Thanks!

How does it work if someone is a citizen of a third country (outside North America) by descent but has never exercised that citizenship? They may legally already be a citizen of the third country by descent from a grandparent or even a great grandparent who was born there. But they hold no passport and no clear evidence of citizenship--to obtain such evidence would require the evaluation of a complex set of documents by the third country.

Do they technically have to complete the process of getting a third country passport to get a NEXUS card? I mean, after all, if they are to fully disclose, they are technically a citizen of that country. Yet neither CBP nor CBSA would be qualified to evaluate their claim to citizenship in the third country unless they go through the cumbersome process of getting a passport from that country.

You can never be legally a citizen of anywhere unless you or your parents took explicit action to claim that citizenship. When you are born somewhere, your parents register you. If your parents are citizens of a country where citizenship is transferred by birthright, you (or them) always have to take positive action to claim that citizenship. You may have a right to citizenship by descent, but you are never automatically a citizen.

I applied for the Nexus program in mid-August, and my application is still showing "pending review". I understand from reading the past two months of posts that delays for YYZ are increasing.

My question is, I want to have the Nexus card by February 2012, but I also need to initiate my passport renewal by December, so that I can receive it and get travel visas for my February trip.

Based on current delays, does anyone anticipate this would be a problem?

Also, if I renew my passport while my Nexus application is still processing, would this cause a problem?

Thanks for any insight.

With respect, this is simply not true. Have a look at the following website:

Dual Citizenship: What You Need to Know

Note the following statement, fairly near the top: "Dual, or multiple, citizenship may occur by choice or default...".

Sometimes the "registration" process by the parents is the process by which citizenship is actually bestowed; sometimes it merely is a process which documents an already existing citizenship.

Sometimes this subtle difference is really just hair splitting. But it can have a real effect if a country claims someone as a citizen for mandatory military service (e.g.) despite the person never having asserted a claim to such citizenship.

In Canada, prior to 1977, the "registration" of Canadians born abroad was what resulted in citizenship, and without such registration, no such citizenship existed. After 1977, the Canadian born abroad automatically becomes a citizen (assuming they qualify under the law) and the citizenship card is merely to document such citizenship.

Such laws can be tricky. Although IMHO ridiculous on its face, the whole "birther" controversy involving Pres Obama arose because of one such tricky law. Pres Obama's mother was 18 at the time of his birth. Had she been 19, the place of birth would have been irrelevant, and the controversy, ridiculous though it might have been, would not have arisen.

I stand corrected. I grew up knowing that you were not a citizen by descent unless you registered. Laws do change.

I should have been more forthcoming with my response earlier. I asked at the border what I should do in your exact situation when I was awaiting my oath ceremony. I was told to stop in and provide Nexus staff with my US passport details once I receive it. The agent also mentioned that I should never let my Canadian passport lapse; his wife had done so and it took a lot to get it renewed later.

Followed instructions and have had no troubles. Nexus still of course says Canada, but no one notices or cares.

Still down today

Assuming they get it working, what are the implications of using system over the other? Asked an officer as I walked past his booth (I used NEXUS but it was a quiet morning) and he did not seem to understand the possibility that one could be enrolled in both programs, which worries me some.

Does anyone have any further info on the GE I94 question (to refresh - the GE machine spits out a new I94, which could be interpreted as meaning that you need to update your NEXUS info after each use of the machine)? There was a comment a few pages back that no-one checks I94s anymore. This is just not correct - I forgot to update my info a while ago and the system picked it up. There is also a suggestion earlier in the thread that you keep the existing I94 in your passport and return the new I94 when you leave the US. This strikes me as dodgy. Anyone have answers?

All Nexus machines in T1 US YYZ were down today, so I used the GOES. Unfamiliar with the procedure - but now know that it's 1) insert passport 2) do fingerprint check 3) stare into camera .. and various bits of paper are given out. I had a blue customs form filled out, and the desk guy took that and the GOES receipt, even though you had just answered all those questions online. It actually asks what kind of visa you travel on (in my case, E1 treat investor)

Just notice the drivers license info in GOES has my expired drivers license, but I am unable
to update the new one on line. Is it necessary to do so? Do I have to drop in the office
for that?

To clarify, GOES=Global Online Enrollment System, the web site where you manage your Trusted Traveler membership(s). The machine you used was Global Entry (GE), which technically does not require you to fill out the blue customs form.

Yes, especially if you plan to cross he border by land.

+1, and even if going by air. I was reprimanded by a CBSA agent about this a couple of years ago. My new license arrived in the mail while I was travelling and she informed me of this when she saw I was travelling with a not up-to-date file.

Thanks for the clarification. I think the DHS guy would want a blue form even if you went through GE. Remember, it takes a long time for these guys to understand how these programs work, and they just want a lot of paper to CTA.

And yet when I went into the office to update mine at YYZ, they told me it's not necessary anymore; this was in November, and sent me on my way.

I was stopping in on the US side to update my passport about two weeks ago and asked her to update the license; she said it wasn't necessary anymore either unless the number changed, but did it anyway.

Nothing like conflicting messages.

Car registration is not necessary anymore. Driver's licence is still very much necessary.