Firearms

Taking guns or bullets abroad, even if they are legal in the U.S., can lead to arrest and serious penalties. Plan your travel with a clear understanding of foreign destination firearms requirements.

Each year, hundreds of U.S. citizens are arrested abroad for carrying firearms or ammunition, even if they could legally possess them in the United States. Most arrests happen on the Canadian and Mexican borders, where people try to cross with a gun they normally keep in their vehicle.  There have also been several arrests in the Caribbean due to shell casings or ammunition in suitcases. 

Besides causing significant delays to your travel, the penalties can be severe: paying steep fines, having the firearms—and vehicles—taken away, going to prison, or being banned for life from that destination.  

No one is exempt from penalties for violating another country’s gun laws. You can avoid these problems if you research your destination’s local laws and requirements and plan before you travel.

Here are some tips to avoid complications with your firearms or ammunition when traveling abroad:  

• Check your vehicle carefully for firearms or ammunition if you plan to cross the border. The stray shell from your last hunting trip or the handgun you routinely carry for protection could cause serious problems for you when traveling.
• Become familiar with the roads near the border. Many U.S. citizens, after arrest, report that they did not intend to enter Canada or Mexico but missed their exit, or took a wrong turn. Know ahead of time where the last exit or turn-around is located. 
• Check your luggage and clothing. Before traveling internationally, carefully check your luggage and clothing for any leftover ammunition or items that could be illegal in your destination. If you’ve used the same luggage for carrying a firearm or ammo, it’s safest to use a different set of luggage to make sure no items like loose shell casings are accidentally in the lining or pockets of your bag. Firearms and ammunition that may be allowed in checked bags or pass through security in the United States are often illegal in other countries and can result in your arrest when screened at local airports.   
• Research the local laws and customs of your travel destination.
• Contact the foreign embassy in the United States.
• Review the Department of Homeland Security’s rules for exporting a firearm, and the Transportation Security Administration’s rules for flying with firearms and ammunition.  
• Enroll in our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive important safety information. It helps the U.S. embassy or consulate in your destination contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency.  

One of the highest priorities of the Department of State is to help U.S. citizens arrested abroad.   Ask the authorities to notify the U.S. embassy or consulate for your destination, or do so yourself if possible.

We can help you in many ways, including:  

• Contacting your family  
• Providing you with a list of local attorneys  
• Visiting you in prison  
• Ensuring that you are treated humanely and in accordance with international, domestic, and foreign law   

We cannot:  

• Represent you in court  
• Pay your legal fees  
• Get you out of jail