking us if we know what might happen if things go wrong.  Since they very rarely do, you're unlikely to get a definitive answer.

 

[Dave34.5]

thank you very much.  Do the Package don’t get checked ? Or why does it go barely wrong ? 

 

[Dave34.5]

Would it be actually legal to use my airsoft gun after the repair. ? Or do I need a ukara ? 

And can I get ukara as german ? 

I played one game two months ago on one site and now I’m gonna play again two games at the same.  Would that be enough ? 

 

[Tommikka]

Would it be actually legal to use my airsoft gun after the repair. ? Or do I need a ukara ? 

And can I get ukara as german ? 

I played one game two months ago on one site and now I’m gonna play again two games at the same.  Would that be enough ? 

It’s legal for the repaired RIF to be returned to you:

You aren’t buying it, the VCRA is in relation to the manufacture / sale / import

They are not manufacturing it, you are not buying it as you already own it, and the import is going to the shop.

Its not illegal to use a RIF for airsoft skirmishing 

If they hand it over to you or post it to an address in the UK then the VCRA doesn’t apply as its already yours

If they send it back to Germany then the VCRA does not apply to export

UKARA is only a member ship scheme that gives a method to support sellers that they have reasonably confirmed that the purpose of a sale is for use in airsoft skirmishing in line with the VCRA 

If you are a UK resident then its irrelevant that you are German, therefore can join a sites membership scheme and register under the VCRA

If you are not a UK resident but are only visiting periodically then it may be a bit odd to have a site membership/VCRA registration with an overseas address.  Otherwise you can comply with the UKARA / VCRA requirements

 

[Dave34.5]

Thank you so much for all the answers. This community is awesome and helped me so much with the laws in the uk.

im a German living in Germany. But I’m staying rn in the uk for a few months and was thinking of buying a cheap gun and use it and leave it here.

can I use my girlfriends adresse as she is British ? 

Thank you

 

[GeorgePlaysAirsoft]

Hi Dave. 

UKARA is matched to postcode but i'm not sure if its checked. I would suggest that buying a gun to use in the UK is easier then importing your one from Germany - that is of course assuming you have a UKARA number. Yes you can use your girlfriends address - my UKARA is registered at my parents place as they are basically retired so are always around for the courier! 

For what its worth I helped a french airsofter who had moved to the UK for work and wanted to get his airsoft stuff over. I imported it using my UKARA number, it was all above board and there were zero issues. I'm more then happy to do the same again -do let me know if i can help.

 

[Dave34.5]

Thank you really much for that offer. That’s really awesome

ichecked the ukara in the company firefly they said it’s okay. So I sent it

i get my ukara around 24th of may

but thank you very very much

The only thing I didn’t to Payne was shipment and that was only 20€ so not too bad for all my stuff