I believe there are posts upthread that address this. I think it involves use of the Crew lane.

In this case, use the crew line.

Nexus application experience
 

Hi everyone, just writing here to share my experience...1st off I've been wanting a Nexus card for quite some time now, and I finally got the chance to apply, I read a thread here that was posted by doom4life, after reading it, his post gave me peace of mind about his experience of what happened to him re. a customs violation, same similar thing happened to me, and yes, he is correct on the 6 year time frame before the infraction is purged from ICES.

I found on the Canadian site for the Nexus program, that it looks like there's a change in the program as far as violations and other related infractions are involved.

I know that if you break the rules when using your nexus card, that's it, you're banned for life, however, after reading this page: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexu...-clvp-eng.html
looks like they will grant you a 2nd chance at the nexus program, at least this is to my understanding, I could see it being a problem getting your Nexus back or just plain ol' denied from the start if you were charged with a crime... any thoughts?

I applied on April 15th 2013, payment taken on May 23rd 2013, letter received Aug. 15th 2013.
I just scheduled an appointment on the GOES site, the closest date is Nov. 13th 2013 in Blaine WA.

What should I expect when i go to the interview? I am currently self-employed, will that be a problem? :confused: please let me know if there's any surprises I may encounter...thanks for reading!!
:cool:

The iris scan is only for air travel. At land travel your card is sufficient.

And if you have a child, you always have front of the line privileges with Nexus. Just go to the closest available agent, crew line, special situations, etc.

Congratulations on your conditional approval and welcome to FT.

The interview is 99.9% NOT to do any further fact-finding. They will ask questions you have already answered so answer honestly again and you will be fine. Those answers include "I am unemployed" if it comes up. They want to know your primary reason for wanting the card, and the honest answer is the right one, whether that is just "I am a prima donna that hates waiting in lines" or whatever. It is okay to be a leisure traveller with NEXUS or to be a business traveller. Just be what you are. (My answer was that I'm deaf and the face to face interviews make me anxious about lipreading and I worry that my anxiety and possible non-responsive answers will be misinterpreted.)

They will take your eye scans and fingerprints and a photo for the card. Comb your hair accordingly! :)

The rest of the "interview" is more accurately described as indoctrination. They will review the rules of the program and in most cases, people receive practice hands-on with both machines.

Provided nothing alarming occurs or human error in paperwork on their end, I suppose, your email notifying you of a "change in status" (which is your transition from conditionally approved to approved) will come while you are driving back home, and the card will be in your mailbox in less than a week.

I went to BWI and back the past couple of days and just wanted to report that I did not remove my passport from my bag at any point.

The NEXUS card worked at all times leaving YYZ (although I had carry on only and did not have to check in at an agent). I did not have the US paper form foisted upon me entering the NEXUS foyer. I tried inserting the card in the GE machine in lieu of passport and it worked. I realized it has to go in rotated 90 degrees to put the lettering in the same orientation it would be if the passport was inserted. (duh) So it worked for me this time. AC accepted the card as ID to get to the aircraft.

Coming back, it was accepted as travel ID by the AC agent who printed my BP and the TSA. The US TSA guy scrutinized the holograms very carefully, but had no issue. It was also accepted to board the plane.

Based on the line I walked past, I am quite sure that I was on the 427 before the non-NEXUS people were through Customs and Immigration. xoxoxo NEXUS xoxox

Streamlined renewal...
 

Renewal application submitted: July 5, 2013
Approval: August 20, 2013

Faster than I expected. No interview was required.

I tried using NEXUS in the air mode at YVR for the first time today with my family (me, wife, 2 kids) when returning to Canada. One of the machines was down and nobody was using any of the other three. I got my iris scan done after about three tries, and then wasn't sure what to do next. Get the next person to stand in front of the scanner, or click a button, or what? The on-screen instructions weren't very clear.

I then looked over at the the self-serve passport scanners for non-NEXUS Canadian residents and there was hardly any line. So I cancelled the NEXUS check-in and we went over there. Smooth, easy, and quick to get all four of us through. Scanning the passport was much quicker and easier than the iris scan. I doubt I'll be using NEXUS when returning to Canada by air again.

You said it. They're abysmal design. The instructions are audible -- if you 're not deaf, which of course I am. There are cryptic arrows that do a little dance for you, but while left and right are clear, do out-pointing arrows mean move closer or farther? I had a time-out yesterday but managed to do it on the second try. It would be helpful to have footprints on the floor, text prompts above the eye-marks that you would read if you were in the right position, etc. Or replace with GE machines and be done with it. Just awful design. However, I am always impressed that based on my irises alone, it knows who I am. Gotta give it that.

When we came back from Boston we went straight to the NEXUS kiosk. My wife and I took turns using it while a 3rd person was trying to get a successful scan. Eventually it told him it was unable to capture a scan, he grumbled something, and walked away. I agree that the GE machines are much more user friendly, but at the same time I've never with the NEXUS machines. I too am impressed that it knows exactly who you are simply by your irises.

flyquiet, for me I just ignored the "step back.. step back!" instructions from the machine and just aligned the green circles directly over my eyes and all worked out. I haven't used it too many times, but I've had a 100% success rate so far.

The audible instructions are brutal. "Step back a little." "Step to the left a little." C'MON ALREADY!!!!! I feel like I've hit a home run every time I get a successful scan.

That being said, the last couple of times I've come home to YUL I've used the automated passport machines instead of Nexus... way faster when there's even a 1/2 dozen people queued up for the iris dance.

Here is my renewal experience:

Renewal Application filed: June 29th
Conditional Approval: August 18
Interview Scheduled (Toronto): Dec 1st
**EDIT*** Interview ReScheduled: Oct 1st (new date/time opened)

I had been checking a few times a day since my conditional approval for a Toronto interview date -- all dates had been booked. About 30 minutes ago they opened up the month of December for Toronto appointments. :D

My card expires at the end of December -- glad I submitted my renewal application really early!

I find that it helps to remove glasses and open my eyes wide. It works on the first try or after a slight move. They should have the decency to have "closed captioning" for those who have hearing issues. It seems odd that the directions are spoken - as if the person being scanned would not see a displayed instruction.

Yes, even after having used these for several years, I still can't get it right the first time. On the other hand, for those of us who have been members long enough to remember the old one eye scanners - these are much, much better.

Definitely glasses should come off now, as another poster mentioned. Used to work fine with my old ones on, but can't get them to work with my newer (year and a half old) ones. One trip when I was quite tired coming in late night, forgot I had them on and ended up going to crew line, the officer mentioned it can't see through glasses with certain coatings on the lenses, so to always remove them.

I remove my glasses and try to go into a "trance" so those two ovals and the reflections of my two eyes sort of merge. Then I do the hokey pokey: put your whole self in, put your whole self out, put your whole self in, and shake it all about...

A decent ergonomic assessment would say if you want people to look at a certain thing, you put "bait" there, like, say, maybe visible instructions? A flashing light? Instead of the flashy arrows pointing AWAY from what you're meant to look at, and dull printed ovals on the "eye" targets, put the light exactly where to look. Make it look conspicuously different when the reading has registered, to cue the transition to the other screen. Adequate design wouldn't just benefit the 4% of the population like me that just can't hear it, it would improve the efficiency and success of everyone else.