Elite status, while relating to pre-check slightly as it is what can get you invited to participate, has no bearing on whether you get GE or not. Likewise, having a GE or Nexus card, while definitely one way to get access to GE - with passID in your profile of the airline you are flying - does not guarantee that you will be allowed to use the checkpoint. They need to scan the BP to determine that.

Are you suggesting that you have been allowed to use precheck by simply showing your GE card, instead of having your BPscanned?

I applied for a Nexus card around Christmas and got a conditional approval pending interview yesterday, approximately three weeks, which I thought was rather speedy. The downside is - the earliest interview time slot available at Pearson T1 is end of May, a wait of four months and three weeks! The other alternative offered was Fort Erie, and the earliest appointment there is mid April. I'm just astounded by the long, long wait. Was it as long a few years back? Or did I just hit it at the wrong time, ie. before winter vacations to Florida etc.?

Nexus and Global Entry
 

Thinking of applying for Nexus after an 2 hour wait at JFK last Sunday 2pm - while listening to the numerous ads saying that "smart travellers use Global Entry" instead of waiting, blah blah blah...

I am trying to read about both programs.

It seems that application fee for Nexus is $50 and Global Entry is $100, but somehow Nexus can use Global Entry Kiosk. So for $50 I can use Nexus and Global Entry, is that right? What other steps I have to do before my Nexus card can be used at Global Entry Kiosk in US.

thanks in advance.

I think that the point is that he knows that I have a Canadian passport, and therefore knows that I must have NEXUS. Like I said, it does not happen every time, but it does happen relatively often.

Nope, Nexus has become very popular hence the wait times. When I applied 2 years back, wait time at Pearson was 3 months but Niagara Falls was 2 days. Are you applying for yourself only or multiple family members. If multiple, you just need slots on the same day, not consecutive and at the first appt all are processed. Niagara Falls office is on the US side and then I came back to the Cdn side for iris scan.

Yes for $50 you will enroll in Nexus and Global Entry. During your interview, Canadian officers will enroll you in Nexus and US officers will enroll you in Global Entry. But you must do so at Nexus enrollment centers which are limited to mostly Canada and a few US locations (not as convenient as Global Entry enrollment centers across US, if you live in the US).

No, not exactly. What I meant was that at several PreCheck locations, the first-line TSA checkers looked at my BP, and in absence of any Elite status markings, physically barred me from the PreCheck line and directed me towards the general queue. Especially when traveling with kids (who early-on were not allowed to participate in GE), the TSA checkers simply could not understand how I could be eligible for PreCheck without airline status. Other TSA checkers have asked for some kind of proof that I'm eligible for the PreCheck line (ala "How would we know from just looking at your boarding pass?")

We now use our Nexus (or GE) cards as primary ID at TSA checkpoints, and that has all but eliminated any challenges to using the PreCheck queues. So, long story short, the GE card may be useful as primary ID at the TSA checkpoints, especially those checkpoints that tend to not fully understand the details of PreCheck eligibility.

I was asked to show my card this morning but not to validate use of GE. I used the GE machine in US preclearance at YYZ but it was the security bag screener who wanted to see the card to ensure I qualified to use the NEXUS line. Good on them, I guess.

I was there between 6 and 7, and it took me maybe 15 minutes total from the Bag Tag to airside, but Mr. Flyquiet (non NEXUS) was with me so I used mine and timed how much extra it took him to catch up, and it was 20 minutes. It seemed sort of moderately busy this morning. It's 20 minutes I am glad I can save (except for having to wait for him).

I am up for renewal in July. I got a notice from CBP informing me that I am up for renewal soon. Do I re-apply for renewal now? Or would I have to wait for April before I apply? Granted, I want to interview at CBSA in May when I am up in Buffalo for my sister's graduation.

Was asked to show my NEXUS card this week, although I used the Global Entry machine. Reason was that they've now added a photo to the print out and due to my height (and not being aware of this change in the YYZ machines) the photo on the print out essentially showed my forehead, eyes and half my nose. Had I known the print-out would show the photo, I would have gone on my tippy toes.
I've encountered this printout with the photo at YUL before, but there, you still speak with a customs officer anyway, whereas in YYZ, they usually just take the printout that the machine generates and stamp your boarding pass.

Yes - When I use GE at YVR the officer asks to see my Nexus card. I suspect this is because most (all?) Canadians with GE have Nexus. Not always the case with Americans.

Because he can.

I get the sense that some (definitely not all) CBP officers are not 'happy' about Canadians having GE/Nexus. They're used to being the ultimate arbiters and they're not happy having had that taken away. Asking for the card & asking questions gives that power back.

My experience at YVR is that Nexus / GE moves you to the front of the queue. Nothing else, really.

As I said above, most Canadians do. I expect if I didn't have it he'd just ask for my passport. I assume US CBP wouldn't ask Americans for their Nexus cards.

Does any of you know whether there's a dedicated line for Nexus holders for those who are crossing the border by bus/coach?

I've crossed by bus at the Champlain crossing (between Montreal and NY) as well as Detroit-Windsor tunnel, and there was no such line. Wouldn't save you any time of course, cause the bus has to wait until every passenger has cleared (though it would allow you to spend that time sitting on the bus rather than standing in line).

Thanks. And did you think have Nexus saved you from being interrogated when lining up in the regular line?