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 country.  

No one is exempt from penalties for violating another country’s gun laws. With a little thought and research before you travel, you can avoid most of these problems. 

Know Before You Go

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 nearest border crossing. Many U.S. citizens, after arrest, claim that they did not intend to enter Canada or Mexico but missed their exit, or took a wrong turn. Know 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 laws of the country you will be traveling to.  
• 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 in another country to contact you in an emergency. 

If You Are Arrested Abroad

One of the highest priorities of the Department of State is to help U.S. citizens arrested abroad.  

Ask the authorities to notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, 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