I guess that when canadian agents receive the application they enter the informations you provided on GOES because both countries use that platform to review and approve/deny the applications. In other words, GOES is the software that runs the NEXUS program and your data needs to be in it for your application to be processed. During you interview, you will see that agents log in into some kind of back-end GOES page and can input comments and add information about your application. So, with the online application it's just a matter of you doing the job that the canadian employee would do after receiving your paper application.

Also, you need the approval of both countries to be a member of NEXUS. Even if Canada approves your application before the US, the other country does not base it's decision on the decision that the other country has made. They are 2 totally separate agencies and do not collaborate like we think they do together. When I was in Champlain for my interview, Canadians agents refused to answer many general questions I had about GOES and how to update my personal information because the system is managed by the CBP. Therefore, I am pretty sure it would make absolutely no difference in the process if your application is seen by CBP or CBSA first

I guess the paper application would be quicker to fill for 3 family members because you would need to create 3 separate accounts on GOES and fill the applications separately on each accounts.

However, even if you do paper application you would stille need to create 3 GOES accounts after yu are conditionally approved in order to schedule your interview and manage your membership/personal info

I think that question was more important before GOES existed because the interviews were scheduled by phone directly with the enrollment centre you selected. When your application was approved, you would get a call from the enrollment centre and they would offer you an appointment.

Now, even with the paper applications, you schedule your interview via goes once you have been conditionally approved. So I guess they just never changed the form.

Air Canada does not participate. CATSA (TSA equivalent in Canada) have NEXUS priority lanes at most major canadian airports that you can use without pre screening. It basically let you skip to the front of the regular line and it's the same lane you would use if you were flying first class or were in a wheelchair, in YUL it's called the "Special Services" lane. You just need to show the NEXUS card to access it and do not need to fly on a specific carrier.

Carrier that are currently participating in TSA PreCheck are: American, United, Delta and US Airways. JetBlue and Southwest are expected to be added in the next few months. It is only good for domestic flights.

You need to enter the infor when you buy the tickets or do your online check-in. There is no guarantee you will be allowed in the special lane at the checkpoint, the special barcode on your BP will be scanned by the ID checker if the computer says yes then you get to go in the special lane and keep your shoes/belt/laptop in your bag/... if the computer says no you go in the regular lane and are subject to regular screening. If you are selected to go in the PreCheck lane once it does not necessarily mean that you will be selected every time you go through a checkpoint, theres always a chance it will ask you to go through the regular lane.

Just called a Nexus office and heard that it's up to 8 to 10 weeks for pre approval. Thought it would have been done in 2-3 weeks :td:
Better be patient then and it wont happen for my next trips :(

+1 And I applied about 3-4 weeks ago, we finally got conditionally approved and the interview date was available as early as March 26!! This is for Edmonton :).

Pretty happy that everything went rolling! What questions will they ask? I'm assuming just my letter and passport to bring?

They ask questions you've already answered or that you did not answer but they have already found the answer to, I presume to catch you in a lie. (They asked if I'd ever lived in the USA. It wasn't on my previous addresses because it was 16 years ago, but I am certain they knew that, and obviously I said yes.) They ask the primary purpose of your travel, which again, answer honestly, not trying to guess what you think is the "better" purpose of travel. They have already determined conditional approval, so whatever you already provided is obviously okay with them.
It is not really much of an interview other than verifying facts and testing your honesty. Mostly it's indoctrination in the lore of the NEXUS. And the "gummy worms ARE food" warning. There was a practice round using the machines as well. It was pretty low key, in my experience. Both my officers were youngish women. In uniform, with badges, but still, not big, scary people.

If you're clean: "Why do you want Nexus" "Whatever answer" "Awesome, approved"

If you're not: "So have you ever done [insert thing they know about here]" "Yes. And then you explain" "Maybe/Maybe not"

I stood in the next booth over from a guy in YYC getting grilled over a past cocaine smuggling conviction. It didn't go well for him. Really got to wonder why you even apply with that on your record.

Did you got approved today ?

Congrats and good luck !^

Yes I did!! Thanks so much!

Thanks everyone for all the advice and input!! Very excited..

Having Nexus+Aeroplan Amex Platinum gets you priority check in, priority security and lounge access.. Basically E35 for Aeroplan haha

Yes it's way better to travel that way ^

Thanks for the tip, good to know that they can send the pre approval on a week end.

I've never traveled with Gummy worms (or similar), but going into US, believe they would only need to be declared if using paper declaration cards/Nexus machines. If using GE, don't believe there is anything in them where you would have to answer yes to the list of food items presented.

Pearson interview slots?
 

Hello All,

I sent in my Nexus application on January 8, 2013 and received the conditional approval letter on February 12, 2013.

My issue now is that there are NO interview slots available at Pearson!!! I have been checking GOES online everyday since I received the letter. Does anyone know when slots will open up? I am too far away from the other locations (ie. Fort Erie). I frequently travel through Pearson for work purposes.

Also, what are the rules here with the 30 day interview scheduling from receipt of the conditional approval letter? I mean, how long can I actually hold off not booking an interview until Pearson wakes up?

Cheers :(

This is what's weird. Going into US, I use the GE and fingerprints, but the officer at the door going IN to the immigration hall always harangues me to take a blue card, which I presume is needed if using NEXUS/iris scan. I go in via the Nexus door, not the main door, so I presume they should know what paperwork is required at the other side of the room. Last time I declined the blue card and said I am going to do the same Q's on the GE machine, and she looked nonplussed, which temporarily concerned me but the officer at the exit from the immigration hall had no issues whatever. The previous time, when I did complete the blue card, he did not take it, which is why I initially decided to save my time and skip the card.

I agree there are differences in the semantics of the two systems vis a vis food. Ordinarily, I am not wanting to bring gummy worms, literally. What I would like to bring is granola bars, peanut butter (if checking a bag), and running gels (e.g., clif shot blox). I just decided it was too much risk getting into debates about food vs. edible foodlike substances. (I also tie myself in knots about whether to put my Aleve liqui-gel caps in the 3-1-1 ziplock!!)

Imagine my horror to discover a forgotten MLL peppermint in my coat pocket after I passed through!! I always wonder, if I take a Canadian candy bar to the US and don't eat it, is it "imported" when I bring it back home with me? Of course, I assume they will contend that it needs to be declared but it is illogical to me.

Of course, there's more illogical where that comes from. I declare I am importing NO food, and then before I even enter the USA, I can purchase a tote bag full of Canadian food in the airport, and effectively then I *am* importing food. So I do not try to apply logic any more. I try (forgotten peppermints aside) to not have any food to worry about splitting hairs over.

It's not a matter of Pearson waking up; it's a matter of literally every interview slot being filled through the end of the schedule. You cannot schedule an interview until either a slot opens up due to a cancellation or new dates becomes available. Even in the event of cancellations or new dates coming available, those slots can disappear extremely quickly--within minutes. So unless you are checking GOES every few minutes, you cannot count on being able to schedule your interview at YYZ.

Although I'll defer to those more familiar with the process, my recommendation would be to book at another location, even one you have no intention of going to, in order to avoid your application being canceled. You can check online periodically for openings at YYZ and make the change if one opens up. As far as I know, you can extend your interview indefinitely (no one has reported being unable to make changes after a certain point) as long as you never allow your scheduled interview to get closer than 24 hours from the date you go in to make the change (same-day changes need to be made by phone to the enrollment center you choose).

And be prepared to either wait a VERY long time, have to choose an inconvenient time, or settle for visiting another enrollment center in order to complete your interview. (I drove six hours one way for mine.) Do the U.S. and Canadian authorities need to staff up the program a bit? Maybe, but until that happens (fat chance--it's government!), this is probably the best you can do.

I once carried a banana from Washington to BC for all of something like a half an hour. Upon arrival back at the U.S., they made me throw it out even though I told them I had bought it the day before somewhere near Seattle. They don't take any chances. ;)

Welcome to the forum.

Yes, slots open up all the time. If you are saying there are absolutely no slots at yyz, then just make sure you book something, somewhere within 30 days. You can always cancel. Rule is to book within 30 days but you don't have to be interviewed within 30 days.

Then, check for yyz slots frequently. If you are diligent you will find something fairly soon. YMMV

Thank you for the quick reply and information! I will wait another week or 2, and then book it somewhere else while continuing to check YYZ. Cheers!

Fruits are a whole category which they are very serious about. I was once told the only fruits that are specifically not allowed no matter where they come from is citrus fruits, but others are based on country of origin and at the discretion of the agriculture inspector.

We once drove for a weekend trip US-Canada, so land border. My wife brought a few clementines for snacks when leaving the US. We had a couple left when coming back and mentioned this to the officer - he had us go inside to hand them to an officer in secondary to discard. Apparently, even citrus fruits originating in the US can not re-enter once they've left the country - believe the line used was they don't know where its been between, and they don't want a new fruit disease entering the US (for the record, ours hadn't left the car).