A little over a year ago, I came back into the country using CANPASS and was pulled into secondary after having declared I had food (Belgian chocolates). I got pulled into secondary and was quickly whisked away.

When I went in for my Nexus interview, I mentioned this incident to the Canadian official and he told me that if I brought similar food into the country on subsequent trips, that I should check "yes" on my customs card and write the item(s) I was bringing in on the card, but select "No" at the Nexus kiosk.

I have done this on several occasions since and not a word from Nexus so it seems that the information I was given was good and that they have built some flexibility into the system.

Obviously this would not apply for dairy, produce and other similar products (although I suppose you could argue that some chocolate is a dairy product.)

I was using the Nexus machine and both myself the person using the booth beside mine were selected for random referrals!

I heard 3% overall...

Beyond that, I've been repeatedly advised by CBSA personnel that even if I'm carrying a suitcase full of tools to answer the question "NO" (on the declaration card), circle the world "TOOLS" and write in "origin in Canada." (That presupposed that the tools did originate in Canada.)

I've been doing that for years without issue.

Unless you followed the other person out of the customs hall, how would you know that? Also, how would you know if the person next to you did not answer "Yes" to one of the questions that send them to secondary automatically?

We both walked up to our respective kiosks at the same time, we both approached the officer at the same time, the officer told this gentleman that he had been selected for RANDOM REFERRAL and to go to the room to the left for inspection. As I was behind this person, the officer told me "you have also been selected for....."

While inside. we both brought our cards, bps and passports to the counter in the back, separate officers gave us near identical opening statements....

errr, that's about it!

I've never heard of a live referral for inspection. I thought you were talking about the codes on the print-out card. Thanks for the info.

When exiting the customs halls w/ baggage and they collect your customs form and NEXUS receipt they can pull suspicious people certainly. I got questioned at this point but was not sent in for secondary.

Admissibility Document
 

Hi again,

I used Passport for Citizenship information, and it also gives me the same option for Admissibility Document. Can I use the Passport for both? I am having a hard time putting my fingers on my Birth Certificate.

Thanks!

Alright, hopefully someone can clarify this one:

On my last trip down to the US, I brought some Montreal bagels for my coworkers. I went through NEXUS, filled everything out, was waved through by the customs guy at the counter, then a second security guard who'd been hovering in the background came over, said "NEXUS?" to the customs agent, who confirmed that I was, then proceeded to lecture me, saying that if I had any food items at all, I HAD to go through the regular line, that NEXUS was only if I was going through with nothing at all.

I've combed over all the information in my pamphlet, and don't remember anything like this being mentioned, but being as how he was threatening to revoke my access over it (he let me off with a "warning"), I wasn't about to push the issue !

Has anyone ever heard anything like this? I thought you could use NEXUS as long as you declared everything?

Did you respond yes to question 11(a) - the one that asks if you have food? That would send you to secondary automatically...

Cheers,
bawm

Yes, which would have been fine. But according to him, I couldn't use NEXUS at all, including the iris scanners, if I had food, which is why I was so confused.

Then I'd definitely agree with you! My guess is that some agents may not know the rules as well as you do. :td:

Cheers,
bawm

Was this a secondary?
 

Pulled up to the Peace Arch Nexus booth yesterday.
The crossing guard asked where I was from (Vancouver), where I was going, (Bellingham, shopping), and then what I was shopping for (clothes, wine).
Then he had me pop my trunk so he could scavenge around, and after unsuccessfully trying to get the floormat back after digging around my spare tire, told me to have a good day and sent me on my way.

Would this be considered a secondary, since he did search my trunk, but I didn't have to "Pull Over" and have them go through my entire vehicle (and life history and documentation etc etc), or are those just the questions they ask you to determine whether you get to have a secondary or not?

Yup, that sounds like a secondary to me

Did you see the Nexus screen in front of you. It usually tells you what the result is...