Hello from Surrey!

[PT247]

Theoretically, if you can convince the dealer that you are a legit skirmisher or have some other reasonable defence for having a RIF, then they might (and I do mean might, since it's their ass on the line) sell you one without a UKARA number. UKARA is merely a convenient way for them to check that you are legit, and if there is some other way for you to prove this, then that'd be ok, for example, someone from the dealer might see you a couple of times at a skirmish and be able to confirm you are a keen airsofter. However, in practical terms, you might just as well use rental gear and get the UKARA application in, thus removing all doubt. UKARA is by no means the perfect solution to distance selling RIFs, but it is what we've ended up with, so it's kind of the devil we know.

Timing wise it's not bad for you at the moment, since you need three skirmishes over a two calendar month period to qualify for a UKARA application. Since it is the 9th today, you're a third of the way to the second month, so you could do a skirmish this weekend, one next weekend or the weekend after, and by then you'd only need one in January to tick the boxes. Fire off the application, and you'd likely be UKARA'd up before Jan 10, meaning your two month qualifying time would be covered in approximately one month in terms of days.

am not sure how this sits. I believe no matter what point in the month you start skirmishing the time starts from then, so 2 months and a day is roughly 61 days from first game. Guess interpretation of rules is what matters, you may find one site is happy with the months ticking by while another would prefer you tick the actual days by.

 

[Chock]

To be honest, even the information on the UKARA site conflicts itself on this matter. For example it says this:

'you must be a regular player at that game site, having attended 3 games in a period which exceeds 2 months'

but then it also says this: 'The time period over which you have to play your 3 games is at the discretion of the participating game site providing the 3 games are not played in a time that is less than 2 months'

Although to be fair, their FAQ does include the following: 'This guide has been compiled over a number of months, some of the information may no longer be valid or accurate'

Whatever the interpretation, I know that when I contacted them on the matter, I was told that the three games had to over a period which covers two calendar months, i.e. it could literally be over a period of as little as five weeks, since that could not possibly be done in one month, and as far as I'm aware, that is how most sites treat the matter. It is certainly what happened with my UKARA form, although to be honest, by the time it was filled out and submitted, I think I was over two months anyway.

In any case, as has been pointed out, it's a moot point since the OP is not over 18 years of age and cannot register with UKARA. That, in my opinion, is a flaw in the UKARA scheme, since that over 18 age limit age limit precludes the ability of a parent who is not UKARA registered from buying a RIF for their kid who is into skirmishing regularly and who could prove the matter. I would not see a problem with altering the scheme to take that circumstance into account, providing the minor could quote their UKARA number when the parent ordered the thing. It would be obvious enough that this was legitimate when checking the UKARA number, since the address that the UKARA number was attributed to and the parent's address where the order was being delivered would be one and the same. None of that would contravene anything in the VCR Act.

 

[Will Lewer]

If I can't get UKARA then I'm quite happy to just purchase a G&G in two tone and then cover the sh!!ty bright colour parts in camo tape! :')