beef

Just to make it perfectly clear, it's obvious that one should carry their passport whenever possible, and I do. This is just an extraordinary circumstance where I will not have it with me for reasons stated in the OP.

I expect I will run into confused and misinformed hurdles during this journey, but as far as I can tell, It should be possible to do this within the rules.

1. I can enter the US via YYZ using only a Nexus card. If the kiosks are down, I'm screwed, though.
2. I can board an AC aircraft in either direction using only a Nexus card
3. I can re-enter Canada using a Nexus card, but if the kiosks are down, I must use the standard lanes with a Canadian birth cert and a drivers license.

N1120A

Actually, this is more like it:

1) You can enter the US via YYZ using only a NEXUS card. You aren't screwed if the kiosks are down (which they have been twice in probably 20-25 times I've used YYZ pre-clearance with NEXUS). The person in the US crew lane, which is next to the kiosks, will actually scan your NEXUS card and you should be fine.

2) I've never had a problem boarding a UA/US/AC/CO aircraft at YYZ with just my NEXUS card. The check-in agent is where you may have a problem.

3) I've never seen the kiosks down on the Canadian side, but you are in big trouble if you are caught using NEXUS without carrying your passport. You will lose your NEXUS card unless the CBSA agent is feeling nice. This is one area the Canadians are more strict. They have been known to conduct random checks to see if NEXUS holders are carrying their NEXUS cards with them.

ESpen36

Correct. Many airlines will not board you unless the ticket agent swipes the MRZ on your passport book and comes up with a "DOCS OK" (meaning that various federal agencies have cleared you for international travel). In my experience, regional airlines will check your documents AGAIN at the gate, even if you checked in online to bypass the ticket counter document check.



That's what I have heard too. The CBSA officers are unbending in their application of the rules. Technically, in order to use the NEXUS Air kiosks to enter Canada, you must be a NEXUS member in good standing and be carrying your valid NEXUS card AND your valid passport book issued by the USA or Canada (even though you do not insert either the card or passport book into the NEXUS kiosk). The officers still could check at any point for your passport and/or NEXUS card, and if you don't have either one, it would be sayonara to your NEXUS membership.

Jebby_ca

1. Not too sure about this one... I'm on a TN, and my TN/I-94 is in my passport book. When I'm pulled in for a secondary, they've always wanted to see my Nexus card AND my passport.

2. On all my return flights to Canada, the gate agent has insisted on seeing a passport book. Nexus cards are no good for boarding.

3. No. To use Nexus entering Canada, you must be a Nexus member in good standing, with your Nexus card AND passport book on your person. You may, however, use the standard lanes with a Canadian birth cert and driver's license.

In other words, when using Nexus, carry your passport book.

Ari

What you quoted above applies to permanent residents who are not US/Canadian citizens just like the quote says; the rules are different for citizens.

I was under the impression that NEXUS card plus birth certificate was just fine-- where can you find the information that a passport is the only acceptable documentation for NEXUS members at airports? I can't find that anywhere in my NEXUS packet which I have. It just says that you need to have acceptable proof of citizenship on you in addition to your NEXUS card, not what form it has to be in.

The CBSA officer who did my interview made clear that I had to have either a birth certificate or a passport with me when traveling to Canada with my NEXUS card and didn't say that only a passport was good for the NEXUS air mode. I can't find anything to that effect anywhere except in this thread.

beef

As expected, the check-in agent said she couldn't check me in and insisted i had to do kiosk checkin. I knew that would fail, but I had to play by the script so as to be cooperative.

When i went back to the checkin counter, same agent referred me to a more senior agent who immediately said I could checkin with nexus only and proceeded to do so, apologising for the knowledge gap with the prior agent.

Next step, US preclearance. Kiosk down Other two kiosks down. On a desparate long shot, I walked around to the fourth terminal and it was up! . CBP agent did not request to see passport.

Presently sitting in transborder MLL enjoying a beverage. Should be easy from here, so long as the ATL agent doesn't give me grief on Thursday.

okazon69

I'd consider this cheating, but it's your game. Do let us know what happens on the way back.....

beef

Round trip completed, no problems. Will do it again next week just to make sure

Ari

^

SFO777

Great thread, as I am going to be without my passport for 2-3 weeks in January while it sits in some Indian embassy/consulate awaiting visa processing. Have to go to YUL in the middle of the processing period. Any other NEXUS members experienced any more recent successes/problems when traveling without a passport? Figured I bring my birth certificate, copy of my passport and visa app just to be safe. Maybe an expired passport for the cursory gate photo check?

99luftballoons

Is your visa a work visa for the USA? If so, you do not want to try to enter without your immigration documents. Otherwise, you should be fine.

SFO777

Update. Had no problem with just my NEXUS card and no passport. The only issue was at DEN check-in where my UA 1K/PP agent couldn't see how to enter the NEXUS info. She had to call over another agent to help.

kevinfor

Flying into Victoria BC (YWH) Airport From Seattle (LKE)

Response from both CBSA & CBP Customs

"We do NOT Accept NEXUS cards for Flights .. where is your passport? Your required to have it with you - when you Fly with a Nexus Card.
(No Passport with you? we seize your NEXUS Card & send you home)

Ok this is a Seaplane from small airports ... but you get the idea.
Nexus + Passport - when flying... Nexus only - driving or Sea.

you might get away with NEXUS only at YVR YYJ YYZ but I'm not going to Risk losing my card over this

CKDGM

NEXUS is not accepted at YWH because YWH is not a NEXUS facility.
As many posters to this thread have noted, it is much better to have your passport with you when making transborder flights -- even if you are 100% right about NEXUS being sufficient for your itinerary, you can still miss your flight while you're arguing about it.

(In the case of a trip on Porter between YTZ and the US, you'll definitely need a passport at the US end since YTZ is not a preclearance airport. Going from the US to YTZ you might be able to get away with just NEXUS, but good luck convincing the PD gate agent of that....)

FlyerGoldII

About half of the time I use Nexus (actually GE) going to the US; when I see the agent, he asks me for the passport. If I am asked to produce and I can not produce it, then those are grounds for one's nexus/GE status being revoked, right then and there.