How long does the fingerprint analysis take???

Originally Posted by Jasongar8

I agree that they need more staff, a lot more. But I dont think that BATFE as whole cares how long it takes. As bad as the economy is I cant see them spending more money just to speed up the process. This doesnt mean that we shouldnt try though....
-Jason G

I just sent this letter to my Rep and both Senators.

Dear Senator/Rep,

I understand that you are busy with some of the larger items on the agenda with congress today so I will try to make this as short as I can while still conveying my concerns. I am writing to express my concern with a possible oversight in manning within the National Firearms Act office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in the Department of the Treasury.

Regardless of your personal stance on firearms it would be difficult to argue that the firearms and ammunition industry is one of the few industries that can not keep up with with the current demand nationwide. The sales of these items are contributing to the tax base, employment, and the economy. Some of the firearms and accessories are regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934. These items are legal but an individual must submit a special $200 tax fee and receive the approved application in order to take possession of an item that they have already paid for. Failure to do so can result in a fine of $10,000 and several years in prison.

In the past this process has taken as little as one month. The current time frame is in excess of 4 months, I have heard some people that have been waiting as long as 8 months to get the approved application back. I have submitted two applications. The first took about one week to cash my check, eight more weeks to enter my information into the computer system, and as I write this, 3 days short of 15 weeks after the check has been cashed, my application is still "pending". The second application was mailed in less than one month ago so I have not even tried to inquire about the status. Please keep in mind that I and hundreds of thousands of other people that are waiting on this proof of tax payment in order to take possession of items that we have already paid for. In some cases the cost of these firearms exceed $10,000. Would you be happy if you were to go into your local department of motor vehicles and pay $200 for your car tags and then have to wait six months to get the little sticker in the mail so you can drive your new car to work?

Part of this process is analyzing fingerprints. Each separate item has to have two fingerprint cards submitted with it and must be analyzed in order to complete the process. Many people already have fingerprints on file with the federal government for different reasons such as previous purchases, employment as law enforcement officers or in my case a current "not going to type it here" security clearance for military service. In an age of computerized information sharing I can not understand why it should take so long to compare my fingerprints to the ones already on record, run a criminal background check and cash my check.

I spoke with a member of the NFA branch of the BATFE this morning and according to her, they are manned with 15 people to process all of the applications submitted in the United States. Not only are these 15 people handling the applications for an individual to take possession of the item, but must also process applications for the manufacture build the item, and then another application to ship the item to the store to sell it. In my case, it took almost two months to get the paperwork back to transfer an item from the maker to the store. This means that, at the current rate, I will have waited more than 6 months to receive a tax receipt on an item that I have already paid for.

If you don’t mind please make a few phone calls and inquire as to why this process to take possession of a legal item takes so long and why this office has not been more appropriately staffed.

Thank you for your time.

Redbarron06

I'll let you know if I get anything back other than a canned form letter. anyone that wants to copy and sent off to your critters please feel free to do so. I live in Nashville so I dont expect much from those that are supposed to be representing me. If you live somewhere else please write your critters too. Maybe we can get some more folks and get this time cut down to something reasonable.

I don’t think the entire problem is with staffing but just a lack of supervision and accountability. The examiners should have to log in every form, have every form to a pending status and then to an approved status within so many days. If this is not accomplished within a set time frame then they should have to put in writing to their supervisors as to why these deadlines have not been met and what they are doing to get the issue resolved. I do plain to speak with my Senator and follow up with complaints as soon as my stamp is in my hand.

Originally Posted by bwhited

I don’t think the entire problem is with staffing but just a lack of supervision and accountability. The examiners should have to log in every form, have every form to a pending status and then to an approved status within so many days. If this is not accomplished within a set time frame then they should have to put in writing to their supervisors as to why these deadlines have not been met and what they are doing to get the issue resolved. I do plain to speak with my Senator and follow up with complaints as soon as my stamp is in my hand.

Well as I understand it, at one point ATF did thier own fingerprints now they are farming it out to the FBI. My bet is the FBI is where the hold up is.

Well thats what I have heard. They just tell me when I call to check the status that Examiner Clutter has put in the comments that he is just awaiting the fingerprint analysis. So there going somewhere................

Originally Posted by bwhited

Well thats what I have heard. They just tell me when I call to check the status that Examiner Clutter has put in the comments that he is just awaiting the fingerprint analysis. So there going somewhere................

I think they go to the same place that one sock goes to in the dryer.

LOL!!!!!!!!!! That is so funny!!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree

When I purchased my suppressor in 2001, according to the ATF then my prints were submitted to the FBI for processing. It took 6 months from start to finish to receive my suppressor (F3 to F3 to F4)

I am going to give it till the end of the month and if it still shows that they are awaiting fingerprint analysis I am going to speak with Mr. Clutter and see what he can do for me. Mr. Clutter seems to be good people so maybe he will have it approved before then. I will post any new updates...

Originally Posted by bwhited

I am going to give it till the end of the month and if it still shows that they are awaiting fingerprint analysis I am going to speak with Mr. Clutter and see what he can do for me. Mr. Clutter seems to be good people so maybe he will have it approved before then. I will post any new updates...

By all means please do.

All the more reason to have an NFA gun trust set up. There is no fingerprit requirement; No CLEO approval needed; and you can add future class III items whenever you want. We have drafted several trusts in the last few weeks.