cl_

Forgive me if I missed the answer to this in the search.

Per the TSA website, http://www.dhs.gov/comparison-chart, Nexus "Includes the TSA Pre✓™ experience for U.S. and Canadian citizens." I am trying to figure out why I would apply for PreCheck at $85 when I can get PreCheck by applying for Nexus at $50.

Is the only issue that for Nexus you need to have your in person interview at one of the Nexus processing centers, which are generally located only in border states? Can you schedule an interview at such a center if you are going to be in that town even if you don't live there?

SFO777

Yes you can. The problem is finding a convenient time at any center as interview slots are generally booked for months in advance.

Finkface

And the fact that you are vetted by both CBP and CBSA. The criteria for Nexus acceptance is much stricter than just for Pre-Check or even for GE. Pre-Check is seemingly only concerned with the security aspect (yes, cue the security theatre comments) i.e only with identifying those incredibly rare individuals predisposed to terrorism so past customs infractions wouldn't likely have a bearing on acceptance. So it would be pretty easy to get if you had nothing in your history that sent up security flags.

Nexus and GE have an exponentially tougher mandate: to find people whose risk of breaking customs laws is so low that they can be trusted to mosey through checkpoints with almost no chance of being inspected. Add to that the differences in the perception of severity of offenses that can lead to disqualification, i.e a DUI or 'wet reckless' in the US can make one inadmissible to Canada and therefore to Nexus.

So the tougher acceptance criteria, the need to be acceptable to both US and Canadian authorities, the longer processing time, the need to attend a Nexus location (near a Canadian border) and getting both fingerprints taken and an iris scan makes just going for Pre-Check so much easier.

dustman81

Nexus is the best deal around to get Precheck. For $50, you get Precheck ($85 value) and GE ($100 value) for free. You also get to use the Canadian express entry lanes, the Nexus iris machines at CAN airports and the US entry express lanes (both at the US/MEX and US/CAN borders).

Like you mentioned previously, the only downside is you have to go to a Nexus enrollment center to have your interview. You can go to any Nexus site in the US or Canada to have the interview. The interviews are relatively easy. Just answer a few questions, provide your citizenship documents and driver's license, have your picture and fingerprints taken (and iris scan if at a Canadian site), watch a video on how Nexus works and you're done.

pa3lsvt

There is also the passport aspect - NEXUS/GE require a passport (otherwise the enrollment is moot) but TSA Precheck only does not require a passport. Good for US nationals with only domestic flight expectations.