Concealed Carry License in Texas

[BrittSlav 7]

I have submitted my AOS and my husband has a friend who is hosting a Concealed Carry License class. I want to get mine and I am wondering if anyone knows if I can do it while still awaiting my Green Card and AOS. 

The TxDPS website states that;

”Yes. Subject to the requirements of federal firearms law, and if not otherwise ineligible, resident aliens and certain nonimmigrant aliens who are legally present in the United States may obtain the license.” 

 

But I just wanted to know if anyone else has done or tried to do this? 

 

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

12 minutes ago, BrittSlav said:

I have submitted my AOS and my husband has a friend who is hosting a Concealed Carry License class. I want to get mine and I am wondering if anyone knows if I can do it while still awaiting my Green Card and AOS. 

The TxDPS website states that;

”Yes. Subject to the requirements of federal firearms law, and if not otherwise ineligible, resident aliens and certain nonimmigrant aliens who are legally present in the United States may obtain the license.” 

 

But I just wanted to know if anyone else has done or tried to do this? 

 

You are not a resident alien until you at least have your Green card.

[BrittSlav 7]

12 minutes ago, cyberfx1024 said:

You are not a resident alien until you at least have your Green card.

But I am a non-immigrant alien here legally. 

 

I called the Texas DPS just now and got my answer. But thanks for the reply. 

 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

Well I see you already have your answer but I was in the middle of typing this already so I will just post it. If it is like NC you have to have the class before you apply for the CCL so taking it before you were eligible to apply couldn't hurt anything. Of course that is assuming it is like NC.

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

16 minutes ago, BrittSlav said:

But I am a non-immigrant alien here legally. 

 

I called the Texas DPS just now and got my answer. But thanks for the reply. 

 

Then you have your answer but be advised it is also more than likely up to the Sheriff's discretion as well. But I am well aware of North Carolina law I'm not aware of Texas law.

[BrittSlav 7]

21 minutes ago, ThomasNC1988 said:

Well I see you already have your answer but I was in the middle of typing this already so I will just post it. If it is like NC you have to have the class before you apply for the CCL so taking it before you were eligible to apply couldn't hurt anything. Of course that is assuming it is like NC.

Yeah I have to have the class done before the application and the class certificate is valid for 2 years. They lady at DPS told me to go ahead and take the class, take proof of my visa and legality in The US (aka my I-94) and once I get my green card I can file the paperwork. 

 

Thanks for the help! 

[BrittSlav 7]

11 minutes ago, cyberfx1024 said:

Then you have your answer but be advised it is also more than likely up to the Sheriff's discretion as well. But I am well aware of North Carolina law I'm not aware of Texas law.

I suppose our laws down here in Texas must be different. I don’t know what part of the application would require Sheriff allowance or anything like that. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

19 minutes ago, BrittSlav said:

I suppose our laws down here in Texas must be different. I don’t know what part of the application would require Sheriff allowance or anything like that. 

Yeah what it looks like is the CCW laws in Texas are more state specific and not county specific like in CA and NC. So like in CA and NC you would have to file for a CCW license with that respective county sheriff department and they are the one to say Yay or Nay once they do the checks. 

 

I wasn't trying to be rude earlier I was just trying state what I knew about those two states in regards to a CCW. I am not familiar with Texas handgun law so I apologize. But if you lived in NC or CA I could help you out no with no problem. Actually I helped a guy who was in Asheville who was a conditional resident trying to get a CCW and he got turned down by someone who didn't know any better. So I loaded him up with facts concerning NC law and he was fine. 

[BrittSlav 7]

1 minute ago, cyberfx1024 said:

Yeah what it looks like is the CCW laws in Texas are more state specific and not county specific like in CA and NC. So like in CA and NC you would have to file for a CCW license with that respective county sheriff department and they are the one to say Yay or Nay once they do the checks. 

 

I wasn't trying to be rude earlier I was just trying state what I knew about those two states in regards to a CCW. I am not familiar with Texas handgun law so I apologize. But if you lived in NC or CA I could help you out no with no problem. Actually I helped a guy who was in Asheville who was a conditional resident trying to get a CCW and he got turned down by someone who didn't know any better. So I loaded him up with facts concerning NC law and he was fine. 

Oh that makes sense! 

No need to apologise, thanks so much for the help! I just wanted to see if my CHL would be another thing I could get done while awaiting my AOS! 

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

6 minutes ago, BrittSlav said:

Oh that makes sense! 

No need to apologise, thanks so much for the help! I just wanted to see if my CHL would be another thing I could get done while awaiting my AOS! 

If I were you then I would do it and get it out of the way. I don't want to sound stupid, but is NZ as stupid about guns as your sister country the Aussies or are you guys much friendlier in regards to them? My wife when she first came here was furious when I bought my pistol and my AK, and now 4 years later she wants me to buy her one. 

 

Also don't forget:

 

http://www.stateoftexaschl.com/chl-faqs/reciprocity/

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by cyberfx1024

[BrittSlav 7]

5 minutes ago, cyberfx1024 said:

If I were you then I would do it and get it out of the way. I don't want to sound stupid, but is NZ as stupid about guns as your sister country the Aussies or are you guys much friendlier in regards to them? My wife when she first came here was furious when I bought my pistol and my AK, and now 4 years later she wants me to buy her one. 

 

Also don't forget:

 

http://www.stateoftexaschl.com/chl-faqs/reciprocity/

 

Oh yeah! I get a chance to do it with people I know in this class so that makes me so much more comfortable doing it. And then I’ll just sit on the class certificate and once I’ve got my green card, I’ll file it and get my CHL card and all that. 

We definitely aren’t as strict when it comes to guns. People own them, but there are laws around how to store them in the home and you do have to have a license to own one minus a few exceptions etc. However, we also have more gun related crime and accidents compared to Australia so it’s kinda like “well are they entirely wrong or do they have a point in how they handle guns etc”. 

I personally have no issue with them, and my husband and his brother and dad all have them, I’ve shot their guns before and my husband and his dad have their CHL’s and conceal carry frequently. I want mine just as that added protection aspect and all that. 

My uncle has his gun license back home and it’s a very stringent process to get one. 

 

The amount of guns my my husband and his family has is enough to arm a small force so I never really had the chance to be all “anti gun”

haha. However his mother is very anti them and has never shot one in her life. I did it my very first trip to Texas 😂😂

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

1 minute ago, BrittSlav said:

Oh yeah! I get a chance to do it with people I know in this class so that makes me so much more comfortable doing it. And then I’ll just sit on the class certificate and once I’ve got my green card, I’ll file it and get my CHL card and all that. 

We definitely aren’t as strict when it comes to guns. People own them, but there are laws around how to store them in the home and you do have to have a license to own one minus a few exceptions etc. However, we also have more gun related crime and accidents compared to Australia so it’s kinda like “well are they entirely wrong or do they have a point in how they handle guns etc”. 

I personally have no issue with them, and my husband and his brother and dad all have them, I’ve shot their guns before and my husband and his dad have their CHL’s and conceal carry frequently. I want mine just as that added protection aspect and all that. 

My uncle has his gun license back home and it’s a very stringent process to get one. 

 

The amount of guns my my husband and his family has is enough to arm a small force so I never really had the chance to be all “anti gun”

haha. However his mother is very anti them and has never shot one in her life. I did it my very first trip to Texas 😂😂

Yeah legal guns are very much hard to get in the Philippines so regular people don't have them at all. So my wife wasn't used to them at all and was ok with me have just 1 gun in the house, but she flipped her lid when I got my AK. Now I have 6 in the house and I regularly teach my kids about firearm safety as well. So my four year old knows more than most adults here in CA about firearm safety. I live here in Los Angeles now where it's almost impossible to get a CCW, but I can't wait until we move back to NC so I can file for one. 

[mallafri76 1,012]

You can only take a Texas carry class if you “meet the federal qualifications to purchase a handgun”, which you unfortunately don’t do in your current status. Only USCs and LPRs are legally allowed to purchase a firearm, with the exception of foreign diplomats and officers from a friendly nation. 

 

I know it’s exciting to take your carry license. It was one of the first things I did when I moved to Texas. The class is pretty comprehensive so if you’re not used to handling a firearm, most responsible firearms training companies will have you take a basic firearms training class first, which are great to show you how to responsibly handle a gun, clean it and shoot with it, including fire range etiquette. 

[BrittSlav 7]

On 02/11/2017 at 3:09 PM, cyberfx1024 said:

Yeah legal guns are very much hard to get in the Philippines so regular people don't have them at all. So my wife wasn't used to them at all and was ok with me have just 1 gun in the house, but she flipped her lid when I got my AK. Now I have 6 in the house and I regularly teach my kids about firearm safety as well. So my four year old knows more than most adults here in CA about firearm safety. I live here in Los Angeles now where it's almost impossible to get a CCW, but I can't wait until we move back to NC so I can file for one. 

I don’t see it as a negative. I mean other than an uncle, I don’t know a lot of people with a firearms license back home in NZ. That being said, I wasn’t afraid of handling one here in Texas and with how common and frequent they are here, it almost felt normal to go and shoot one and get comfortable handling one. Especially when my husband and his dad carry one on them 24/7 basically. 

[BrittSlav 7]

14 hours ago, mallafri76 said:

You can only take a Texas carry class if you “meet the federal qualifications to purchase a handgun”, which you unfortunately don’t do in your current status. Only USCs and LPRs are legally allowed to purchase a firearm, with the exception of foreign diplomats and officers from a friendly nation. 

 

I know it’s exciting to take your carry license. It was one of the first things I did when I moved to Texas. The class is pretty comprehensive so if you’re not used to handling a firearm, most responsible firearms training companies will have you take a basic firearms training class first, which are great to show you how to responsibly handle a gun, clean it and shoot with it, including fire range etiquette. 

According to TXDPS, I do qualify. I can take the course and sit on the 2-year certificate and once I get my GC, I’ll be able to file for the license. 

I could also get it entirely, if I also got my hunting license but I am in no hurry so I won’t bother. 

 

Im fine with handling a gun, I’ve been here to Texas enough times, to go out shooting and handle them. I can load, unload and clean a gun with ease. 

 

I have no plans to purchase one soon, but to get started on the process is a win-win for me. 

I have my CHL class next Sunday.