Land Crossing using Nexus
 

Hi all

We are new to nexus and have just received our cards. I have activated them online, but have yet to use them.

We plan on using them mostly at Port Huron MI.

My question is..when returning to canada from Michigan and using the Nexus lane, Can we make a verbal declaration for $ 25.00 of goods on a day trip or do we need to fill out the TDC?

I am aware that we can use a regular lane for verbal declarations coming back to canada, but if those lanes are slow I would rather use Nexus to cross but don't want to get in trouble trying to make a verbal declaration.:confused:

No
The CSBA agent was clear, you have to fill the form even for a 1$ object.

Seriously? When this thread was created Canadians couldn't get GE. When that changed 6 months ago and most Nexus members were automatically given GE memberships this thread became the obvious place for Nexus members with questions about how that program worked for them as most of the regular contributors in the thread were in the same boat.

Yes. Seriously.

On Saturday last several CSBA agents (at Peace Arch) explained that verbal declarations are now allowed, but as NEXUS users have an obligation to voluntarily declare goods you are expected to declare everything even if you are not prompted (and preferably even before being prompted.)

This was presented as a solution to that off again/on again $500 limit on TDCs.

Yup..I called Customs at Sarnia and spoke with an officer who mans the Nexus booth. No problem with verbal declarations. If they want the tax/duty they will send you to Secondary.

That's a lot clearer than the Nexus site. It says that they no longer issue the TDC booklets but you can use up what you have - but they leave out - if you wish to pay. If you are making a declaration that you are within the allowed limit, then you no longer have to fill out a card. This explains why the agent at the Whirlpool Bridge asked me what I had declared on the card. He didn't bother to tell me that I didn't need to use the card. The only problem with the new system is remembering to print the sheet ahead of the trip.

Problems getting enrolled with Iris Scan at YUL
 

Arrived at YUL this morning, decided to go to the NEXUS office to have my iris scan done (initial enrollment was at BFI, so no iris scan). When I went for the interview at BFI, the CBSA agent told me that I could just "drop in" at an enrollment center with iris scan to have the iris scans added. The CBSA agents here at YUL made it clear that I would need an appointment for iris scan, that "drop-in" iris scan were only available at YVR.

Frustrating.

Nexus Secondary - not always random
 

I've had Nexus for a number of years now and cross into the US on a weekly basis. Mostly land crossing at Peace Arch or Pacific Hwy. Over the years I've been sent to secondary a couple of times. A bit of a hassle but no big deal.

A couple of weeks ago I was crossing into Blaine to pick up a package. The shipping and receiving service I use closes at 5:00 pm and the lineup at Nexus was a bit longer than I expected so I missed getting my package by a few minutes. No problem, I had other business and I work fairly close to the boarder so I decided I would cross again the next afternoon on my lunch hour to pick up the package. When I attempted to cross the next day at Peach Arch I was flagged for secondary. It took me an hour and a half of standing in line finally get to the counter to have a 2 minute check. Since I had to get back to work I drove straight back to Canada and used the Nexus lane. The agent told me I was flagged for secondary but waived it (thankfully) after I told her that I just spent the last hour and a half at US secondary. This was hardly random.:(

We're told that Nexus secondary inspections are random, which I sure my previous ones have been. However there also appears to be certain behaviors that trigger a secondary, such as using it at the same entry point twice in less than 24 hours.

Frustrating indeed, since last time I looked, the Nexus web info was clear that you do not need an appointment, and I certainly did not when I had it done at YYZ a couple of months ago. There was a short wait, but overall very quick.

I spent an hour trying to find that on the NEXUS website, but couldn't. Do you have a link?

They are available at YYZ or at least were when I dropped by for mine late last year. I got my NEXUS card from Seattle (King) center and dropped by YYZ a month later when I got there early for my flight to YOW.

And they tell you that it'll take 24 hours after iris scan before you can use it properly at the airport but she told me I'd be able to use it right away and I did use it at YOW early the next day.

YUL agent was being a moron. YYZ has drop-in iris scans and they take all of 3 minutes to do.

2 of out 4 Nexus machines were down this AM at the nightmare that was Pearson at 715am, and 1 of those 2 was behaving badly. There seemed to be a lot of DHS or other folks asking each other how to fix the 'downed' machines. Long Nexus lines.

My apologies to the gentlemen in front of me .... a young fellow in his 20'1 was at the (I have now discovered) machine-behaving-badly and taking a loooonnnggg time . The fellow in front of me made some comment, to which I said, "Well, sometimes its stupid customers who don't know how to use the machines."

"That's my son."

Oops.

Consider yourself flogged with a wet noodle. :)