Applying for My FAC with some family problems.

[m.plum]

Hello,
Could anyone tell me if getting through divorce and moving out from my present home can make things complicated?
I am going to divorce and apply for FAC at the same time. Will that make things complicated if I get court case between me and my wife? She said that she can wait till I sort everything out but I don't want to wait. Any advice ?
I can say that we never had a fight and we are still friend. Any advice ? Wait ?

[Robert303]

I see no reason why you cannot put in your application as long as you send in a letter explaining the whole situation. The one thing that will mess up an application is if the Police find something you have not disclosed! Should you still be on good terms with your wife try and get a letter to that effect OR get an extract from any of the divorce papers already filed that would support the case. HOWEVER should her attitude change and if any allegations of domerstic violence are made your application could become rather fraught and would best be withdrawn ubtil the divorce is finalised. Personally I'd sort out the new home, start the divorce then apply for the FAC.

[Blackstuff]

Unless the split is COMPLETELY benign and amicable i'd say you're setting yourself up for trouble, and with the divorce rather than the FAC application. It could be used as an extremely potent lever to get you to agree to all manner of things.

I'd take up her offer of getting it sorted before the divorce, or do it after, if i was in those circumstances.

[Tommygunn]

You will need to exercise a little more care than usual I think. I am presently going through divorce proceedings which look like they're getting acrimonious now that we're getting down to the last nuts 'n bolts of it - under advice all my firearms, everything, is lodged with an RFD until it's sorted. I have still applied for a variation so as to be ready to carry on the collection as soon as I am able and that was no problem with my local police, who are fully aware of my situation.

My thoughts would be to get everything sorted before you apply. If you can't wait then make sure your local constabulary is aware and, in the unlikely event you get your FAC before you are through all this, don't rush out to get a firearm until you are, just to be safe eh?

[m.plum]

Right. I can not move out till Jan next year as my son starts nursery that time and I have to look after him till this time anyway. So there is plenty of time. I'll join the club, I'll get my FAC and than I'll decide what to do with my personal stuff.
Thanks for your help.

[AlieN]

Hi m.plum,

Forgive me if I am stating the obvious, but your previous message makes it sound like you haven't joined a club yet. Assuming that you are going to give target shooting as your reason for owning a firearm, the usual sequence of events is:

• - Join a club as a probationary member. The probationary period can vary, but often it is 3 - 6 months;
  - After shooting as a probationer several times and having satisfied the club that you are safe, you will be granted full membership.
  - Only once you are a full member will you be able to apply for an FAC.

So, it seems to me that the priority should be joining the club first. You might not even be in a position to make an FAC application until well into next year. Of course you may already know all of this and be in completely different circumstances, in which case, ignore the above!

AlieN