I received several reports from fellow GE travelers that they entered the U.S. using NEXUS lanes and the only thing that the CBP agent said to them was "go ahead," with no questions whatsoever. I was wondering whether they should have said "wait, I have something declare. My car has a leather interior and I have a snickers bar in the center console."

Also, were you referring to entering Canada or entering the U.S.? My sense is that there may be a big difference....

WHTI applies to documents when entering the US. You can enter Canada with just your birth certificate (if you were born in the US).

Surprising that CBSA accepted the GE card.

A U.S. Citizen can enter Canada without any identification at all, according to the page that I quoted from. While the page recommends carrying a birth certificate and ID, it sounds like even they are not required... Given that, it seems sensible that they would accept a WHTI compliant Global Entry card...

NOTE: I see you modified your reply after I quoted it. Sorry! :)

Eh, no sweat off my back. It's their business what they accept.

I would appreciate any insight onto my question about entering the U.S. Have you ever entered the U.S. via the Nexus lane and had the CBP agent simply say "go ahead" without asking you any questions at all??

While not NEXUS specifically, in regular lanes I have had multiple CBP officers simply let me through. Both at land crossings and at the airport. Literally NO words were exchanged by either of us.

If you cross the border enough times, you will encounter all flavours because there are diligent agents and there are apathetic agents, I am sure there are times when the crew is on higher alert than other times, and it is quite possible that we give off unintended "vibes" sometimes and not other times. If you're relying on having no conversation with the agent (as I desperately am, as a deaf person) then you will be disappointed at least some of the time. It is unwise to rely on this, and impossible to predict which day will be your lucky day.

So, I'm still wondering: If you get the apathetic agent who says "move along," but you have a fruit, a vegetable, or some clothes you bought that are under the allowance, do you stop him and say: "Wait, I have something to declare" or do you just say "Thank you" and move on??

P.S. During my latest trip, I noticed that the driver in front of me (a lady with a Canadian license plate) held back before a lane split for several minutes. At first, I wondered why, but I later realized that this person had selected the lane that was processing vehicles the fastest. My wife also noted that this person had picked up a case of beer at the duty free shop before entering in front of us... :)

Once the CBP officer waved me through with a with a big smile and only said "Have a good night!" I was the last car to cross before the NEXUS lane closed for the night.

I'll share an experience I had and my discussion about it with CBSA at YYZ afterwards.

I crossed at one of the not so busy crossings where there is an unmanned booth (they have a speaker box and camera, incase you haven't experienced one). It kind of made the encounter strange. Anyway, he asked the usual questions (how long I was gone for, where we were coming from). He then asked if I had placed a declaration card in the box. I said no, to which he said "You know you must make a verbal declaration". I said "I know", and he said "okay" or something along those lines. The gate opened, and I left.

When I was at YYZ a few days later I told the girl there, and she said even though they didn't specifically ask what I had, I needed to some how fit it into the conversation.

I doubt this post actually helps, so I think it's best to sum it up like this.. It's your responsibility to declare everything even if you're under the allowance and they don't ask. It may feel odd telling them, even if you interrupt them, but it's probably best to cover your behind.

If the agent asks if you have something to declare, declare it. If the agent asks you to move along without asking about declaring goods, then move along.

I thought I would share Mrs. sullim4's adventure in changing her last name.

She originally applied and was approved for NEXUS last year under her maiden name before our marriage. The CBP officer at the Seattle UEC told her that the name change was very simple, just come into the office with the marriage license and they could take care of it.

Fast forward to about two weeks ago. We visit the Seattle UEC on a Friday morning. The female CBP officer on duty looks at us like we are crazy that we can change her name in the office that day without an appointment. I told her the info that my wife was given last year, and asked how she expected us to get an appointment, because it was not a new application and there's no "Name Change" functionality on GOES. She didn't know but kept insisting we needed an appointment.

Another, nicer officer offers to investigate our issue and ends up calling the program administrator in DC. Apparently the rules surrounding name changes were modified around June/July.

Under the old system, they could 'vet' a name change and approve it at the enrollment center. They'd also accept a cash payment for $25 to replace the card. We were told that as of 7/1, CBP requires all vetting to take place in their central office, and they no longer accept any forms of payment at the enrollment center.

So, what did we end up doing? Well, the officer changed her name in GOES immediately, counting the marriage license as sufficient proof of the name change. This was a big win because it allowed her uninterrupted use of PreCheck with her new name.

In order to get the new card, he told her to apply for a "Lost/Stolen" card under GOES and pay the $25 fee online. That would trigger the vetting process and pay for the card. Once it was conditionally approved, call him up (he gave us his office phone) and he'd try to approve without an appointment, since we had already submitted the necessary documentation.

So, she was vetted and conditionally approved last week. She called up today, and had no problem getting it approved. Big, big kudos to the CBP officer that helped us out - it wasn't his fault that this process isn't straightforward at all and he went out of his way to make things as easy as possible.

So I guess my advice to anyone who changed their name would be to re-apply using the lost/stolen card link in GOES, use your updated name on the application, get it conditionally approved, and then make an appointment. That seems to be the 'correct' way to process a name change. Hope this helps!

If you are entering the USA by air you'll be using the "Global Entry" lane (Nexus members are also automatically enrolled in Global Entry).

So if you mean have you entered the USA via Global Entry and not been asked any questions, the answer is yes. (I'm Canadian.)

However, in my experience (mostly at YVR) this has been the exception, not the rule. Usually it's the standard where are you going / what are you doing series of questions.

Wishful thinking. However, I wish one day it happens similar to the way they have it in the European countries ^^

I was wondering if anyone has been harassed for not having their vehicles registered w/ NEXUS. It's been my understanding that NEXUS no longer keeps the information on our owned vehicles, but I was scolded by a CBP officer for not having my info on file. FTR, the only way to add it on GOES is to apply for SENTRI, but I have no intention of taking my vehicle into Mexico (or paying the $42,- fee). Thoughts?