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-   -   Archived: The NEXUS Information Thread (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trusted-travelers/760859-archived-nexus-information-thread.html)

oblender Oct 19, 2014 6:51 pm


Originally Posted by FinsToTheLeft (Post 23587716)
The problem I have is that even the CBSA web site says that you only need to update GOES:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexu...nnees-eng.html

" NEXUS members can access the.Global Online Enrollment System.(GOES) to update address changes and passport information that is already on file."

What does that even mean? Can I only update the passport that I already have? I asked this specific question when I was at YYZ in August when we renewed my daughter's card and they told me that they "preferred" to see the new passport.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why they can't get this information straight.

You need to visit the nexus office to update your info. Was told today at Pearson airport that passport info needs to be updated in person. If your passport is expired you'll need to update it before you can use nexus again.

FinsToTheLeft Oct 19, 2014 8:09 pm


Originally Posted by oblender (Post 23702825)
You need to visit the nexus office to update your info. Was told today at Pearson airport that passport info needs to be updated in person. If your passport is expired you'll need to update it before you can use nexus again.

As I mentioned, that was the discussion I had with the CBSA rep, but my question remains. Why is there so much incomplete, constantly changing, and contradictory information about this program? When you can't believe their own website what are mere mortals supposed to do?

Absolute Oct 19, 2014 8:19 pm


Originally Posted by oblender (Post 23702825)
You need to visit the nexus office to update your info. Was told today at Pearson airport that passport info needs to be updated in person. If your passport is expired you'll need to update it before you can use nexus again.

Although you do have to update the passport in person, it won't prevent you from using NEXUS if you only update GOES and don't go in person.

I was one of those who only did the online change, changed my passport, and 3 years later was told I'd been out of compliance because the Canadian system had reflected me as having an expired passport.

How did I find that out? Never at a NEXUS machine or even a land crossing, where a flag was never raised, but when I left my passport at YYZ security, and had to go into their office to pick it up.

jerryhung Oct 19, 2014 9:08 pm

Not sure if this has happened to anyone

I crossed Fort Erie/Peace Bridge into Buffalo, gave 4 NEXUS cards to officer
USA officer only gave me 2 back and I didn't pay attention until I was on the highway already and too late to return (walk to the booth to ask? that sounds weird too)

What would happen in this case?
- Would they find the NEXUS cards, look up the ID/owner and mail them back to me (I live in Canada)?

- Should I call NEXUS office to ask? I plan to do this once I return to Canada

- Do I submit a LOSS card replacement? Is it $25 or free?

In future I'll remember to always count # of documents (this is the 1st time it ever happened to me, at least I'm thankful it's not the passport or PR card missing)

Absolute Oct 19, 2014 10:01 pm


Originally Posted by jerryhung (Post 23703216)
Not sure if this has happened to anyone

What would happen in this case?
- Would they find the NEXUS cards, look up the ID/owner and mail them back to me (I live in Canada)?

- Should I call NEXUS office to ask? I plan to do this once I return to Canada

I'll speak from my experience of leaving my card at the YYZ domestic security checkpoint.

Around 4 days later (while I was still convinced I hard my card somewhere in my bags) I received a call from the NEXUS office at YYZ, stating that they had the card, and I could come in and pick it up any time - or if I'd paid for a new card, to simply let them know to dispose of it.

Went into the office two weeks later (I'm in YOW, and they refused to mail it or send it to the YOW office) when it opened, and they had a binder with my card (and around 10+ other cards) in it. Took my passport and other documents to prove it was me, and handed it back to me.

If you're crossing back over at the same place, I would recommend that you go into the NEXUS office and mention what happened - chances are they have the cards on file, and hopefully you'll have both the two missing people and their IDs with you to collect them. Doesn't hurt to call them either, but I would do it now while you're in the US to simplify it.

gomibako Oct 19, 2014 10:11 pm


Originally Posted by hazcaddy (Post 23694105)
If you're going to take a cab, you better tip big ($10) - the cabbie will have been lining up for a long time and is expecting a $60+ fare into the City, not a $6 fare down the side of the airport... :rolleyes:

I had an interview last week at that location, it's nowhere near as close to the airport as the map (both the one they hand out at Pearson and Google Maps) makes it look.

The taxi fare from the temporary enrollment center back to Terminal 1 was around $12 or so, if I remember correctly.

(Either way, most Toronto taxis start with a base fare of close to $5 plus with taxes it's almost impossible to take it to a close enough destination to total below $10)

btw, has anyone crossed the border into buffalo with Nexus and/or Global Entry by Greyhound bus?

It's been a few years since I've crossed on the Greyhound, I remember signs for Nexus at the building where passengers all unboard and line up to get questioned -- if they have separate lines for Nexus/GE now, they didn't last time I crossed by bus as far as I recall.

Is there a separate line or, at the least, do they usually notice (via your passport) that you're in GE and just not go through the usual questioning?

Kiraly Oct 20, 2014 6:54 am


Originally Posted by oblender (Post 23702825)
You need to visit the nexus office to update your info. Was told today at Pearson airport that passport info needs to be updated in person. If your passport is expired you'll need to update it before you can use nexus again.

Funny how none of the published NEXUS program rules and guidelines say any such thing. The published guidelines all say we can use GOES to update our passports without a visit to an enrollment centre.

What's more, the guidelines don't say anything at all about having to renew passports to maintain eligibility in NEXUS.

I don't believe for a minute that updates we make in GOES do not or cannot reach CBSA. We apply through GOES, and CBSA gets all of that info.

The huge disconnect between what CBSA agents on the ground are saying compared to what the published guidelines say is really troubling, especially since people seem to be having NEXUS revoked for following the published guidelines. Has anyone written to minister Blaney about this?

emcampbe Oct 20, 2014 8:25 am


Originally Posted by gomibako (Post 23703375)
btw, has anyone crossed the border into buffalo with Nexus and/or Global Entry by Greyhound bus?

It's been a few years since I've crossed on the Greyhound, I remember signs for Nexus at the building where passengers all unboard and line up to get questioned -- if they have separate lines for Nexus/GE now, they didn't last time I crossed by bus as far as I recall.

Is there a separate line or, at the least, do they usually notice (via your passport) that you're in GE and just not go through the usual questioning?

It's been several years, but I have (well, it was on MegaBus, but same difference). In fact, I left my protective cover there some years ago (have since renewed, so have a new one now).

No Nexus privileges per say when I did it - no special line. Just showed it as my form of ID, which is valid on its own as a WHTI-compliant document by land, got asked relatively normal border-crossing questions, and was on my way.


Originally Posted by Kiraly (Post 23704486)
What's more, the guidelines don't say anything at all about having to renew passports to maintain eligibility in NEXUS.

I don't believe for a minute that updates we make in GOES do not or cannot reach CBSA. We apply through GOES, and CBSA gets all of that info.

The huge disconnect between what CBSA agents on the ground are saying compared to what the published guidelines say is really troubling, especially since people seem to be having NEXUS revoked for following the published guidelines. Has anyone written to minister Blaney about this?

I don't think anyone has argued that you need to renew your passports to maintain eligibility in NEXUS per say, but unless you are crossing by land only, you have to. Must have a passport if using via air.

GOES is a US system. Not sure how the info. gets passed back and forth to Canada - I imagine there's a process that is done when it is an application and its not done for an update. I do know that everytime I have talked to a Canadian officer, and I have talked to quite a few - I have gotten a consistent answer that it is required to bring it into an office and the info. updates in GOES does not go to the Canadian side. Given it is consistent, and matches the reports on here - I'm not taking chances - update at the office. It takes a few minutes every several years - not worth losing my Nexus over. You can choose to believe what you want, but to me, a small sacrifice (if it can even be called that) is worth the time to maintain my status in this program. Period.

xero9 Oct 20, 2014 10:46 am


Originally Posted by emcampbe (Post 23704905)
GOES is a US system. Not sure how the info. gets passed back and forth to Canada - I imagine there's a process that is done when it is an application and its not done for an update. I do know that everytime I have talked to a Canadian officer, and I have talked to quite a few - I have gotten a consistent answer that it is required to bring it into an office and the info. updates in GOES does not go to the Canadian side. Given it is consistent, and matches the reports on here - I'm not taking chances - update at the office. It takes a few minutes every several years - not worth losing my Nexus over. You can choose to believe what you want, but to me, a small sacrifice (if it can even be called that) is worth the time to maintain my status in this program. Period.

Just to add to this.. I submitted my application through GOES, and more than a year later I was in the NEXUS office to add a new passport to my file, and the Canadian officer informed me they didn't have any passport information on file. So even during that initial application process, there must be someone manually entering stuff into the CBSA system.

And I kid you not, even though the CBSA and CBP person were literally sitting right beside each other, and the CBP guy confirmed they had my passport information, the CBSA lady couldn't just copy the info off his screen. I had to make yet another trip back so they could physically see my US passport.

To clarify, I applied originally with a US passport and didn't have a Canadian one. During this visit, I was adding my newly acquired Canadian passport and didn't have my US one on me as I wasn't travelling and didn't expect to need it.

Absolute Oct 20, 2014 12:14 pm


Originally Posted by Kiraly (Post 23704486)
Funny how none of the published NEXUS program rules and guidelines say any such thing. The published guidelines all say we can use GOES to update our passports without a visit to an enrollment centre.

What's more, the guidelines don't say anything at all about having to renew passports to maintain eligibility in NEXUS.

Just a few posts about this, as it comes up every few months:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trust...l#post23193850 (The two posts below each other)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trust...l#post23204964

It mainly states that we can update the information of existing documents online, but it is a US system. Data is shared during the application phase, but privacy laws prohibit them from sharing the "sensitive data" afterwards.

The point was made to me that despite what the website says, when we applied for NEXUS in person at our interview, we agreed that we would always visit a NEXUS office when documents are updated.

The agent (who told me of my violation) pulled out the sheet, and ran a highlighter across that line, asking why I violated the terms I agreed to. Not an enjoyable experience.


Originally Posted by xero9 (Post 23705740)
Just to add to this.. I submitted my application through GOES, and more than a year later I was in the NEXUS office to add a new passport to my file, and the Canadian officer informed me they didn't have any passport information on file. So even during that initial application process, there must be someone manually entering stuff into the CBSA system.

Quick question - did you visit a NEXUS office for your interview? I've always noticed myself that you start at the US desk, hand over all your documents, etc., and then do the exact same at the Canadian desk. As you mentioned, no sharing of details, and neither officer ever looks at the other's screen, or takes data off of it. Also emphasizes that the US probably doesn't share much with Canada, even during the initial application process.

If you go for an ABTC interview, there is a third computer they need to use for it with a signature pad and yet another system, not connected to the CBP or CBSA systems - but it is only usable by the CBP agent.

Kiraly Oct 20, 2014 6:55 pm


Originally Posted by emcampbe (Post 23704905)
II don't think anyone has argued that you need to renew your passports to maintain eligibility in NEXUS per say, but unless you are crossing by land only, you have to. Must have a passport if using via air.

There is conflicting information even about that. The Both the CBP and CBSA say that the NEXUS card is valid in lieu of a passport when traveling between the two countries - yes - by air.


GOES is a US system. Not sure how the info. gets passed back and forth to Canada - I imagine there's a process that is done when it is an application and its not done for an update.
If that's what's happening, then it's broken, since CBSA says updating through GOES is sufficient.


I do know that everytime I have talked to a Canadian officer, and I have talked to quite a few - I have gotten a consistent answer that it is required to bring it into an office and the info. updates in GOES does not go to the Canadian side. Given it is consistent, and matches the reports on here - I'm not taking chances - update at the office. It takes a few minutes every several years - not worth losing my Nexus over. You can choose to believe what you want, but to me, a small sacrifice (if it can even be called that) is worth the time to maintain my status in this program. Period.
Yes, I do understand all of that and do visit the office to update my passport.

My point is, though, that the published guidelines say something that appears to be entirely false. I'm quite sure that the vast majority of NEXUS users do not read this thread, and are unaware that visiting a NEXUS office in person seems to be required. I worry about the NEXUS users who find their card revoked for failing to follow some unwritten rule that is not in any official documentation.

xero9 Oct 21, 2014 6:48 am


Originally Posted by Absolute (Post 23706276)
Quick question - did you visit a NEXUS office for your interview? I've always noticed myself that you start at the US desk, hand over all your documents, etc., and then do the exact same at the Canadian desk. As you mentioned, no sharing of details, and neither officer ever looks at the other's screen, or takes data off of it. Also emphasizes that the US probably doesn't share much with Canada, even during the initial application process.

If you go for an ABTC interview, there is a third computer they need to use for it with a signature pad and yet another system, not connected to the CBP or CBSA systems - but it is only usable by the CBP agent.

I did, this was at YYZ. Interesting, my process was reversed. First spoke to the Canadian person, then down to the end of the counter for the US guy.

Curious if residency makes a difference on the order? FWIW, NEXUS considers me American, but a Canadian resident.

jerryhung Oct 21, 2014 8:26 am

so about my missing 2 NEXUS cards (officer gave me 2 out of 4 cards back)

On my way back to Canada, I stopped by Fort Erie USA office (Lost & Found) but they don't have it either

Now to call NEXUS office later and hope I don't have to drive down to get them @@

joseagc Oct 21, 2014 9:45 am

Hi all,

I flew to IAH last week from YYZ and when I tried to use GE, first machine said I am not enrolled on it. Then tried in a second machine, and it said "Mexicans have to use their Visa or Mexican passport". I was born in Mexico but I was using my Canadian passport. Not sure what happened here!

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
JAG

dustman81 Oct 21, 2014 10:09 am


Originally Posted by joseagc (Post 23711111)
Hi all,

I flew to IAH last week from YYZ and when I tried to use GE, first machine said I am not enrolled on it. Then tried in a second machine, and it said "Mexicans have to use their Visa or Mexican passport". I was born in Mexico but I was using my Canadian passport. Not sure what happened here!

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
JAG

Is your Canadian passport on file in GOES?


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