Is this a common question during the interview?

Apply now for a new passport. If your passport is expired on your account, then your NEXUS card will not work. You should have your new passport in time for your interview. You can show them your new passport and they will update it in the system.

I can't recall the exact question, but during my interview the CBP officer asked if I used illegal drugs.

I was able to truthfully answer no.

Definitely not consistent.

YVR is my most common port of entry into Canada, and I have never been asked by the CBP officer for my NEXUS card when using GE. I provided it once, and he took it, but in the 10 or so other times, I have not offered it, and not been asked.

I wasn't asked.

And I'd be very curious of the wording.

"Are you currently on any narcotics?"
"Do you use any narcotics?"
"Have you used any narcotics?"

Those three questions would probably get any increasing number of "yes" answers as you go down the list.

Answer like Toronto's mayor "I'm not using illegal drugs nor am I am addict".

And then a couple weeks later....

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013...marijuana.html

......Mayor Rob Ford says he’s smoked “a lot” of marijuana.
Ford smiled and casually said “oh yeah” when asked by a reporter Wednesday if he has used the drug. Asked how frequently, he said, “I’ve smoked a lot of it.”......

The exact word used was drugs, not narcotics. I should have been more precise in my initial report. It makes a difference - the question was have you ever use illegal drugs. This would include I suppose not just narcotics, but off label use of prescription drugs, i.e. using any prescription medication not specifically prescribed to you.

Legally and semantically the definition of "illegal drugs" is extremely broad.

The question was asked after I had already been interviewed by the US Agent. She came back out and said 'one more thing I forgot to ask: have you ever used illegal drugs?". I answered No. She then pointedly said the "full" answer is "never", which is true in my case.

I've read earlier posts of people being asked about using illegal drugs, but neither me or my wife were asked. Interview was on two separate days with different officers each time. Maybe it depends on the office. Based on the TV show Border Security, your CBSA and probably CBP officers for that matter are a whole different breed. I've had nothing but pleasant experiences with Ontario/Quebec CBSA officers.

Not everyone does:
http://o.canada.com/2013/07/08/cbsa-...t-humiliation/

I hope this helps others as the feedback on here certainly helped me as I went through the Nexus application process--Thanks to all who have posted!

I finally got my Nexus application approved. It was a long wait -- 12 full weeks for conditional approval (applied in late May) and then a 4 month wait for the initially scheduled interview in Montreal, but I found an earlier appointment at the Champlain NY (near VT border) border crossing. Traffic was good through VT and I arrived about 90 minutes early. I figured out where to go and the agents were extremely pleasant and courteous. They asked for information including requesting my driver's license and vehicle registration in addition to the passport and letter, provided me with information about the program, and brought over the Canadian CBSA agents. I asked about iris enrollment, which is not listed as available at land crossings; they have an iris enrollment machine in the Canadian customs building (the interview was in the US CBP building) and they advised me where to go. So after a total of about 45 minutes, I was waiting for about 10 minutes in the regular lane for entry back to the US (remember, I had to cross the border to go to the CBSA building for the optional, and recommended, iris scanning). Now, I'm just waiting for my card to arrive. Overall, the interview process was very pleasant and I learned a lot. Afterwards, I got to drive back through VT, which is always gorgeous.

Best wishes to everyone on their journeys!

Renewal application submitted online: July 28, 2013

Conditional approval received: August 29, 2013

Earliest available appointment at YYZ: December 26, 2013

Nothing has changed in my profile since my original enrollment (other than new passport and driver's license), so I was hoping to avoid an interview for the renewal. Maybe they just want to replace the lousy photo they took last time :p

Right now, AC is not part of the pre-check program.

Nevertheless, I wonder if one can add the trusted traveler number to the AC or Aeroplan file. Can one add it to the on-line reservation, rather than passport information, when traveling to USA?

In my case, I did not do so a few weeks ago when going to HNL USA via YVR.

I came to the SE check-in counter (with my wife and daughter, both of whom also have nexus cards), and the agent told me he could not enter our nexus cards - he needed to use our passports (to swipe the information). For my trouble, I got a SSSS on my boarding pass (I did not realize one can get a secondary check via the SSSS mechanism by CATSA at US preclearance sites, just as one can get that for secondary checks by TSA at US airports). Obviously, my SE status and my nexus/GE status (but the latter not in the AC data base?) help preventing the SSSS status.

Coming back from HNL, the check-in agent did enter my nexus information. He told me that the nexus cards do not have a magnetic stripe, so they could not be swiped. He told me that all AC agents in theory can, if asked, enter the nexus information manually on the computer keyboard, which the agent at YOW did not do so. He did so.

Then another problem came. It took him literally 20 min to enter my nexus card information - the computer would not allow him to enter it. With my wife and with my daughter, it took mere moments to enter their information.

When boarding, the machine (as my boarding pass was scanned) said that documents were required (note - when coming to the HNL waiting area for the AC flight, an agent looks at the passport or nexus cards before you enter the area - you do not show such documentation when you are actually boarding). I had to show my nexus card again, and they still had trouble figuring out what was happening. I did not need to show them my passport.

When seated, the gate agent (shortly before the plane door closed) came and said that there was something wrong with the documentation (again). I showed her the nexus card, and she accepted it.

So, I am wondering why the problem with my nexus card.

Coming to YVR, I have a no iris scan option on my card (they could not scan do an iris scan when I passed my nexus interview); so I had to see the agent (ie I did not get iris scanned by the kiosk), so I do not know if the no iris scan option may have contributed to the problems for me in HNL. (note - my wife and 17 yr old daughter were successfully iris scanned, and were able to use the iris scan at YVR).

Just another data point:

Applied: May 15th
CC Processed: June 7th (Yes, I regret choosing by mail)
Conditional Approval: Aug 23rd
Interview date: Aug 30th
Card will be sent in a few weeks.

It was a quick interview. in and out in 15 mins. Though im beginning to think its not a nexus interview without the ritual of someone complaining about a slow system/network.

The interview center in Detroit was interesting. The CBP officers never really talked to me other than when taking my picture and fingerprints. They treated me like I was not even there. The CBSA officer was really nice. Casually asked me the typical questions. She even noticed that it was the day after my birthday so she sang happy birthday to me. It was an interesting experience to say the least. It has been about 24 hours and GOES shows that the interview is still scheduled. I thought that they approved them more quickly.

The approval should have been virtually immediate and evident on your acount on the GOES web site upon completion of the 2 interviews. One also gets an immediate confirmatory email about the successful interview.