FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - NEXUS Kiosks Facial Recognition Verification, eGates and Declaration Flow Change

Oct 26, 2019 | 7:31 pm

#14

CKDGM

Join Date: Oct 2000

Location: SEA, or BOS, or MUC, or other places (probably connecting). "Detroit, Michigan is in the Eastern time zone."

Programs: DL GM/1MM, NEXUS/GE, CLEAR, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Gold

Posts: 1,210

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonio8069

- biometrics? I was under the impression that NEXUS utilized biometrics already. If not, what do they use?
- the announcement says to bring my passport the next time I use my card. Its almost November. Kind of late in the year to make this change.........my int'l travel is over for 2019;
- I often use my NEXUS at land crossings e.g. the TI Bridge, where they have a dedicated NEXUS lane. Why can't I do my update there??

IMO, CBSA does not care if the changeover is easy or conveneint. They should.

In order:

They use biometrics already, but "biometrics" covers a wide range of possible things. The current NEXUS kiosks use iris photos (which could only be taken at some enrollment centers), the current Global Entry kiosks use fingerprints, and passport e-gates (in my experience including travel to the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, and Finland) use facial geometry. The last one seems to be the emerging standard, probably because it can read photo information from e-Passports to compare to the traveler. That makes it a reasonable choice for future Trusted Traveler kiosks as well; note that the US is also testing facial recognition for Global Entry.
The email notes that the changeover will happen over time; YVR launches first in "fall 2019, with other Canadian airports following in the ensuing months". Should you arrive without a passport at an airport with the new kiosks, NEXUS members will be "referred to an officer for identity verification".
Land crossings don't have kiosks because using a kiosk would require everyone to get out of the car and that would slow down, not speed up, the process. With no kiosks, why would you expect them to be able to update kiosk biometric data?

IMO, CBSA is handling this appropriately by notifying NEXUS members by email and updating the NEXUS Air web pages to include instructions for both the new and old kiosks.

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