Originally Posted by
popoemt
That's interesting, it definitely is marketed as though GE is the end all, and NEXUS is an add on for easier entry solely to Canada etc. Seems like it "should" be the other way around then, market NEXUS as the go to, heck, why even have two different GE products. Those who are getting GE probably have a higher percentage of traveling to Canada/Mexico at some point... Seems backwards in the way CBP markets these products. I would of rather just applied to NEXUS 1st, rather than GE, even if I wasn't planned for NA travel, I still would've justified it as an, "I might go".
Thanks for all the info and help.
Much larger market for GE in the US than Nexus. So they promote that, mostly in the US. Tons of folks travel regularly to EU, Asia, etc. but don't go to Canada at all or enough to make Nexus worth it - which does require an interview at an office inside Canada, or at a minimum at or near the border. Most people wouldn't use the extra privileges Nexus gives you (though if you're willing to go for an interview...many would probably appreciate the fact that the fee for Nexus is only $50/5 years vs. $100 for GE).
On the other hand, more Canadians have the US in part of their international travel plans than Americans do for Canada. So they promote Nexus more there. There is still CanPass (I think), which is the equivalent Canadian-only program, but at the same cost as Nexus, I don't know why anyone would get set up for it, unless someone was ineligible for some reason (i.e. have a felony in the US that would pretty much disqualify them from Nexus, but no criminal record in Canada), then there probably isn't much point to it.