Firearms Permit Information

If you are a citizen of the European Union and hold the firearm permits from an EU member state, you will need to apply for the European Firearms Pass (EFP) from your local authorities. If you have magazines with capacity over 10 rounds for semi-auto rifles, you need Classification “A” EFP for your rifle to enter Finland, or if you have Classification “B” in your EFP, you need an import permit that we will apply for you.

If your firearms permit is issued in Norway, Sweden, Iceland or Denmark, you do not need an additional permit, but it is advised to use the European Firearms Pass EFP. EFP has clear information on firearm classifications and makes dealing with customs and other officials easier and faster.

Note if you are traveling through Sweden, you need to apply for a permit for transit and file a firearms declaration when entering and exiting Sweden.

https://polisen.se/en/laws-and-regulations/firearms/temporary-import/transit-with-weapons-through-sweden

For everyone else, the Oulu Police Department will handle all firearms permissions for all the Rifle World Shoot 2024 athletes. Permits will be handled for each national team as one group. Please prepare and collect all the information listed below:

• Last name
• First names
• Date of birth
• Place of birth: town and country
• Passport number
• Passport issuing country
• Passport issuing agency
• Home address
• Email address (the same as in registering with competition)
• Country where travelling from
• Country of residency
• Scanned image of the passport
• When the firearm will be imported, date and flight information
• When the firearm will be exported, date and flight information

For each firearm:

• EU Classification of firearm: mostly semi-auto rifle with magazine capacity larger than 10: “A7” or if magazine capacity only up to 10: “B”. Manual action: “C”. For firearms shorter than 600 millimeters or with shorter than 300 millimeter barrels: “A8”.
• Calibre
• If Semi-automatic or Bolt action
• Manufacturer
• Model
• Serial number
• Firearm length if the firearm is shorter than 600 mm or barrel is shorter than 300 mm
• Barrel length if the firearm is shorter than 600 mm or barrel is shorter than 300 mm

 For each additional licensed firearm part, email this information to [email protected]:
* Type: upper receiver, lower receiver, bolt carrier, bolt, barrel, or silencer
* Markings or serial numbers, distinctive properties (barrel length), if any

The information is collected at https://rws.ipscws.com. All registered shooters have been sent a password to the site. If you have not received a password, please send email to [email protected]. Only persons registered to competition via their regions as shooting in the main match or persons registered as shooting in the Pre-Match with the match organizers are able to apply for permits on this portal.

Import and export dates are necessary to make sure the permit covers your stay in Finland. Flight information is used to inform customs and airport security about the amount of expected traffic.

Transporting firearms on airlines

Contact your airline about the regulations for transporting firearms and ammunition. In addition to any airline instructions, it is necessary to exactly follow the instructions of Finnish aviation authority FINAVIA: https://www.finavia.fi/en/airport/baggage/hunters-and-campers.

When transitioning through any Finnish airport, including Helsinki HEL, all ammunition must be very carefully packaged according to the instructions. Use special cartridge boxes that hold each cartridge in place and use tape to secure them closed. Or use the original retail boxes that hold each cartridge in place, also secured carefully with tape so that they cannot open or break. No bulk boxes of loose ammo. Only 5 kg of ammunition, including the box, is allowed per passenger.

If these instructions are not followed, all the ammunition will be confiscated, and you will likely never get it back, or at least not in time for the competition.

Local Finnair flights are available from Helsinki HEL to Oulu OUL. Finnair requires advance notice and applies extra charge that includes one extra bag. Finnair requires that ammunition and firearms are not in the same bag.

If you arrive to Oulu airport as your final destination, your luggage with firearms will be available at the special luggage counter. If you arrive at Helsinki airport as your final destination, you will need to contact special luggage counter. You can contact them before or after picking up the other luggage from the belt. You will be asked to wait until your firearm luggage is ready to pick up and then follow any instructions.