NEXUS Card-gctid811771

[RGrew176]

I applied for a NEXUS card on May 23rd. Does anyone here know how long the process usually takes? Just curious as my passport expires on August 16th and I am not planning to renew it.

[Solandri]

In my experience, it really depends on how much backlog there is in the location where you'll do the interview. When I got it in Blaine, Washington in 2008, time from submitting the application online to approval for interview was a little less than two weeks. But then I had to wait 3 weeks for an interview slot. (I also wanted expedited entry at airports, so I had to go to Vancouver airport afterwards for another interview, though that one was like 2 questions, then taking photos of my eyes. Not sure if you still need to do that since they switched from iris scans to fingerprints at airports.) Got the card in the mail about 10 days later.

After I moved and applied for the similar Global Entry program, the approval for interview only took a day (probably because I already had Nexus). I foolishly scheduled an interview at Los Angeles International Airport, figuring that a big entry port like that would have a lot of staff. Wrong. The earliest available interview date was 10 months. And I wrote the date down wrong and missed the appointment. I got an email notifying me and telling me to reschedule. This time I checked different locations for available dates (which took a while since the website was set up so you had to pick a location first before you could see available dates - dunno if that's changed). I finally found the border crossing near San Diego only had a 1 week wait for an interview. So I scheduled there, and drove 150 miles just to get it over with. Received the GE card about a week later.

Since your yacht club is in Michigan, I assume you're a U.S. citizen? Unless it's changed, Canadian Customs interviews Americans, and vice versa. (I guess your native country figures if you're a citizen they're not that concerned about you re-entering the country. The foreign country you're trying to enter however wants to know everything about you before they grant you expedited entry.)

From what I remember, time of year is supposed to make a big difference. I applied in February. You're trying to get it in summer during the peak travel season, so the wait will probably be longer. Hmm, based on this site, looks like wait times have gotten a lot longer than when I got my card.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trus...sing-time.html

After you get the card, do not screw around with it. Don't do *anything* which might jeopardize it - there's basically no appeal process. And losing your card pretty much blacklists you from ever getting it again in your lifetime. I heard horror stories like people being snippy with a Customs officer in a bad mood, and he revoked their card because a half-eaten fast food hamburger in the trash had a slice of tomato in it. They were supposedly working on adding an appeals process during the entire 5 years I had the card, but it never happened. Don't carry anything which could in any possible way be contrived to be a prohibited item - especially fruits and vegetables. Or if you do, make sure you "declare" it by asking the border guard if it's something you need to throw away before crossing the border.

[MidnightSun]

Nexus is not a substitute for a passport, you still need a valid passport to travel. On top of that, you can only use Nexus at larger crossings as the smaller ones are not set up for this. FYI, Nexus is only accepted between Canada and the US. Any other place in the world you want to go, you might as well show them a baseball card as it has no validity except for maybe a form of photo ID. The passport is and always will be the universal ID of the world.

[c350amg]

The complete process can be a few weeks.

1st step is to get initial approval by registering and supplying all the required information.

Next step is the interviews (canada and usa) which when you have initial approval you need to book. This can be rather long. You basically have a choice between an international airport with US and canadian agents and a land crossing (only the big one are allowed).

As an example when we trying to book an interview, it was 2-3 months of wait at the Montreal airport, because everybody goes to that airport. I chose the very large land crossing just south of Montreal and that took 1 week.

Next is to wait for the cards.

Remember Nexus is a privilege not a right, you have to follow the rules.

It was noted that it is only valid between Canada and the US, well it's a bit more then that (I travel a lot). It works internally in Canada so at the airport you get to the special line for screening.

In Canada if you travel anywhere in the world you can go through that special line to get faster to your gate. Obviously when landing in another country this card is useless.

When you get back from a foreign trip, again you can go through Nexus even if you came from France, the UK.... etc.. Much faster.

[MidnightSun]

It works internally in Canada so at the airport you get to the special line for screening.

In Canada if you travel anywhere in the world you can go through that special line to get faster to your gate.

Correct however only at major airports such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and maybe a few more.

Remember Nexus is a privilege not a right, you have to follow the rules.

Tell me about it! I was at the Airport in London with my family, I had just renewed my passport but little did I know I needed to update this new passport information with Nexus. So I get pulled out and questioned for at least an hour as there was a red flag in my file. I was treated like a criminal because of a simple lack of information update on my part. Got through without an issue in the end but was threatened with losing my Nexus for good.

[Norton_Rider]

Actually, NEXUS works in other countries, albeit unofficially. I was in a long customs line in Paris after arriving from the US. I had my passport in hand along with my NEXUS card, since I keep the card inside the passport. An official that was walking up and down the lines spotted my card and asked to see it. Then he directed me to a line for EU residents. It only had one person ahead of me.

[Pcpete]

We just got our cards and it was stressed, right behind follow the rules, that any changes to our documents requires a new face to face interview. So, when my Washington Drivers Lisence is renewed, I'll be driving from Mukilteo to Blaine to do the update. My only issue with that is the other, optional, stops along the way. Grizzly and a few fabric stores in Bellingham, Outlet Mauls in Burlington, Boaters Discount in La Conner, then a late lunch......

[Solandri]

"Norton Rider" post=811797 wrote:
Actually, NEXUS works in other countries, albeit unofficially. I was in a long customs line in Paris after arriving from the US. I had my passport in hand along with my NEXUS card, since I keep the card inside the passport. An official that was walking up and down the lines spotted my card and asked to see it. Then he directed me to a line for EU residents. It only had one person ahead of me.

Last I checked, NEXUS (and other pre-screened traveler programs like SENTRI) automatically qualify you for Global Entry. You can take the Global Entry lanes at airports when returning to the U.S. and skip waiting in line with everyone else. Typically you go to a kiosk, scan your card and fingerprints, it spits out a card saying your ID is confirmed, you hand that to the Immigration agents, wish them a good day, and go on through. I was almost last off the plane but one of the first to get through immigration. I actually had to sit around waiting 20 minutes for my bags to show up at baggage claim.

[Solandri]

"Norton Rider" post=811797 wrote:
Actually, NEXUS works in other countries, albeit unofficially. I was in a long customs line in Paris after arriving from the US. I had my passport in hand along with my NEXUS card, since I keep the card inside the passport. An official that was walking up and down the lines spotted my card and asked to see it. Then he directed me to a line for EU residents. It only had one person ahead of me.

It should work officially in other countries too.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-t...-arrangements#

Also worth pointing out that NEXUS and SENTRI gets you into the Pre-Check and Global Entry lanes at U.S. airports.

https://www.dhs.gov/trusted-traveler-comparison-chart

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-t...sked-questions

[Michellekw]

"MidnightSun" post=811790 wrote:

It works internally in Canada so at the airport you get to the special line for screening.

In Canada if you travel anywhere in the world you can go through that special line to get faster to your gate.

Correct however only at major airports such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and maybe a few more.

Remember Nexus is a privilege not a right, you have to follow the rules.

Tell me about it! I was at the Airport in London with my family, I had just renewed my passport but little did I know I needed to update this new passport information with Nexus. So I get pulled out and questioned for at least an hour as there was a red flag in my file. I was treated like a criminal because of a simple lack of information update on my part. Got through without an issue in the end but was threatened with losing my Nexus for good.

The exact same thing happened to me in Vancouver. I didn't realize I had to notify Nexus with my updated Canadian passport information. While I was being questioned I was told it was written in the fine print and asked if I had read it. I hadn't and that is what I told the interviewer.. I don't know why it isn't automatically connected and updated in their system when you renew your passport, but it's not, so you have to be really careful and know the rules.

[green650]

It depends on what part of the country you are in. There is up to a 6 month wait now in the Blaine area.

Also, everyone and their mother has Nexus now so sometimes there is no line in the regular lanes and a long line in Nexus lanes. Sometimes you find out when it's too late and you can't switch. Southbound from Vancouver going thru Peace Arch you can get out of the Nexus and go to regular if you pay attention.

[CptCrunchie]

"RGrew176" post=811771 wrote:
I applied for a NEXUS card on May 23rd. Does anyone here know how long the process usually takes? Just curious as my passport expires on August 16th and I am not planning to renew it.

2-4 months, though I heard it took one guy 6 months to finally get his.