Applied for the first time (not a renewal) on January 24th.
Predicted time based on about 5 people's reports: March 5 +/- a few days
Actual date of conditional approval: March 5

First available appt. in Blaine, WA: March 8 and then after March 20.
YVR available a few days later:
Seattle available: April 23rd (as of March 5th late afternoon)

Looks like you can reschedule appointments online. I scheduled for April in Seattle then decided to check Blaine. Blaine has appoints 7 days a week, but Seattle seems like Monday-Friday (unless all the weekend appointments were booked in April and May, which I doubt).

First post!

Data point:

1) Myself, better half and 15 yr old applied Nov. 11.
2) Conditional approval Dec. 28 for me, Dec. 29 for girls.
3) First interview at YYC with 3 open slots was late April. Kept checking GOES and managed to snag March 4.
4) Interview went smoothly and as we were driving out of YYC received email that GOES status had changed - received full approval.

Notes:
- They tell you to print the condtional approval letter from GOES but neither the US CBP nor Canadian CBSA officers asked for it.
- All of us got fingerprints done and instant enrolment in GE.
- YYC now has a GE machine which is a relief as me and the NEXUS iris camera were not getting along. Took me 7 or 8 scans to get the minimum number required.
- Very smooth interview process (not really an interview at all, more of an ID check and getting irises and fingerprints scanned).

Here's hoping we get our cards soon - we have a couple trips coming up out of YYC.

Welcome to FT! :)

Are the GE machines up and running now? I went through around a month ago, however, they were both turned off. Also, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how well the iris scans work at the NEXUS kiosks. It also took me a good 5-10 scans (although it felt like a million!), however, in using the kiosks, I've never once had an issue with it not being able to identify me.

lol! I also have this "problem" with the Nexus machines as well. Wife breezes through them (I think her height helps) and I'm stuck there moving back and forth, side to side, up and down, feeling like a doofus. :) The GE fingerprint scanning machines always seem to work first time for both of us.

No idea if GE machines are actually running - I was told by CBP officer in the NEXUS office that YYC has GE now and I could use NEXUS or GE, my choice.

Good to know about the NEXUS iris scanner - I will say that on the practice machine it read me first time no problem, so hopefully it works the same on the "real" machines.

Applied early Jan, status changed to Conditional Approval four weeks later.
Earliest appointment for interviews were for late March and early April at YVR or dwtn Vancouver. Available next day in Blaine which over a matter of days changed to two weeks.
The first thing I was asked for was the invite letter. I don't know what they would have done if I didn't have it. The guy behind me was asked as well.

Exactly one week to the day after the interview I received the card in the mail, posted from Blaine, WA. I was told at the interview that the iris scan would have to be done at YVR, which took less than five minutes.

I've pointed this out several times too. As well, the Canadian form lists certain restricted foods but inspectors do not consider chocolates to be grouped under "dairy products" so these don't have to be declared.

Mine expires in mid-June so went on GOES yesterday to file the renewal, though I expect to have a new passport by the time I go for the interview (hoping that won't pose a problem in processing things). Took me quite a while to fill in all the countries I had visited over the past five years!

That shouldn't be an issue as far as I can tell, but you'll want to bring both the expired and new passport with you if they ask for an interview.

Filed my renewal application on 26JAN and received conditional approval today 07MAR.

Looking real tough for appointments though ! :eek:

I neglected to notice this before going in for my interview in YHZ. The Canadian guy immediately asked for it and when I didn't have it he got very pissy with me. I offered to bring it up on my phone, but that wasn't acceptable. I was told that "this would be your first strike in the interview". I suspect he was just trying to rattle me, but since I didn't really give two shakes I just rolled with it.

When they (both US and Canadian sides asked separately) asked why I was interviewing in YHZ when I lived in YEG, neither fully believed that someone could actually travel that far for their work. It was like they didn't get that frequent travelers applied for NEXUS *and* traveled a lot.

In the end I suspect the Canadian guy was just putting on a show to try to rattle me. The US guy was good about everything.

Coming back into Canada had to go to secondary for our macadamia nuts and coffee! Painless, but took extra time as it was busy......

Where does coffee need to be declared on the form?

That's the opposite of my experience - when I applied at YYZ, the Canadian folks were overly helpful and friendly, and the US guy was really putting on a show of being strict and tough, but he seemed to be training a new guy. I think I eventually got him to crack a smile.