Legal Alien Purchasing Firearms?

[mikev]

Green card holders can also obtain Georgia Weapons License (I got mine with no issues). That I believe resolves all the issues with legality (legal to carry means legal to own).

 

[aFarewellToKings]

He’s certainly legal, owns a business and has a permanent residence here. I did find out that he doesn’t have a green card yet, but is here on visas from what I gather. I personally wouldn’t sell to him either, and I sure as heck wouldn’t tell him to buy on the private market and risk his status and our business. My coworkers and I rely on him being here! With that said, my whole goal was just to see what process he needs to take to get to the point of purchasing his own legally owned firearms, if at all possible. It sounds like he needs a green card, or there may be a way with a hunting license and participate in shooting sports or go on an occasional hunting trip to keep legal. Who knows, at this point I think I’m just going to tell him to speak with our company lawyer!

I'd tell him to speak to an FFL, particularly one he's thinking of buying from. It's their *** on the line if there's an issue. Company lawyer may not know this area of law.

 

[StuP]

I suspect handgun ownership may be a grey area to a local PD, but as long as he doesn't commit a crime with it, he's probably ok !

 

[BigMike]

I do not know the ins and outs, but one is not required to be a citizen to purchase a firearm, saw it happen at adventure outdoors. If I were him, go pick out what I want and fill out the form truthfully, and see what happens. If he is not on any watch list or has a similar name, I'd give it better than 50/50 odds to be able to buy what he wants with no hassle.

 

[TresMonos]

So I've got an odd one for you guys.

I think I've heard of this being possible but I don't know the technicalities involved. But, what steps are required for a legal alien to purchase a firearm(s) or can they without being a US citizen?

Right now the guy is on a work visa, has a permanent residence, and GA driver's license. I don't believe he has a green card yet but I could be mistaken.

Here's what I'm working with. Years ago I took the owner of our company (he's very British) out on a shooting trip to our local range to educate him on firearms and show that American's aren't just running around killing each other with black murder rifles. He absolutely loved it and we've been going for years now. I've even taken other executives from the UK, and his wife and older children.

Him and I have taken all sorts of classes, and he's even purchased corporate membership passes for our state-side employees to use at our local range. Normally when we go I bring a selection of my personal firearms and a few hand fulls of ammo and that's what we use. Now he's gotten to the point that he wants to purchase his own, but is he even legally able to? I believe I read something years back that legal aliens with permanent residences are able to purchase firearms, but again I've got no clue if that's accurate.

Any idea of a direction I can point him in?

Why don't you sell him one of yours in a private sale?

 

[jas4u]

So I've got an odd one for you guys.

I think I've heard of this being possible but I don't know the technicalities involved. But, what steps are required for a legal alien to purchase a firearm(s) or can they without being a US citizen?

Right now the guy is on a work visa, has a permanent residence, and GA driver's license. I don't believe he has a green card yet but I could be mistaken.

Here's what I'm working with. Years ago I took the owner of our company (he's very British) out on a shooting trip to our local range to educate him on firearms and show that American's aren't just running around killing each other with black murder rifles. He absolutely loved it and we've been going for years now. I've even taken other executives from the UK, and his wife and older children.

Him and I have taken all sorts of classes, and he's even purchased corporate membership passes for our state-side employees to use at our local range. Normally when we go I bring a selection of my personal firearms and a few hand fulls of ammo and that's what we use. Now he's gotten to the point that he wants to purchase his own, but is he even legally able to? I believe I read something years back that legal aliens with permanent residences are able to purchase firearms, but again I've got no clue if that's accurate.

Any idea of a direction I can point him in?

He's a permanent resident but no green card?
The green card makes you a permanent resident.
Yes, green card holders can buy firearms legally. I did that almost 10years ago in georgia gun store without any issues. I bought a rifle and was a florida resident then. The USCIS/Alien number is needed in the for 4473. That is in the bottom of the first page.

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[Jsmit484]

He's a permanent resident but no green card?
The green card makes you a permanent resident.
Yes, green card holders can buy firearms legally. I did that almost 10years ago in georgia gun store without any issues. I bought a rifle and was a florida resident then. The USCIS/Alien number is needed in the for 4473. That is in the bottom of the first page.

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So he has a house here in the US, along with several investment properties, and owns a business here as well. He's lives in the UK though and travels here usually 1 week each month.He's here on a visa, so no green card yet. From my understanding from the responses in the thread is that he isn't a permanent resident in the eyes of the US until he has the green card. At that point he can get whatever he's like.

It seems to me a green card is the easiest route, or he can get a hunting license and possibly renew it annually. He's not so much a rifle person (yet) but when he's in the States we hang out at the range, shootings my pistols and a few rounds of trap. I've tried to speak with my LGS about this and the workers seemed to talk around in circles. They essentially avoided a straight forward answer which leads me to believe they're clueless. I'm just trying to point him in the right direction and hopefully keep Beto from kicking in his door, Trump from deporting him and the ATF shooting his dog.

 

[jas4u]

So he has a house here in the US, along with several investment properties, and owns a business here as well. He's lives in the UK though and travels here usually 1 week each month.He's here on a visa, so no green card yet. From my understanding from the responses in the thread is that he isn't a permanent resident in the eyes of the US until he has the green card. At that point he can get whatever he's like.

It seems to me a green card is the easiest route, or he can get a hunting license and possibly renew it annually. He's not so much a rifle person (yet) but when he's in the States we hang out at the range, shootings my pistols and a few rounds of trap. I've tried to speak with my LGS about this and the workers seemed to talk around in circles. They essentially avoided a straight forward answer which leads me to believe they're clueless. I'm just trying to point him in the right direction and hopefully keep Beto from kicking in his door, Trump from deporting him and the ATF shooting his dog.

From ATF website:

May a nonimmigrant alien who has been admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa possess a firearm or ammunition in the United States?

An alien admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa is prohibited from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing a firearm or ammunition unless the alien falls within one of the exceptions provided in 18 U.S.C. 922(y)(2), such as: a valid hunting license or permit, admitted for lawful hunting or sporting purposes, certain official representatives of a foreign government, or a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly foreign government entering the United States on official law enforcement business.
[18 U.S.C. 922(g)(5)(B) and 922(y)(2); 27 CFR 478.11 and 478.32]

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/may...dmitted-united-states-under-nonimmigrant-visa

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[hawk-eye]

The people does not have restrictions. While it may be inferred that it means a citizen or permanent resident, it does not expressly say citizens. Your mileage may vary. Not legal advice. If in doubt, contact an attorney.

 

[NDIrish1]