r/canadaguns • u/Curious_Joe2020 • 14d ago
Application / Regulation advice Anyone still waiting for handgun transfer approvals for USA imports since July?
Is anyone still waiting for handgun transfer approvals for USA imports since July? Specifically referring to Olympic exemption 22LR letters already submitted for IRG orders.
Has anyone heard what is going on or the reason for the delays? The usual transfer approval timeline should be 2-3 weeks max once the letter is submitted to the RCMP. Without the transfer approval nothing can be imported or shipped. It usually takes 2 weeks for the approval and another 1 week to get the registration certificate mailed. For some it has been almost 2 months.
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u/Even-Somewhere-9554 14d ago edited 14d ago
I called BC CFO last week. Was told that my transfer is on CFO for approval.
The transfer was initiated on July 31st, the exemption letter was submitted to Rcmp on Aug 5th
Contacted IRG, they said my gun will be imported to their Canada warehouse by September 15th no matter what due to approved Global Affairs handgun permit. However it will be stored at their warehouse until we have the transfer back from CFO
I asked information officer what the hold up is, she said “not sure”. AFAIK, it needs to be approved by Bc CFO.
I guess all we could do is waiting, I am willing to pay storage fee for IRG.
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u/Elbro_16 14d ago
BC CFO said same thing to me. They don’t know what the hold up is, they sent two follow up emails on my behalf to the registrar asking what the hold up is.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
So you think the delay is with the BC CFO and not with the "Registrar of Firearms" in Ottawa?
Who issued your exemption letter? BC CFO and BCTSA are supposed to have a special agreement in place for issuing the exemption letters in the first place.
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u/MindYourOpSec 14d ago
Did they mention what the storage fee would be? I would hope there’d be no charge, since the delays are out of our control. If anything they should invoice the BC CFO lol
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
There is an update: Order arrived in Canadian facility, awaiting shipping & taxes payment.
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u/Hisoka365 1d ago
Same, I got my registration in the mail a couple days ago and just paid the fee last night for IRG's shipping, taxes and duties.
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u/Even-Somewhere-9554 1d ago
Did you get any email regarding approved transfer? I am still waiting for my transfer and it is taking forever
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u/Hisoka365 1d ago
I never get emails from them about it successfully transferring. I usually call the CFP number to ask them
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
Are you sure because it still says Order Assigned and Pending Export to Canada since mid July. Transfer was also initiated Jul 31. Like are these going as one giant batch with the same date? Any update?
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u/Elbro_16 14d ago
Still waiting, transfer initiated July 9th, exemption letter sent to RCMP July 12th.
They did however request more info about my training, coach, ect from the BCTSA which was sorted out pretty quick. I called the CFO last week and they said everything looks good and it’s still waiting on the registrar.
One thing everyone needs to understand is that when you import through IRG your transfer will only be initiated once the gun has been imported. The reason is your guns needs to be registered, they can’t start a transfer without the gun being registered. For example, my gun was imported into Canada June 23rd, transfer initiated July 9th.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
This is all too complicated but my takeaway is that the "Registrar of Firearms" in Ottawa is the reason for the delay. Maybe the firearm not being in Canada yet is part of the delay regarding the IRG import cycle.
IF you had an exemption letter and the transfer got denied you could go to Federal Court over it for judicial review. The same process with the same documentation should have the same result.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
There is an update: Order arrived in Canadian facility, awaiting shipping & taxes payment.
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 14d ago
Im in almost the same timeline can you please tell me what proof they asked from you or bctsa and how did you provide it?
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u/Elbro_16 14d ago
I called the cfo, they told me that they requested some info about my shooting discipline from the BCTSA.
I emailed BCTSA with my transfer number and asked what they wanted and if they needed anything from me. They said to send them a letter from my coach and fill out a training log. The BCTSA then forwarded that back to the RCMP
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u/PlantainAcceptable62 14d ago
RCMP reached out to you for the letter?
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u/Elbro_16 14d ago
Yes they will send you a email asking for the letter. You can also send it before the ask the cfo email with your transfer number if you know it
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 14d ago
So you need a coach letter and training log signed by coach?When I applied this was not the requirement and I did not put any coaches name and still got the exemption letter.
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u/Elbro_16 14d ago
You still don’t need a coach, it helps a ton. But you do need a training log now and proof.
I didn’t need a training log when I got my letter, but he figured I should give him one anyway
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 14d ago
I appreciate the info! Just want to clarify I do not want more exemption letters and in your opinion,while I am waiting for my transfer to get approved if I go to the range and practice with bb/pellet guns and get a rso to sign off in a training log should that suffice for proof if rcmp asks for extra proof for my current transfer?
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
I don't think that's true. Transfer was initiated July 31 and it still says "Order Assigned and Pending Export to Canada". The order was from mid July. The gun is registered after it is transferred. They ship the same week it comes to Canada so that timeline does not make sense.
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u/challengergaren 14d ago
My transfer started on july 30th and rcmp asked for my exemption on august 4th still waiting
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u/mwmwmwmwmmdw 12d ago edited 11d ago
all you people would have gone nuts living in ontario pre 2022. its was not uncommon to wait 3-6 months for a handgun transfer to clear. from the time i started owning and shooting handguns regularly until the ban there was almost always a transfer waiting to clear.
and keep in mind that was once all the stuff before that was done. it sometimes took 1-3 weeks at least with private transfers to get the seller to call in and start the transfer to you. and then you have to call in yourself and confirm. there was always a 20+min wait on the phone and where only open during banking hours basically. although you used to sometimes be able to play around that by pretending to call in from a province in a timezone where they where still open.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 11d ago
These are not private transfer and it took 2 weeks just a few months ago.
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u/mwmwmwmwmmdw 11d ago
store transfers took months as well. although i never bought by importing from the states like many people are now
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u/CelebrationJaded5848 14d ago
Still waiting, similar timeline.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
Yeah just trying to see how many people are affected and what they have in common. I don't think the delay is order specific. It seems to be all USA imports since July.
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u/SlipperyBridge 8d ago
Any updates? I called last week and no new info
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
There is an update: Order arrived in Canadian facility, awaiting shipping & taxes payment.
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u/SlipperyBridge 2d ago
I also got this. So i called IRG yesterday and this has nothing to do with approval or anything. Unfortunately
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
Well at least they got it across the border. I think the registration certificate can't happen until it's in Canada.
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u/SlipperyBridge 2d ago
Tbh I dont think that has anything to do with the delays. I know others getting locally and their in the same boat wait times wise. But I really dont know.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago edited 2d ago
Well it makes a stronger case since there was a business transaction that cannot be undone with a big cost based on the assumed approval from the exemption letter. They need to make a decision one way or another. Remember this means GAC already issued the handgun import permit and CBSA approved the import. If the RCMP denies the transfer then you take them to Federal Court for judicial review. They approved the exact same transfer months ago for many people from the same retailer with the same exemption letter process. The legislation and regulations have not changed. It was already approved by other government departments. So RCMP gets a special arbitrary veto, where is that in the legislation? I bet they are trying to come up with some loophole to deny and freeze all the transfers.
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u/SlipperyBridge 1d ago
When I talked to IRG yesterday they told me that 1.5 to 2 months was pretty normal right now for BC transfer approvals, and were at that point now. So assuming that timeline still stands we should be seeing approvals any day now.
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u/Elbro_16 7d ago
I called yesterday, they asked BCTSA a second time for more info
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u/SlipperyBridge 7d ago
Hmmm interesting. Not sure why as you already have a letter so it shouldent matter.
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u/Elbro_16 7d ago
So I haven’t heard of anyone else having the rcmp contact the BCTSA for more info but me. Unless people aren’t asking enough questions
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u/PlantainAcceptable62 14d ago
Have you called irg?
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
I emailed and they said: "This will be a question that you will have to follow up with the RCMP."
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
There is an update: Order arrived in Canadian facility, awaiting shipping & taxes payment.
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u/PlantainAcceptable62 2d ago
No link to pay yet right? Im in the same boat. Also. Did the CFO contact you?
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u/SlipperyBridge 14d ago
What pistol is it your trying to import?
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
These are all 22LRs for training purposes. It doesn't matter which make and model. It's a Glock 44 V.
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u/SlipperyBridge 14d ago
Im just curious to what people are importing and if there spending more time on stuff that can be converted to 9mm vs say a mk3 or if theres no difference in times
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
Ok there is an update: Order arrived in Canadian facility, awaiting shipping & taxes payment.
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 2d ago
Same just got the email for IRG.Seems like approval is on the way pre soon too!
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u/MarkDometitaOfSurrey 14d ago
Got an email from the RCMP mid August asking me for my exemption letters. Haven't gotten a restricted transfer notice yet, but I think its close
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
Yeah that's the standard process. RCMP send the "RCMP Canadian Firearms Program - missing information" letter requesting the exemption reason (letter). That is when the letter is provided. Usually it only takes 2 weeks to get the approval and the Buyer Transfer Notification. The registration certificate is mailed after that but the details are also attached to the previous email.
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u/MarkDometitaOfSurrey 14d ago
Sounds like I'll be getting them this week then. I am excited!
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
You're looking at 6 weeks minimum at this point. 2 weeks was 2-3 months ago.
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14d ago
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u/Elbro_16 14d ago
This is not true. SFC considered “tactical” 22lr handguns as beginner training guns. The more expensive stuff like pardini’s are for advanced shooters. This is why they issue exemptions for pretty much anything to get people into the sport affordably
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u/julienjj 14d ago
Pardini's command serious coin. Kinda sad there isn't anything cheaper at that level.
A bunch of "tactical" 22lr are still much more precise than the shooter...technique is like 95% of the accuracy.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago edited 14d ago
Yes exactly this, any 22LR is good for training as long as it can be imported (minimum barrel length requirements). Except maybe the ones that can be converted to 9mm?
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
It has nothing to do with that since that is before the exemption is issued. The exemption letters were already issued. The transfers were not denied. Just delayed at the RCMP/Registrar level. I think it specifically affects the imports.
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u/AdeptArt 14d ago
not necessarily true, I saw someone talk about RCMP questioning their issued exemption letter.
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u/conanap 14d ago
RCMp almost always questions it, you just have to provide proof you qualify for it.
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 14d ago
Can you please tell me What would count as sufficient proof if you don’t even have a handgun to train with?
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u/conanap 14d ago
If you don’t have a handgun then unfortunately, under current rules (not sure how BC is going on rn, I heard they’re following rest of Canada soon but I’m unsure), you must borrow a pistol and shoot it for a while. No way around it, at least in Ontario.
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 14d ago edited 14d ago
I meant I already have submitted the exemption letter to rcmp after importing via irunguns.my question was what kind of more proof can they ask for after transfer has been initiated in BC
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago edited 14d ago
Nothing. They have to allow it under legislation as you already provided proof of the exemption. If they formally deny it take them to Federal Court for a Judicial Review and contact the NFA for legal advice. Don't play the phone game delay or explanation game. They have to make a formal decision and notify you in writing. Whatever rules were in place at the time the exemption was issued is what would be considered legally. The legislation and regulation have not changed. RCMP is not the governing body and their job is not no create policy but follow the legislation. Administrative fairness does not allow changing the requirements after an exemption was issued. Likewise they can't deny something when the legislation requirements are met. Especially when the same exact thing was approved months earlier with the same documentation.
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u/conanap 13d ago
The same proof you provided to get the exemption letter. Did you get the exemption letter without any participation? I remember hearing BC had apparently a provincial body doing exemptions and didn’t require participation or training before hand? In that case they might deny it, but usually the letter is sufficient.
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 13d ago
Correct at the time of applying BCTSA did not require active participation but just a promise to practice and compete.They provided me exemption letter without me having an active practice proof.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
No that's the process of getting the letter. Once you have the letter there are no legal grounds to deny the transfer since it is exempt. They could delay the registration though out of Ottawa.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
Yeah that's the standard process. RCMP send the "RCMP Canadian Firearms Program - missing information" letter requesting the exemption reason (letter). That is when the letter is provided.
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u/AdeptArt 14d ago
no, I didn’t say the RCMP asks you a question requesting your letter. I said the RCMP questions your letter. Different things. Aka challenging the validity of your letter, post issuance.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 13d ago
Well they already approved two of them recently so if the third gets denied with identical paperwork then we're going to Federal Court over it.
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u/Loud_Cap_4250 14d ago
Yep rcmp can and will question the exemption even months after you send them the exemption letter and start the pistol transfer
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u/Curious_Joe2020 14d ago
I don't think so. Once the exemption is provided the legislation requirements are met. They have to approve the transfer. They would only ask more questions if you were trying to sneak in a 9mm conversion maybe and the initial exemption process missed it. RCMP is NOT the governing body who issues the exemptions. They follow the law and regulations not make policy.
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u/Loud_Cap_4250 14d ago
This is false it happened to me which is how I know. A lot of people are going to be upset their transfer gets to the registry and it’s denied/indefinitely delayed. The bc cfo approves it and then it goes to the registry which is Ottawa so they can do whatever they want.
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 13d ago
What additional information they asked from you regarding your exemption letter if you don’t mind me asking?
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u/Curious_Joe2020 13d ago
If it gets denied then you go to Federal Court for judicial review and they lose big time. If it gets delayed and then denied even worse. Don't play the game of providing more info and doing things involving jumping through hoops that are not in the legislation. The RCMP Registry does not set policy nor do they create regulations or laws. The law is very clear with a lawful exemption the transfer would be approved. The RCMP is not the sports governing body and have no business setting policy. They just process the transfer and registration once the required paperwork is provided.
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u/Commercial-Detail-31 14d ago edited 13d ago
I got the email from rcmp on july 31st and sent the letter right away.Talked to the cfo last week and they said they sent the exemption letter to BC cfo on aug 5 and right now its taking 4-8 weeks for transfers to take place because of backlog.They said best thing is to wait and everything else was good from my side.