I'll be doing my first land crossing using NEXUS, using the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel.

How far do I need to be for the card reader to actually work? And when do I know it has actually been read and is okay to proceed?

One of the weird Nexus quirks.

Pull up (post tunnel, stay to your left) you will see a sign that says point card here, just hold your card up to the reader for five seconds and drive though

Stop at the guard, he/she will wave you through, or give you a 2ndary

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
One time coming back into Canada we had followed the procedure (above) and when we pulled ahead to the officer she said the machine didn't read our cards so asked us for our home phone number instead. She punched our tel number in asked if we had anything to declare (no) and waved us on.

Never been asked for a Phone Number before, maybe she was trying to pick you up !

So I went for my interview in Fort Erie. I completely forgot about being turned away at the border just over 6 years ago driving through Sarnia. I've been crossing 20+ times a year since then, it was hard to remember, as it wasn't a big deal. Either way, when I went for my interview, they didn't like that I forgot to mention that and forgot to verbally mention it. Now they've processed my application, but withheld the card until I go see the NAFTA Officer with a letter (on company letterhead) outlining what I do for my organization in the United States, basically applying for a B1 visitor.

I worked for a company in Toronto who was expanding to the US. They had not setup any offices yet, but were planning on one in the Detroit area. I was going to go down and conduct interviews of locals residents to hire for the new office. I read online that was allowable, as long as there was no current US office setup. Either way, we discussed it, they rejected me, and that went on my record.

I no longer work for that company in that position. I work as an account manager for a software company, I make courtesy calls to clients, wine/dine them, make additional sales, but now I have to have some proof of all this in order to get my Nexus Card.

I realize I forgot, but the line of questioning used on me, she had the information sitting in front of her, she didn't do anything to help me remember something that happened 6 years ago. Could have dug a little deeper to see if I was just forgetting or maybe out right lying, but I wasn't given the opportunity.

So back to Fort Erie I go with company letterhead and detailed letter outlining what I do, and have done for the last 4 years.

yyz us connections have nexus yet?
 

Does anyone know if I connect via YYZ, does the US connections route have Nexus yet, or only the standard US line? I have to fly with checked luggage and in the past I was forced the connections router which had no Nexus at the time (last Oct.), but I wonder if it's changed since.

From looking at some older responses, it doesn't seem to, but never hurts to check.

Thanks!

Has anyone gone for a renewal interview yet? Let my card lapse due to a misunderstanding. When I added Nexus Air late 2006, the new card stated membership expiration of 5 years (Dec. 2001) after the new card was issued while the membership actually lapsed 5 years after first issuance (Nov. 2007). Conditional approval but just wondering what the renewal process is like. And no, they don't notify you in the mail of impending expiration.

Are you sure there is no notification of expiration? Even CANPASS did these yearly renewal reminders - seems to me its the easiest way to make $$ off the program since they collect another fee without needing to do a full lifetime background check and interview again, I hope. Unless it's like the Canadian passport "renewal" process where they treat everybody like they never had one before - don't even get me started on that one.

That has changed. Now there's a "Simplified renewal form". http://www.ppt.gc.ca/form/pdfs/pptc054.pdf

Both machines in T3 pre-clearance are down again..grr...

Unfortunately no renewal notice (we never got one and our address on record was current way before through after expiry) and you do have to reapply (long form online but at least if defaults to info on file), have to be conditionally reapproved, and go for an interview. Ours is next Sunday at YVR and I'll report on how it goes.

When we went to get the Nexus Air added, the Canadian Nexus people wrongly informed us the renewal was rolling (and would be charged accordingly). Seems no one knew (or knows) what the renewal procuedure was.

I never got my letter but when I checked online it appears I was approved nearly a month ago and my 30 day window has almost expired for contacting them to schedule an appointment. I was hoping to do it on my upcoming trip to Toronto but everything during my stay is blocked out well until the following month. What are my chances for calling them to see if I could just show up on one of the days and wait?

They're certainly not zero, but I've had limited experience with the YYZ office. If you have the chance to make it to the Fort Erie office, I've found them very friendly and completely flexible around appointment times.

I walked in and they weren't busy (much earlier than my appointment time) and they happily took care of me right away. ^

Cheers,
bawm

Renewal
 

Got my renewal done today. It certainly isn't quite starting all over again, but comes close to it.

If applying online, the Candian side verifies all your information, particularly home and work address, current employment and contact number (on the Canadian side) and then ask again about criminal/customs/immigration issues that you ever had anywhere. You do need your passport as well as your birth certificate or citizenship card depending on what basis your Canadian citizenship is. They make you initial/sign a declaration (probably what most of you have done, but wasn't done pre-December 2006) warning you that not notifying the Nexus people promptly of any changes in ID, visa, place of employment, expiration/renewal of ID, credit cards used, etc. is grounds for losing your card. That's signed by the CBSA person and then you take it to the U.S. side. Get an iris scan which uses a new machine that does it in one shot instead of 5 shots/eye with the previous machine.

Go to the U.S. side where you're photo'd using one of those eyeball webcams (makes for really ugly photos). Instead of a fingerprint scan of just the index fingers, it's all 10 prints now (what they're using for VWP visitors?) Employment information is verified once again as well as your employment and/or employment-related visits to the U.S. ALl that good stuff is asked again, as well as a review of all your previous U.S. visits particularly if there have been any customs and/or immigration issues, before or after the issuance of your first Nexus card. Still takes about 40 minutes at best.

Do they want to know the details of all your cards, or do you just have to register one with them?