The Botswana Police advises firearm applicants to provide their full particulars when they fill in application forms to acquire firearms in order to avoid delays in processing applications.
The advice follows failure by many applicants to provide proper particulars such as names, addresses and National Identity numbers (IDS) that cause some delays immediate processing of applications as much time is lost during the tracing of applicants with wrong addresses.
The public is further advised that only citizens aged 18 years and above are allowed to apply for a rifle or shotgun permits, provided they have no criminal record and have given valid reasons for applying for firearms.
Applicants are however reminded not to include in their applications firearms such as Muzzle Loaders and Martin Henry because they are no longer used. Handguns such as pistols, revolvers and other weapons of military nature are illegal in Botswana and Can only used by the state.
Botswana Police receives applications from eligible applicants every year from October to December. Prospective applicants should collect application forms any nearest police station and those who meet the necessary requirements will then enter a rifle draw and if successful, undergo screening for criminal record. Those who pass the criminal record test are issued with permits to acquire firearms.
People with permits to acquire firearms are therefore urged to use them while valid as those with expired permits would be disqualified and would have to wait for a year to apply again.
Applications for Arms dealers permit on the other hand are restricted to citizens aged from 21 years, with business premises that meet security standards prescribed by the law and with no criminal record.