DualityOfNam

I'm coming to the realization that having both GE and Nexus is a bad idea, as the pandemic has ever so clearly demonstrated. Meeting with both CBSA and CBP agents is just rubbish. Both sides have the data they need to decide without needing an agent from both sides present. USA and Canada need a single trusted traveler program. All that is needed is one agent, from either side, at any airport or border crossing to adjudicate the applicatoin. This nonsense border-only appointments needs to go.

If, or when, I get my Nexus renewal completed, I will not do this do this rubbish again. It's GE all the way. And I am a citizen of both countries.

1KChinito

You cannot have both Global Entry and NEXUS at the same time. Once you activate one card, you deactivate the other card.

DualityOfNam

I was referring to the existence of the two programs, not having memberships in both. GE and Nexus serve virtually the same purpose, have similar application processes, almost the same benefits, and even the cards are identical.

What the pandemic exposed is the futility of having these dual-country interviews only at land crossing border locations.

seawolf

It is similar because CBSA outsourced the process to CBP.

When US gains 10 new northern "states," NEXUS will be gone.

sunpass

The pandemic and the reaction to it (in terms of long term closures of services such as interviews) are exceptional circumstances that could not have been foreseen when Trusted Traveler Programs were set up years ago.

I'm surprised that CBSA and CBP have not mutually agreed to allow for Nexus card renewals via Zoom teleconference. Both countries need to have a representative of their border agency present for interviews.

There are a few facilities out which have available spots for renewal interviews. Detroit has availability, so do some of the more remote locations such as Pembina, ND, Warroad, MN, International Falls, MN, Sault Saint Marie, MI and Calais, ME.

DualityOfNam

But having outsourced the process to CBP, shouldn't CBP be trusted with adjudicating a NEXUS application or renewal solely? Is the outsourcing merely card production?

I don't know about the legal aspects of sovereignty and whatnot but a single trusted traveler program combining GE and NEXUS just makes sense.

And with both countries individually being able to adjudicate applications.

Agreed. But having learned from the pandemic, it's prudent to reconsider the overlap between the programs and cut the unnecessary red tape associated with interview locations. Frankly, having done the background checks already, the on-site interviews can be conducted at any point of entry between and within the two countries.

seawolf

CBSA outsource the application in take, payment collection and card production to US not the decision making.

i0wnj00

I agree, though I think that the Nexus program should be an add-on to GE.
E.g. If a GE cardholder wanted the benefits of NEXUS then the interviews with CBP and CBSA should be required, like how GE cardholders by default can use the SENTRI pedestrian and vehicle (registered cars only) lanes. Unfortunately, the CBP website treats GE separately from NEXUS and SENTRI programs when they can be simplified under one program.

Even SENTRI and NEXUS cardholders can apply for GE to use the kiosks.

DualityOfNam

Right. Which makes me wonder if any NEXUS applicant had ever been approved by one country and not the other during or post face-to-face interview, not during the background check or conditional approval period. So looking at what happens during the interview, beyond identity and document verification, there are some benign "why do you need this" questions and the acquisition of some bio-metric data (finger prints or retinal scans). From what I recall 6 years ago, the country agents get the bio-metric info individually. This is presumably because each country has its own repository of bio-metric data that is not wholesale shared with the other for privacy reasons, or whatever. There is a simple solution to this. Ostensibly, a NEXUS applicant wants it to travel between the two countries. In that case, such a traveler who is already conditionally approved would give the bio-metric information on the first trip they take to the other country and on return to their home-country and that's when the card is fully activated. Until then, it remains in conditional approval. If someone needs it urgently, they can just show up at a land border crossing between the two (without an appointment and just wait their turn). This should reduce, if not eliminate, the need for scheduling land border crossing appointments altogether. That is if the programs continue to be separate, as they are now.

Fully agree. Given the size of the two countries, and having CBP already designated as the application processor, payment collector, and card producer, the GE program would subsume NEXUS and the latter would become an optional add on for anyone who wants it, and is eligible.

Riioun

I'd prefer that a representative from my country is validating an applicant to a Trusted Traveler Program rather than relying on a foreign agent to do so.

DualityOfNam

That's a fair point, and something I alluded to with sovereignty. It may just be unlawful, under US and/or Canada law, to outsource adjudication of TT program applications to agents of another country.

But, as I mentioned earlier, this could be overcome by the two-step bio-metrics gathering and adjudication at any port of entry or within a specific country (and to repeat for the second). Here's a concrete example:

I apply for NEXUS online and get conditional approval. Once conditionally approved, I drive to the nearest international airport (in this case IAH) and get "interviewed" by CBP. If approved, this would give GE-like privileges and PreCheck, but not NEXUS privileges. On my next trip to Canada, or if I found myself near a land border crossing, I pop in, without the need to schedule an interview, and get approval from CBSA. Now I have full NEXUS privileges. If I never again visit Canada (or vice versa) then I never really needed NEXUS.

The ultimate goal being the streamlining of the application and renewal processes without violating any laws.

atsak

What we have though is a joint program, which I will continue to participate in because it gets me through security faster and more easily in Canada as well as the US. In your case if you're in the Houston area as your profile suggests then it may not be as relevant as your travel may not follow primarily cross border. GE does not give you expedited Nexus processing in security in Canada (although they might let you in anyway), and in the current circus that has meant hours saved in my case.

Also GE doesn't give you land border access to Canada using Nexus lanes but similarly I suspect that's less relevant for you.

I agree though that they should trust each other and just let one side or the other interview (after appropriate vetting of course) just to save resources especially given the current backlog.

DualityOfNam

I too will continue in NEXUS. I visit Canada 3-4 times a year, more in some years, and often during peak travel season. Depending on which coast I'm going, and due to large differences in cost, I typically fly into a city close to the border (Buffalo and Watertown NY, Detroit MI, Seattle WA, etc..) and drive from there. NEXUS is a lifesaver during those trips. GE is nice too but I don't travel globally that frequently, mostly within the US so PreCheck too is a lifesaver.

Just hoping the administrators of the two programs will learn from the pandemic and tweak the application/interview process.

jebr

One program with different tiers of access seems just as confusing, if not moreso, than just having two distinct programs. There are plenty of people in the US who want Global Entry but have no intent or desire to go to Canada. Some may even be ineligible for Canadian entry without significant additional paperwork (e.g. DUI conviction, which Canada handles much more seriously than the US.) It would be nice at times to be able to get the Global Entry privileges while waiting for a NEXUS interview, but ultimately I think it's clearer to keep the two programs distinct.

If anything, at least from an outsiders' perspective SENTRI seems like a more odd program to break out from Global Entry. AFAIK the US is the only government involved in both programs, a Global Entry member can register a car to get SENTRI privileges when crossing the border, and so it'd seem simpler to just have both under Global Entry with a requirement to register a car when using the Mexican land border by car.

DualityOfNam

It's definitely far more complicated than I initially thought. One thing the pandemic has made clear though is that the application/interview process could use some rethink.