Global Entry at YYZ
 

I came thru YYZ yesterday, saw the NexUs/Crew line which was empty and the masses lined up to get thru customs.

I went to the NexUs line and this lady in a blue jacket asks me "are you NexUs" to which I replied no, I have Global Entry. She tells me they don't have GE and I have to line up with everyone else.

40 mins later when I finally got to a customs officer I asked about GE and he told me she should have let me use the NexUs/Crew line. Still have to fill the form out and talk to a customs officer but with GE you can use the priority lane.

Yes, you should be fine as long as you have the blue GE sticker in your passport

Global Entry is a program for entry into the US from all countries. Nexus is for Canada from all countries and from Canada into the US. Since when is Canada able to process Global Entry? I've seen no indication of it. (From global entry's web site): "How Does the Global Entry Program Work?
At airports, program participants proceed to Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable U.S. passport or permanent resident card, place their fingertips on the scanner for fingerprint verification, and make a customs declaration. The kiosk issues the traveler a transaction receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit." There is no way for the Canadian officer to access the fingerprint record.

Nexus is also global entry for Canadian entering US from non Canadian locations once you have it "activated".

Nexus works at GE kiosk but GE does not work at US pre-clearance Nexus kiosk.

To the original poster: if you are a frequent traveler to Canada, you should consider applying for Nexus. If you are approved for Global Entry, you're already pre-approved for Nexus by US authorities; you only need to be interviewed by Canadian authorities. Once approved (i.e., personal interview and iris scan), you receive a Nexus card in the mail.

If you are flying to Canada from the US, you use Nexus to clear immigration. When flying to the US from Canada, you also use a Nexus kiosk to clear US CBP. As far as I know, US Global Entry does not work at US pre-clearance stations in Canada because Nexus, not Global Entry, kiosks are installed at these stations.

The Nexus/crew priority line that you speak of is for Nexus travelers when the machines are not working. It is not for US Global Entry passengers because GE uses a different system (fingerprints) from Nexus (iris scan). I won't be surprised if the Canadian customs officer may have thought that you were a Nexus card holder.

I was not suggesting that you get to do GE from Canada, but that if you have GE you get to go thru the Crew/Nexus line which can save 25+ mins of time. You still have to fill the form out and talk to a customs agent.

1. No the line is not for when the machines are broken, it is the line to get to the machines, it is also where the US customs agents are.

2. These agents are US customs, not Canadain.

3. As I stated in last post, I was not suggesting that you get to do GE, but you can get in a shorter line because you have GE.

Excellent data, thanks. So, as a GE member at US pre-clearance, it appears you can use the crew line to skip the general line, and proceed to an officer directly. BusTrav8yrs, did you see a dedicated US agent for the crew line?

Went through YYZ twice and both times the agent told me to use the crew line. I only have GE, no Nexus

What agent? You only get to see an official when you've finished waiting in line. Was there a uniformed officer directing you? Did you have to explain this to someone? I can see that with GE there is more of a file on you but without the fingerprint check, the purpose is less clear.

The (almost) useless agent that tells you where to go stand in line when you just enter the immigration area, before you even get to stand in line

The traffic directors are not agents and they are just hire hands of GTAA.

Most people's outlook and attitude changes when they put on an uniform, it has been proven by scientific studies.

I'll be transiting Canada so was looking for a bit of clarification.

My outbound is BWI-YYZ-HKG so I assume there is no immigration involved at YYZ since I'm just in transit.

My return is HKG-YYZ-BWI so I assume I do US pre-clearance in YYZ. I have GE but not Nexus, and I'm a US citizen. So I can just go to the Nexus line and show them the "CBP" sticker on my passport, then hand my forms to a live agent?

Yes you will have immigration at YYZ. If you are arriving into T1, you will follow the signs to Customs B which is basically a routine passport check. If you arrive at T3 with AA and connect with CX to Hong Kong, you will have to clear full Canadian inspections (including bags) and re-check them.

Coming back, same story. If you fly into T3, you must clear Canadian customs and immigration. If you fly to T1, you'll be able to bypass CBSA completely, and go straight to the CBP preclearance area. (T3 isn't set up that way). I have NEXUS which is accepted as GE when landing at a US airport so I wouldn't see why they won't allow you to use the crew line.
Safe travels

Thanks. Both flights are on AC and I believe they are all in T1. Looks like I can avoid CBSA on the return according to the YYZ website. So my main question is if I can speed through US pre-clearance using the NEXUS line with the CBP sticker on my passport, even though I'm only GE and not NEXUS, and it seems like the answer is yes.

I didn't realize I need to go through CBSA if I'm just transiting, but I assume that will be fast anyway so no need to even try to get into a faster line with my CBP sticker.