Hello,

Sorry if this is simple question but I ca't seem to find the answer online and I've tried calling the Preclearance phone number at YOW but no one picks up.

I'm trying to understand how preclearance works at the Ottawa airport.

In November, I have the following flights:

Ottawa to Newark
Newark to San Francisco
San Francisco to Tahiti

The layovers in both Newark and San Francisco are about an hour so I'd like to make use of the preclearance option in Ottawa prior to boarding, I'm just not sure how it works.

Do I check in, get my bags checked, and go through security first and then once I'm in, is there a preclearance area/office/terminal that I'm supposed to go and visit to get the process started?

Or am I supposed to find the preclearance offrice prior to checking in?

I've read at some places you need to go through security, do the preclearance and then go through security again?

Any help you guys could give me on the process would be great!

Oh, and would signing up for a Nexus card make any of this process quicker?

Thank you for your help