gglave

Agreed - When you do online check-in with Air Canada they even allow you the option of declaring whether you'll be using a passport or Nexus to cross the line.

surreycrv

fyp
U.S. citizens may present a valid: U.S. Passport; Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST):source, the actual statute.

Language does indeed have meaning. No matter the number of people who have only had to show their NEXUS, there is the option of any border agent to request your passport wrt to airports. Their rules, their discretion.

No wonder the lines keeps getting longer and longer, all the adolescent BUT WHY's

sethb

"May" is an option. If I may present a passport or a NEXUS card, then I choose to present a NEXUS card and I've exercised that option. What if I don't have my passport with me? They can request anything they want. As you wrote, "Language does indeed have meaning."

surreycrv

Gotta luv the interwebs for the flip a floppin lately. You pretty much made my point in the first quote, then proved my BUT WHY comment.

tthric for me,

sethb

The first one was a few years ago; the rules have apparently changed since then.

bimmerm3m5

I realize this topic has come up several times, but the answers are not particularly clear.

As a US Citizen, Canadian Permanent Resident, from what I have read, I don't need a Passport book for travel between US and Canada by AIR (via YYZ pre-clearance).



https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citize...vel-initiative

What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via air?

U.S. citizens can present a valid: U.S. Passport; Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST);




http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-vo...c-rnc-eng.html

U.S. citizens who are members of the NEXUS program can use their membership card as proof of identification and citizenship when entering Canada by land, air or water. This applies when you are using either conventional or NEXUS-only lanes.




Based on the above, I am most concerned about losing my highly used Nexus/GE card priveleges. Does anyone know if I am breaking the Nexus/GE rules by not traveling with a passport book?

I have to apply for a Visa and need to give up my passbook for a week, but still need to travel from my home in YYZ to the US. From my weekly experiences, at least on AC, I've never actually NEEDED my passbook - Nexus has been accepted.

Can anyone else definitely confirm?

Ari

I have done it without a problem, it is clearly both within the rules of the program and the original intent of the NEXUS program-- it also follows the WHTI CFR. The only problem is that the border agents and airlines might not know that. Airlines have an absolute right to deny you boarding if they feel like it-- they can require a passport. The border agents have to follow the rules and you can ask for a supervisor and calmly explain the rules and cite the CFR to US CBP or the CBSA regulations to CBSA.

You are best traveling on Air Canada as they accept NEXUS without passport without a hassle. United put up a fuss but gave in eventually after reading TIMATIC carefully. As a hypertechnical matter, you must use the Global Entry Kisok with your NEXUS card in order to comply with the CFR. You cannot just walk up and present it to an agent on the entering the US.

The cite for the CFR is 71 FR 68412.

bimmerm3m5

That is interesting. So in the past, when using the GE machine, sometimes my passbook won't scan, so I have to use the search functionality.

I've never tried using my Nexus card at the US preclearance GE machine.
1) Does my Nexus card actually support the scanner on a GE machine?
2) If searching by document number, is that my Nexus card ID that it finds, or my passport ID?

Thanks for your reply.

Ari

1) Yes, but only GE kiosks at pre-clearance airports like YVR, YYZ, etc are programmed to accept NEXUS cards; NEXUS cards will produce an 'invalid document' or similar message if used in GE kiosks at other US ports of entry like MIA, JFK, etc. Perhaps the people who programmed the kiosks know the rules.
2) Never tried searching for NEXUS card-- have had trouble reading the passport before, but has always read my NEXUS card. So don't know what document lookup dialog would do.

seawolf

bimmerm3m5 - This seems to be a rehash of what has been previously discussed.

As far as CBP (at US preclearance sites) and CBSA are concern, all you need is a NEXUS card. GE kosks at US preclearance will accept NEXUS cards. Upon presenting a GE receipt to CBP generated by a NEXUS card, CBP may request the NEXUS card. If GE receipt was generated by passport, CBP may request passport.

The problem is with whether the airline will accept you without a passport.

Ari

Yup.

Air Canada is pretty good about it; other carriers, not so much . . .

emcampbe

Are you absolutely sure this is the case with CBSA?

Canada used to specify a Nexus card was enough when used at a Nexus kiosk.. Maybe that's changed, I haven't looked in a while. But based on that, when things are working like they should, it shouldn't be an issue. However, say Nexus kiosks aren't working. An agent can ask to see a passport. Or if you get sent to secondary.

A prime recent example, I came into YYZ at about 12:30am a few weeks ago - my UA flight was an hour and a half late. Traveling with wife and infant daughter - we all have Nexus. Because they can't do an iris scan for the baby, we always have to see an agent. Typically, that's in the crew line who are used to seeing Nexus folks. Well, at that hour, apparently wasn't open. So we have to go in the regular line and hand agent our Nexus cards. The first thing he does is ask for our passports. Based on his reaction to what I would call a minimal protest by me - after explaining why we can't use the kiosk, he couldn't care less. I don't know what would have happened if we didn't have our passports on us.

Honestly, even with Nexus, it would never occur to me that it might be an option to not carry a passport - I just will always have one. YMMV, of course, but the moment an agent asks for a passport, the rules won't matter - you've already lost that one. I honestly don't want to ever try and figure out what might happen if I don't have a passport and its requested by border agents.

greglvnv

Nexus card for international air travel is only as good as the passport information behind it. If there is any issue with the kiosks or simply you got a new passport and never updated it with Nexus, then CBP/CBSA will swiftly go back to requiring the underlying document: passport booklet. Also, Nexus only creates a presumption of nationality and itself is not considered proof of citizenship. That's one of the reasons why it's a secondary and not primary ID for I-9 and other purposes.

seawolf

CBSA FAQ states that NEXUS can be used as proof of indentification and citizenship (for Candian and US nationals) when in a non-NEXUS lane in air/boat/land modes.

And yes I have crossed into Canada on separate occasions as a pedestrian and in a vehicle in a non-NEXUS lane using only NEXUS card.

TWA884

Since NEXUS is program for expedited screening when entering the US and Canada, posts discussing traveling to the EU/Schengen Area without a passport were moved to this thread:
TWA884
Co-moderator, Travel Safety/Security