Originally Posted by
Perche
As I said, this thread is being carried way off topic. Why the fixation on ID cards?
You brought up ID cards.Ask yourself why
The OP said, "I called the Italian Embassy in Los Angeles today and the woman I spoke to said it very easy for a non Italian citizen to bring in a firearm for a competition."
As I said, it can be done, but it is not easy.
depends on your definition of easy, but as I said it is simple.
Of course you don't have to carry ID at all times, or get thrown in jail.
Then why scaremonger otherwise? Just because American LEOs are mostly horribly trained and feckless should not scare anyone nor change the law. Facts are Facts. In Italy it is required, stateside for citizens it is not. this is all the OP needs to know.
I don't bring my ID with me when I go out for a run, either in Italy or in the USA. That doesn't mean that you don't need to carry an ID to do simple things like checking your email in Italy, renting a hotel room, buying a bottle of wine in the USA, or convincing the TSA that you should be able to board the plane without being searched and undergoing what you refer to as simply an inconvenience that is in the eye of the beholder. Or, avoiding being taken down to the police station if they have reason to suspect you have done something wrong and don't believe you when you just give them your name and DOB, with no ID.
I am retired and could certainly deal with it LOL but if you actually know the hotel policy there is no arguing. Facts are stubborn little things. Just as the OP wants to know what is up, I get the facts before doing things.
You might want to to go through life arguing with the clerk at Safeway that you don't need ID when picking up a bottle of wine, or telling the police that you have a right to refuse to show them an ID. I prefer to have ID on me for the times when it's reasonable to expect to need it.
I do not have to argue with anyone. I know the rules. Makes life easier that way.
I think you are arguing just for the sake of arguing when you say that you purchased liquor in TX, FL, and MD with no ID check and you are almost 40. Regardless, the drinking age is 21 in all states. I'm almost 25 years older than you, and I still get asked to show my ID. It doesn't matter that you've had the experience of checking into a hotel and not having to show an ID. The next time they might say no, and you could be sleeping under a bridge.
Again see above. Do not have to argue with hotel clerks. I know when it is not required.
I don't know where you hear things like you, "heard the San Fran consulate is one of the not-so-hot ones."
I was referencing how they handle carte, citizenships etc. If you go Italian citizen forms in both English and Italian it is well known for problems. Thankfully the OP will not deal with them.
It's an enormous, one block long building, surrounded by trees, that looks like an embassy, and handles all consular functions, like the consulate in New York City.
I have been to the Italian consulate in San Fran, and Miami, Houston, Miami, NYC and the embassy in D.C. All Italian consulate function the same (not honorary of course).
The Houston consulate is a small sitting room, in a large office shared by dozens of businesses, with a few plastic chairs and one window with a teller behind it, like a mini-bank. It's not even open every day.
. There is one check in area, but two meeting rooms, and there are no plastic chairs. Having been through the entire consulate in Houston is fairly large and takes up half the floor of a skyscraper. The public waiting area only holds about 12 chairs however. They are busy though handling more business than tourism functions. I know the last consul general and the current one as I deal with the Italian Medical business community there often for some of the boards I still serve on. It is closed to the public on Wednesday but I hate to digress...
[quote]I don't agree with your statement that Texas has strict gun control laws. I just arrived to a Texas Border town to work today, and am on duty from Friday evening until 8AM Monday morning. It is a veritable certainty that I will be dealing with at least one, and probably as many as 3-4 gun shot incidents. It almost always happens. [quote]
Duty doing what? What does that mean?
Being that the frontera is a hotspot for narcos I would not be surprised. I would hazard a guess most of those shots will come from non-legal weapons.
You probably know this and are just arguing, but you can buy a gun in Texas at a sporting goods store, gun show, or even a pawn shop with no waiting period, just a 30 second computerized background check and a simple form. You can even buy a gun from an independent person on the street with no questions asked, all you need to do is show an ID to prove that you are a resident of Texas, and be 18 to get a rifle or shotgun, or 21 to get a handgun. You can carry that loaded pistol in your car within arms reach, wherever you want to go.
That is the federally required check. And I stated open carry was not allowed. Concealed carry is fine. I have had a permit to do it in Italy also.
I'm suggesting that from what I know, transporting a gun into Italy is difficult, and the OP should be prepared for that.
Which we have all said is true. But far from impossible for the OP.
I am done arguing tangents about ID cards, checking into hotels without ID, buying booze in MD, etc, that have nothing to do with travel or with this thread.
I do not see the arguments. I just saw you stating false info but whatever floats your boat.
The OP will be fine if he gets everything in order. Will it take time, yes but it is not impossible. I am sending the OP some shooting sites that have more info on POCs and policies that can help.
As to the moderators, the entire discussion is germane as it reflects one the OP's point about what the rules are for his trip and the bureaucracy involved. The entire point of FT is hash out such rules and differences.
If the OP does not have enough to get the paperwork together now, there are ways to borrow weapons for the events, with only moderate paperwork required at most clubs. Which even perche noted.