Mar 6, 2017, 1:27 pm
Last edit by: seawolf
CBSA published NEXUS processing times to get to conditional approval can be found here. The most recently published processing time is below, along with a short history of recent official published times. A longer history of published wait times is here, via the Internet Archive Wayback machine. Please post your personal experiences below in the thread. All posts are appreciated. Thank you/Merci!
5 business days as of 2020-04-29
30 business days as of 2020-02-17
39 business days as of 2019-10-07
40 business days as of 2019-08-28
25 business days as of 2019-04-11
5 business days as of 2020-04-29
30 business days as of 2020-02-17
39 business days as of 2019-10-07
40 business days as of 2019-08-28
25 business days as of 2019-04-11
NEXUS First Time Applications Information and Processing Timelines
Apr 7, 2018 | 9:29 am
#1516
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Nexus
Posts: 12
I think there might be a difference between airport locations and/or Canadian-side locations vs US-side locations but I don't know that for sure. Their computer system was giving issue the other day and they were running late that. Also, it took roughly 10-15 per applicant/couple. Luckily there were only a few of us there so mine got done in time.
Apr 7, 2018 | 1:31 pm
#1517
Join Date: May 2016
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan, NEXUS
Posts: 443
I think there might be a difference between airport locations and/or Canadian-side locations vs US-side locations but I don't know that for sure. Their computer system was giving issue the other day and they were running late that. Also, it took roughly 10-15 per applicant/couple. Luckily there were only a few of us there so mine got done in time.
Apr 8, 2018 | 8:32 am
#1518
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3
Applied online: Feb 25, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 6, 2018
Interview: April 7, 2018 (scheduled at Pearson - kept checking every few hours till a slot opened up)
Approved: April 7, 2018 (a few minutes after the interview)
Waiting to receive the card in the mail.
Conditionally approved: April 6, 2018
Interview: April 7, 2018 (scheduled at Pearson - kept checking every few hours till a slot opened up)
Approved: April 7, 2018 (a few minutes after the interview)
Waiting to receive the card in the mail.
Apr 9, 2018 | 6:49 pm
#1519
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 24,796
Moderator's Action
For indexing and future search purposes, several posts discussing the NEXUS interview and approval process which did not discuss the approval timeline of the initial NEXUS application were moved to the following thread:
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
Apr 11, 2018 | 9:20 am
#1520
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Redmond, OR
Programs: AS 100K/Atmos Titanium, HHonors Silver, Marriott Titanium (Lifetime Platinum), UA Silver, OW Emerald
Posts: 790
I've had my Nexus card for a few years - this is for my wife.
Applied online: Feb 23, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 2, 2018
Interview: April 27, 2018 (Birch Bay/Blaine, calendar was wide open including next day appointments, but we will be there then)
Approved:
Applied online: Feb 23, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 2, 2018
Interview: April 27, 2018 (Birch Bay/Blaine, calendar was wide open including next day appointments, but we will be there then)
Approved:
Apr 12, 2018 | 12:42 am
#1521
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 258
UPDATE:
Applied online: Feb 13, 2018
Conditionally approved: March 20, 2018
Interview: March 22, 2018 (scheduled at Niagara Falls location)
Approved: March 22, 2018
I had by email by the time that I finished getting my iris scanned at the Canada location. Was told my card should arrive in 7-10 business days in a plain, unmarked envelope.
Applied online: Feb 13, 2018
Conditionally approved: March 20, 2018
Interview: March 22, 2018 (scheduled at Niagara Falls location)
Approved: March 22, 2018
I had by email by the time that I finished getting my iris scanned at the Canada location. Was told my card should arrive in 7-10 business days in a plain, unmarked envelope.
Have you received your card yet? I am in Toronto and have not received mine and they said I cannot report it missing and requesting a new card until 8 weeks have passed.
Apr 12, 2018 | 10:30 am
#1522
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 4
not the same guy, but I got approved April 2nd and received my card yesterday. But they sent it to my Canadian address despite me asking them to send it to my American address. Canadian address is in Calgary and card came from Vermont.
Apr 12, 2018 | 2:24 pm
#1523
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 258
Gosh, that just proves that I should be concerned. I am in Toronto and Vermont is much nearer to Toronto than anywhere in Calgary. It's definitely not at my US address either and I requested it be sent to my Canadian address. Sigh. I guess I will just keep waiting until the 8 week point.
Apr 13, 2018 | 10:30 pm
#1525
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Nexus
Posts: 12
Just had my interview at Sweetgrass last week (April first week 2018). Now honestly the weather wasn't great so should've chosen Florida, but well.... The center is pretty small just a few chairs for waiting and one room where CBP and CBSA would ask you questions. They were very friendly and the interview went nicely. Although no approval email a few days later, still waiting 
. Note they don't have IRIS scan there so you cant fly in using NEXUS till you get that done Canada side. Also, they're only open Tues and Thurs and won't answer phones on other days.
. Note they don't have IRIS scan there so you cant fly in using NEXUS till you get that done Canada side. Also, they're only open Tues and Thurs and won't answer phones on other days.Application Submitted: Jan 16, 2018
Conditional Approval: Feb 14, 2018
Interview Scheduled for: April 5, 2018
Approval email: April 13, 2018
Awaiting card
Apr 15, 2018 | 4:38 pm
#1526
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 24,796
Moderator's Action
For indexing and future search purposes, a recent question whether conditional approval of NEXUS renewal application is faster than approval of an initial application was moved to the Nexus Renewal Processing Time thread.
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
Apr 16, 2018 | 8:28 pm
#1527
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 1
Super helpful thread for tracking application status while awaiting conditional approval. CBSA seems to have missed updating the estimated processing time last month. So paying it forward...
Applied online: Mar 2, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 15, 2018
Interview: April 27, 2018 (Birch Bay/Blaine, calendar has next day appointments available but this works better with my travel schedule)
Approved:
Applied online: Mar 2, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 15, 2018
Interview: April 27, 2018 (Birch Bay/Blaine, calendar has next day appointments available but this works better with my travel schedule)
Approved:
Apr 17, 2018 | 12:58 pm
#1528
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 51
Super helpful thread for tracking application status while awaiting conditional approval. CBSA seems to have missed updating the estimated processing time last month. So paying it forward...
Applied online: Mar 2, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 15, 2018
Interview: April 27, 2018 (Birch Bay/Blaine, calendar has next day appointments available but this works better with my travel schedule)
Approved:
Applied online: Mar 2, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 15, 2018
Interview: April 27, 2018 (Birch Bay/Blaine, calendar has next day appointments available but this works better with my travel schedule)
Approved:
They also did update the processing time on April 13th.
Apr 17, 2018 | 8:04 pm
#1529
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3
UPDATE:
Card received: April 16
Applied online: Feb 25, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 6, 2018
Interview: April 7, 2018 (scheduled at Pearson - kept checking every few hours till a slot opened up)
Approved: April 7, 2018 (a few minutes after the interview)
Card received: April 16
Applied online: Feb 25, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 6, 2018
Interview: April 7, 2018 (scheduled at Pearson - kept checking every few hours till a slot opened up)
Approved: April 7, 2018 (a few minutes after the interview)
Apr 20, 2018 | 9:18 am
#1530
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 51
My conditional approval came through
Applied online: March 9th, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 20th, 2018
Interview: TBD, probably in Blaine
Approved: TBD
Approval seems to be running at about 30 business days (and not 20 as quoted by CBSA).
Applied online: March 9th, 2018
Conditionally approved: April 20th, 2018
Interview: TBD, probably in Blaine
Approved: TBD
Approval seems to be running at about 30 business days (and not 20 as quoted by CBSA).