1. Clearing Weapons in South Africa
If you are leaving Johannesburg International Airport to overnight or spend some time in South Africa you will need to import your weapons into South Africa which involves completing the South African Police Service Form 520 (SAPS 520)
Download a copy of the SAPS 520 Form
For all assistance with clearing weapons in Johannesburg, we recommend using Safari Concierge. They will help you with all the necessary paperwork required before you leave and then meet you at the airport to guide you through the process. their fees are very reasonable and well worth the money. They also have a guest lodge for those overnighting in Johannesburg. You can contact Bianca on
If you are not hunting in South Africa but coming up to Zimbabwe to hunt you will need a letter of invitation from us. We have a standard letter of support which can be downloaded and completed by yourself or we will do this for you.
Download the Letter of Invitation
2. Zimbabwe Immigration
People coming from USA and most European countries can get an entry visa at Harare International Airport for $30. Please make sure they give you enough time to cover your hunting period and you should ask for 30 days as this will give you plenty of wriggle room. We recently had someone fined US$100 because they had overstayed their Visa, the immigration official didn't give them enough days on entry and they hadn't noticed.
Visitors from Mexico and India will need to apply for their visa in advance from the Zimbabwe Embassy in Washington. There have been some delays with processing these visas so please get the applications in with plenty of time. If there are any problems, please contact us as we have been able to get assistance from the head of Visa's in the Department of Immigration here in Harare.
3. Zimbabwe Customs
After Immigration you will collect your rifles and baggage and go to customs. At customs they will want the Firearms Temporary Import Form to have been filled in in triplicate. They will want to physically inspect your rifles to ensure that the serial numbers match your forms, after which they will stamp the forms and return one to you. This is your permit while in the country so keep it safe and with your rifles. On exiting the country a customs official will check that the serial numbers match your rifles again and then take your copy from you.
Download the Firearms Temporary Import Form