Is there a requirement to also carry a passport? My daughter is planning an flight to the US with her NEXUS card only, without her passport. She will have sent her passport away for a visa application during this time.

Looking at the links, it appears that the NEXUS is a suitable travel document. Although some travellers appear to have some difficulty with the airline personal accepting it.

Check the nexus documentation. It clearly states that you must have your passport with you for the card to be valid.

I have had my passport requested to be seen when I have been pulled to secondary before.

Not a good idea to fly to a foreign country without your passport.

Most countries have an expedited service (possibly even same day) for a visa application, you just have to pay more and show that you need your passport. I would suggest that your daughter does that.

I was at the Nexus office at YYZ about three weeks ago, and was told they were supposed to be sent out by the end of the year. But who knows, because originally they were supposed to start sending them in Feburary of 2008. I do know that they had not started issuing the new cards to new members at that time either.

Bad idea to go without a passport...just look back through this thread. I have posted at least twice, was always told that although Nexus is technically supposed to be suitable, realistically, it makes it very difficult, for several reasons. Among them, if she gets a secondary, they often ask for it there, and for another, particularly US-based airlines (at least every one I have flown) requires it for check in, and they will not accept a Nexus card in lieu of one - I have tried (plus, the check in machines, at least United's, won't read them). And even Air Canada required me to show them a passport at EWR last time I tried to use my Nexus (about a month ago), and I haven't had a problem doing this for several years.

you need your Passport
 

If you read the terms of your nexus pass you will see that you are required to carry your passport. The nexus pass is for the convenience of not having to always go through a full border clearance when crossing between the IS and Canadian border. Air Canada is required by law to ensure that its pasengers have valid identification to enter the country before they let them on the plane. Valid I'd for the US is a Canadian passport. They can be fined for having passengers arrive without the correct idea.

I know that a lot of you are travelling with only your nexus cards. It works fine if you don't check bags and have overworked staff at the gate. However if you get pulled over without your passport look for a long delay at customs and a lenghthy lecture. You will also be likely tagged for further investigations in the future.

The nexus pass IS not yet a replacement for your passport. Don't treat it as such. This IS the synopsis of the half hour or so lecture you will receive if you decide to try travelling without it.

Yes, the NEXUS card is not a replacement for the required documents (i.e. passport or birth certificate/drivers license combo) but merely a "fast track" device. You can still be asked for the actual documents. And as noted, increasingly airlines are not accepting the NEXUS card as the sole cross border document and require another approved piece of ID. NEXUS should be accepted by TSA and airlines as a valid piece of photo ID when boarding or passing through security, but unfortunately it is not a replacement for border crossing ID.

Appreciate the info on the new cards. Just wanted to know if they've been going out and it is clear not yet.

Another endorsement of never traveling into a foreign country, NEXUS member or not, without your Passport.

I've never been asked for my Passport by Border Protection folks on either side, but I have been asked several times for my NEXUS card (once for either the card or Passport at YYC), but only at YYC and YOW (YOW seems to be automatic, but I run into the same CBP person every time I transit there).

Mixed luck with using NEXUS card for airport check-in in Canada (forget about it in U.S. Airports), most want the Passport anyway.

Regarding new NEXUS card issuance, there was someone who claimed to be from CBP posted this saying to expect the cards in December 2008. Someone at YYZ told me mid-December is the rumor he heard.

Passport is VERY important
 

Once when we were preclearing in YYZ we were 'selected' for a secondary inspection. They were not concerned with the purpose of the trip or our baggage, etc. but were very interested in our passports; it seemed as if they were 'verifying' passport info. This would NOT have been a good time to be caught without a passport.

This seemed random; has anyone else encountered this?

That may be the case in practice but officially it's a replacement.

This is from www.nexus.gc.ca:

This is from the other side, http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/tr...er/nexus_prog/

Since we're talking about air entry here, the final sentence isn't relevant (and a passport isn't required for land crossings yet anyway, I think).

I'd be interested to see documentation that a passport is still required.

=aw

I used your link to CBSA to click once and get this:

From http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexus/term-eng.html
Bolding is mine...

Cheers,
bawm

Got a number (for B.C./WA or westcoast residents) to update Nexus info. 360 332 2380

Been having a rash of credit cards having numbers changed due to data being stolen from merchants.

I see the new TDCs don't have fill in the dots any more. Just write in the dollar amount.

Also got some forms of what is allowed or disallowed going into each country (some of which are weird).

U.S. into Canada (specifically B.C.)/

Prohibited:

Fresh apples, apricots, nectarines, plums, peaches, quince, fruit of the hawthorne, blueberries, cherries, corn on the cob and potatoes.

Pet food containing beef

Firewood.

Restricted quantities

Turkeys - 1 whole any side OR parts up to 10 Kg
Margarine - 3 Kg
Dairy products (exc. milk) C$ 20
Eggs - 2 dozen
Fluid milk 20 Kg
Meat Pork, chicken, 20 Kg, Veal, beef, farmed bison, mutton, lamb, goat - 5 Kg)


Canada into U.S. (from B.C.)

All the below must be declared

Citrus and tropical fruits forbidden
U.S. fruit in season (except citrus) and labelled as U.S. brand fruit so may be reimported.

Fresh fruit grown in Canada or U.S. allowed when in season. Bananas labelled from South or Central America.

Fresh vegetables.

Stuff grown in Canada or U.S. allowed with the exception of alliums (onions, garlic, leeks, etc.) Potatoes only if commercially packaged, corn on the cob only if from B.C.

Meat

Beef, bison and farm-raised venison have been allowed as of 17 Nov. 2007. Lamb and goat in any form (even as pet food) is prohibited.

Pork, poultry, eggs and seafood are allowed up to 50 lbs per importation.

Hunter-harvested wild game is allowed subject to USDA and USFWS restrictions.

Nuts, seeds and spices must be processed. Peanuts must be cooked and cumin must be ground.

Nuts and seeds for eating grown in U.S./Canada are allowed.

No live fish from Quebec or Ontario(!)

Yes, the US is really cracking down on food importation. Took the train across to Buffalo yesterday and the confiscated any fresh fruit and vegetables, though did let people who had brought sandwiches and the like to eat on the trip keep those.

Note that you only don't need the passport entering Canada if you use it at a kiosk. If the kiosks are randomly closed (as happens far too often), you will need a passport at the actual Customs desk (unless you want a long wait in Immigration secondary while you prove to their satisfaction you are a Canadian or American).

So I would never fly without my passport and NEXUS card. Driving across is different (as they will be accepted documents for WHTI land and Canada does not require any specific documents). The worst risk you'll face is if you go through the regular line to at least have a chance at not paying excessive duty on your purchases, you may be asked some questions about why you didn't use the NEXUS line.

Has anybody ever tried this before?

Can I drop my non-NEXUS passenger off to do a walk-in border clearance while I drive into the NEXUS lane and then pick them up at the other side?

I believe that you used to be able to do that, but I think that loophole was not only closed, but that they watch for it and it's terms for having your card revoked. I read that on a thread here recently I believe, but I'm sure someone can post the language.

I remember being told that at my interview in yyz. They said you may still have some bags/luggage/items belonging to the person you dropped off, so technically, that's not eligible for bringing in on your nexus card.