Originally Posted by
rubesl
Unfortunately you did things the wrong way around - Nexus, which includes GE, is $50, GE alone is $100, so now you are going to end up paying $150 for what you could have gotten for $50. BTW, Nexus is great - I usually save 15 - 60 min. crossing the border by using the special Nexus lane (either direction).
Yeah I also did it the wrong order. That was the price I paid for not checking FT before I applied.
Originally Posted by
tusphotog
I applied for NEXUS after getting GE. I was approved in 2 days.
I did have to interview and get fingerprinted by the US person, even though they have that on file from GE. The Canadian and I just talked hockey during the interview. All and all, really informal doing NEXUS after GE.
FWIW, YUL didn't have GE kiosks in the fall. Not sure if that's changed or not.
I don't remember how long my NEXUS approval was after GE but it was quick, a few days I think. Unfortunately I didn't get the easy interview. During my GE interview I was grilled pretty hard for at least half an hour. I blame it on having triple citizenship (US, Canada, 3rd country) and not a WASP. The CIS agent was very detailed with my life history.
NEXUS interview in YVR was better, but mostly because I already had GE. The CIS agent got first dibs at me and went through the app line by line (not as bad as LAX), and then the CBSA guy asked me a few questions about travelings. Neither was in the mood to talk hockey with me. However, between talking to two agents and the iris scan, I was in and out in 30 min.
Sidenote: I was late to my NEXUS interview by over two hours because my AS flight from SFO was cancelled due to WX. I called the office and no one answered so I left a message. When I showed up at the NEXUS office no one seemed to have cared or even checked the message.
BTW, to whoever is applying: Bring EVERYTHING. if you even suspect that they might ask, bring it to your interview. I had my GE interview in the time between accepting a job offer and starting that job, and the CIS agent made me email him my offer letter when I flew back to San Jose that night before he signed off the next day.
Also, I applied before they offered a card for GE. I just found out that they issue Global Entry cards now (It used to be NEXUS only). I just looked into it and looks like if you have a NEXUS card, it is the same as having a GE card and you don't need a separate GE card.