Similar experience yesterday evening at YYZ. Armed with long form birth certificates, short form birth certs, copy of our marriage license, recent utility bill to confirm municipal address, passports, acceptance letters, all they wanted was the passports and the acceptance letters.

Only two single individuals through the office yesterday evening, the rest were families doing their kids.

7 year old managed the iris scan, 3 year old did not.

I thought they have RFID for quick border usage in cars?

They sure do!

NEXUS as valid photo ID at US airports
 

I find it quite absurd that the NEXUS card can get me into both countries but is not considered valid government-issued ID by TSA goons at PDX (though I've had no such issues at other US airports). Yesterday I used the fast-track lane (a blessing given the lineup for the regular lanes) at PDX. Curiously, AC/AE cards are not shown on the list of eligible ones that get you into this lane (all other carriers' FF elite cards were illustrated on the list), though a First Class boarding pass did it for me. I always use my NEXUS card as the required photo ID for boarding, inspection and other such "reviews" of who I am. But the nazi officer manning this station would have none of that. "Can't take this" he barked. It seems a New Jersey drivers license worked for the guy two ahead of me. (The person directly in front of me was an elderly lady who was told by him that she'd been selected for extra scrutiny and channeled off to position 8! What utter stupidity and waste of time and resources...but that's how Bush is protecting us all in the air!) I said it was US government issued ID but he said "We don't use it at this airport." Without wanting to escalate matters further and be channeled off to position 8, I handed over my passport, to which he then took his jeweler's eye glass to do an intensive examination.

Jeez, how inconsistent can the US government get? One wing of the same department issues us cards that get us into the country without examination after having us pass a security screening, and yet their other won't acknowledge it being valid ID to get through a security line at a regional airport.

Then getting onto the flight from ORD-YYZ last night, the UA agent checking documents would not accept it as proof I could get back into Canada. Again, what's the point of arguing?

Since there cards are used 99.5% of the time in Canada or on the Canadian border it is no surprise that TSA, CBP or gate agents don't have a clue what they are.

Install some Nexus kiosks in the US and this would all change.

Champlain, NY border crossing
 

Does anyone have an update on the NEXUS procedure entering the U.S. at Champlain, NY? The advice from fly-yul last May was to ignore the NEXUS sign pointing the wrong way. Has the signage been fixed yet?

I don't think it was simply a signage issue. I think they are doing some contruction. I'd call the border station and ask. Phone numbers here http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/c...ts/ny/0712.xml

FYI - I crossed via Highgate springs to Vermont on Thursday and went in the NEXUS lane. Except the lane was closed (without any indication). They made me back up and go into the general line. They really need to get their collective acts together with some standardized signage and procedures. For example at the Lacolle, I went in the general line because the Nexus lane was closed with orange cones. When I got to the front of the line the CBSA agent told me I was supposed to know that they do that because too many people without NEXUS had been getting into the line. The whole thing is pretty ridiculous.

I tried to use my NEXUS card at IAD security and was told that it was not on their accepted identification list. The inspector found it interesting and called over his supervisor and we had a nice little chat. They promised to look into it for the future and I showed my passport. If you get through IAD with a Nexus card you can thank me.

My wife tried to use her Nexus card on a return trip from Buffalo last week. She had no problems using her Nexus card going there, but coming back, the CBSA told her they don't accept this card as ID and requested her to give other ID.

Of course this was a non nexus lane as she was travelling with her friend which is not part of NEXUS.

Geesh, don't understand why they are refusing these cards as ID.

Jay

That, I feel was a correct refusal of the card. The card is only valid for CBSA / CBP when used in conjunction with an air kiosk or RFID reader(nexus lane). When I cross at the smaller borders in VT / NY I get and try to show the card I get the same thing - "Where's your passport."

This is of course a different issue than the TSA not accepting a NEXUS card. That makes no sense at all and is in fact approved on their own website.

This was clearly stated as grounds for losing Nexus back in 2002. Looks like they've relaxed it since.

Huh?

They were NOT in the Nexus lane, but rather the regular lane. So there was no requirement for all passengers to be Nexus members.

The problem arose because they tried to use their Nexus card as proof of citizenship, or at least admissability, and the agent wanted something more -- i.e. passport.

The US has stated the the Nexus card is a sufficient travel document under the/their Western Hemisphere border initiative, or whatever they call it. But I don't think Canada has.

Back in 2002, Blaine Nexus office warned that if you used the Nexus card in the non-Nexus lane, you lost it. I guess since it was supposed to be usable as a transborder travel document, that was revoked.

I don't think it's that simple, it's unlikely a TSA agent at EWR sees many driver's licenses from OK (or SK), certainly not for any purpose other than ID, and I doubt they have a problem with them. I doubt they have a book that shows every state DL, ID card, etc., they should recognize/accept a Nexus card.

Given that (as others posted) this is supposed to be a substitute for a passport to meet the US regulations, and is held by both Americans and Canadians, I'd expect it to be high on the list of approved IDs.

=aw

TSA in EWR let me through to YUL on my Nexus card last summer... however the gate agent was hesitant and needed to ask the flight attendants (yeah... :confused:) if it was acceptable.