What is U.S. Customs Form 4457?

It is a Certificate of Registration that proves you owned your shotgun before leaving the United States, allowing you to legally bring it back into the country without paying import duties or facing confiscation.

How much does it cost to bring a gun into Argentina?

The Argentine ANMAC temporary importation fee is typically around $120 USD per firearm, payable at the airport upon arrival.

What happens if the serial number on my paperwork is wrong?

ANMAC officials are uncompromising. If the serial number on the gun does not perfectly match your pre-filed consular paperwork, the firearm will be seized and held at the airport until you depart the country.

Argentina Gun Permits: U.S. Form 4457 and ANMAC Process

Senior Field Editor

Roxy Gonzalez

Published: June 11, 2026

Importing a personal shotgun into Argentina for a wingshooting expedition requires international hunters to flawlessly execute a two-part bureaucratic gauntlet: securing a U.S. Customs Form 4457 prior to departure, and navigating the strict ANMAC federal police inspection upon arrival at Ezeiza International Airport (EZE).

The U.S. CBP Form 4457

The greatest logistical error a hunter can make happens before they even leave the United States. You cannot simply fly out of the country with a firearm and expect to bring it back. You must possess a physical, stamped U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form 4457 (Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad). This document proves to the U.S. government that you owned the shotgun before you left, preventing them from charging you import duties or confiscating the gun upon your return. You must take your unloaded shotgun to a local CBP office at an international airport *before* the day of your flight. The officer will verify the serial number and stamp the form. This form is valid indefinitely for that specific firearm.

Bureaucratic StepRequired ActionTactical ImportanceU.S. Form 4457Obtain physically stamped form from U.S. Customs before departure.Guarantees legal re-entry of the firearm into the United States.Consular Pre-ApprovalSubmit passport and gun details to AWS Concierge 30 days prior.Generates the preliminary Argentine importation paperwork.ANMAC Arrival InspectionPresent the firearm to the Airport Security Police (PSA) at EZE.Verifies serial numbers match the pre-approved consular documents.ANMAC Fee PaymentPay the temporary importation fee (approx. $120 USD) in cash or card.Secures the final physical permit required to travel domestically.

The ANMAC Gauntlet at Ezeiza

When you land in Buenos Aires (EZE), your gun case will not arrive on the standard baggage carousel; it is intercepted by the Airport Security Police (PSA). You must retrieve your standard luggage, exit customs, and proceed to the ANMAC (Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados) office. Here, heavily armed officers will physically open your case and cross-reference the engraved serial number on your shotgun barrel with the paperwork your outfitter pre-filed. A single typo—such as a '0' recorded as an 'O'—will result in the immediate seizure of your firearm. If the numbers match, you pay the temporary importation fee, receive your permit, and are cleared to travel.

Tactical Field Note: The ANMAC permit you receive at the airport must be kept on your person at all times during the trip. Local wildlife police (Flora y Fauna) frequently set up checkpoints on rural roads near the estancias. If your VIP transfer van is pulled over and you cannot produce the ANMAC permit for the gun in the trunk, you will be arrested.

Internal Connections

Avoid this entire process by reading Renting Shotguns in Argentina: The Armory Advantage.
Understand how to pack your gun via Airline Policies for Flying with Guns to Argentina.
Get help at the airport using VIP Airport Meet and Greet: Arriving at Ezeiza (EZE).

Legal & Regulatory Note Hunting regulations in Argentina are established and enforced at the provincial level and may change by season, species, area, quota, weather conditions, land access, and administrative resolution. Any reference to hunting availability, seasons, bag limits, pest-control species, firearms, ammunition, transportation, or export of birds should be understood as general destination information only. Hunters must always confirm current provincial regulations, licenses, permits, firearm requirements, landowner authorization, outfitter compliance, and transport/export restrictions before booking or participating in any hunt.