FlyerTalk Forums - Archived: The NEXUS Information Thread

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieRunner (Post 24852111)

I ran into a real cluster when trying to update my new Passport to my Nexus card.

I went online and updated the new Passport into GOES. Done. Called NEXUS and they told me I must come in as well to show the new Passport and to have it Scanned in. I then flew to Detroit to stop in and do this in person at the Ambassador Bridge. I called them and asked for specific directions to THAT Nexus location because I was not familiar with it. The Officer asked me where I was coming from. I said the Detroit Metro Airport. He stated (paraphrasing but VERY close to this);

"You don't have to come to the bridge. Just go to the Global Entry (GE) office at the Detroit Metro Airport. They will take your new passport and scan it in there." I said, "Great, I'm here. I'll get it done immediately."

Went to the GE office at the Detroit Metro Airport, gave the greeting officer my documents, and waited. Finally another officer came out to talk to me. He said he had NO CLUE what I was doing there and didn't know what I wanted him to do. I told him that I called Nexus at the Ambassador Bridge and they directed me to the Detroit Metro GE office so that they could SCAN IN my new Passport.

The officer at GE told me that there was no need. He said that when I went online at GOES and put in my new Passport Number, it automatically ported a scanned copy to my profile. THIS IS WHAT HE TOLD ME. I said, "But the Nexus officer told me it was not. Can you please check again."

He stated that he did check and it WAS in there and that someone was misinformed and that you do not need to report to an office with a new Passport. We went round and round on this with me insisting that Nexus told me I MUST go there. He kept stating my Global Entry was fine, and I kept saying, "That May Be, but is my NEXUS BORDER CROSSING FINE?" He kept saying yes. He told me everything was in my profile ALREADY from my online GOES account and that there was NOTHING more he could do for me. I finally left.

Decided to call Nexus Ambassador Bridge one more time and got the same officer on the phone. He was aghast. He told me specifically that the GE officer was WRONG and that someone somewhere must have scanned in my passport because it was in there. I assured him that no one had scanned in my new Passport. Told him the GE officer stated it was already in there from GOES online by putting my new passport number in.

He said I was set, but asked me for my new drivers license expiration date to update that. I gave it to him and I'm done.

What it seems to me is that One hand does NOT QUITE know what the other hand is doing. No one scanned in my new Passport but it is showing on Nexus. I asked the Nexus officer if he was then SURE I was OK with the Canadians as well and he assured me I was, and that my Nexus was good until my Drivers License or Passport or Nexus Card expired.

What a red tape cluster.

I guess the simple answer is, when in doubt GO TO NEXUS and ONLY NEXUS. I have a feeling that Global Entry officers may not know the real scoop on Nexus requirements, and I also think that perhaps now GOES does port your actual new Passport TO Global Entry/NEXUS when you update your online account with your new Passport number. My new Passport was just issued in March so perhaps this new "Crosstalk" between agencies in rather new? I'm shooting darts at a board here.

Just letting you know what happened on my end. I'm not making this stuff up. Why would I? I personally think that it's simply large governmental implementation combined with four agencies (GOES, Global Entry, NEXUS American, NEXUS Canadian) that causes confusion among officers. There is not quite enough standardization yet between GOES, Global Entry and NEXUS. I think over the next five years or so we'll see more automation and better information flowing between agencies.

At least, I hope so.

It's unfortunate that there was this confusion. However, its in several places in this thread. Updating GOES updates the US side only. The Canadians use different system and computer, and so updating online doesn't update them. Which is why they always tell you to do it in person (and they always photocopy it at the office).

This explains why the GE office said everything was done - to them, it was. The Canadians don't have the updates until you show up to the office.

On the other hand, its definitely a PITA that they don't share info. given its a joint border program. However, its likely because of privacy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yul_voyager (Post 24889312)

In YUL, each time I've used nexus, the only thing the American agent said was "Could I see your passport" and "Have a good day"...

You're pretty fortunate. My experiences with Nexus at YUL have mirrored gglave's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by emcampbe (Post 24889863)

This seems to no longer be an issue, though as noted upthread not all enrollment center staff may have been informed.

The CBSA's website for NEXUS members has been updated recently (see my earlier comment on this thread) and now says it's no longer necessary to visit in person to update passport information. I suspect they have worked out the previous issues with information sharing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by emcampbe (Post 24889863)

On the other hand, its definitely a PITA that they don't share info. given its a joint border program. However, its likely because of privacy.

It's more likely because of a computer glitch, not privacy. When we originally apply we apply through GOES, and CBSA gets all of that information. Then when we update our passport info on GOES, CBSA doesn't get that update because of privacy? That can't be right. It is far more likely that some software designer forgot to do something; especially since CBSA has always said that updating passport information in GOES is all that is necessary.

Now that CBSA has updated its information page stating specifically that a visit to an enrollment centre up update passport information is not necessary, it does seem that the software glitch has been resolved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiraly (Post 24892380)

Many many pages ago I shared the story about how I enrolled when I only had a US passport through GOES. Went in for the enrolment interview with documents in hand. Everything should be fine, right? Wrong!

A year later I went in to add my Canadian passport and the CBSA person tells me they don't have any passports on file for me. I explained this should have been done in the first place, and if they could simply take the info from the CBP computer directly beside them. Their answer was a firm "no, we need to need it".

There may have been some broken link between the two systems, but there seemed to be some broken policy on how the joint program is/was run.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiraly (Post 24892380)

It wouldn't surprise me if during the application phase, CBP looks at the user's profile in GOES and prints a hardcopy for CBSA to review. From what I have seen on multiple visits to the Nexus office to update my docs, CBSA has no access to any part of GOES. Two examples:

Recently, when I went to the Nexus office to correct a few mistakes on my profile, the CBSA officer had to call over a CBP officer before she was able to do anything. They did everything in parallel, comparing information on two different computer screens.

On other occasions, whenever I have updated documentation in person, the officer for one agency will update the information in their system, make a photocopy of the doc, and give the photocopy to the officer from the other agency. It always seems like things need to be entered twice.

Of course, if something has changed in the last few months and they can now share passport info electronically, that would be great. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by clearly (Post 24875012)

Does anyone else find that going through nexus/global entry into the U.S. Is the same exact experience as going through normally? At least at YOW this has been my experience every time I've gone through, other than having a shorter line.

Just curious. Going into canada has always been great.

Absolutely not the same experience. Try flying transborder on a Sunday evening at YYZ, and ask any of the people in the long, regular pre-clearance lines, or those at the AC customer service desk just after being re-booked because they didn't give themselves enough time to get through CBP. I bet they realize its a lot worse for them.

YYZ, you used to get the receipt at the kiosk, and just hand it in where everyone else hands in their customs card. Now, you have to show the booth your receipt - unless I get an X though, I've never been stopped for any questions, in fact, just holding it up as I go by seems to be sufficient. Event when I got an "X", for declaring food, I was asked what I had, and sent on my way about 10 seconds later. I don't even think they asked for a passport.

Quote:

Originally Posted by clearly (Post 24875012)

Does anyone else find that going through nexus/global entry into the U.S. Is the same exact experience as going through normally?

As I've said upthread, as a Canadian at YVR, the answer is yes.

The primary advantage is the GE queues tend to be shorter than the non-GE queue.

Other than that, the same.

Quick data point: it took 4 weeks for my infant son's application to be conditionally accepted. First available interview at YUL is in July.

NEXUS approved - process update

Applied: late 12/14 or early 1/15.
Conditional approval: 1/15.

Interview date changed multiple times for various reasons. Because it never quite fit, I finally gave up on my plans to make a short mini-vacation to Vancouver for the interview, and scheduled at Blaine instead.

As it's a 5+ hour drive from Portland, I scheduled for 1700 on a Sunday to give myself plenty of time to eventually make it out of the house and avoid most traffic.

I arrived at 1445, and asked if they could take me early. At 1505 I walked out the door, done. At 15:21, I received a status update email from GOES - approved.

Item of note: The CBSA agent suggested that at some point I stop by a NEXUS office with my birth certificate. She said that the birth certificate is proof of citizenship, and never expires. With that on file, an expired passport (for instance when the new passport hasn't yet been entered in CBSA systems) won't be in violation, as they'll *always* have valid proof of citizenship.

First, I searched this thread a lot and read every post about activation.

So here is my situation/question:

My SO and I got Nexus in 2011 to save $50 pp vs the cost of Global Entry. She has used GE extensively, but she has never used a land border crossing with NEXUS card.

1) When she hits the GOES home page without logging in she doesn't see the the activate link that is shown in the GOES Help pages. Instead the Activate "box" says "You must sign in to activate your card. If you do not have a GOES User ID, please register. During registration you must provide your PASSID/Membership Number. After you sign in, click on the Activate Membership Card button under the Program Membership(s) section on the Home page."

2) When she logs in and manages her existing membership there is not an activate link on the main page or the manage area either.

3) She can't remember if she activated already, but she is worried about having trouble at the border.

4) Her activation worry stems from my recent experience using NEXUS the first time coming from Canada into the US border. I found out my Nexus card (obtained at same time) was not activated because the CBP detained me at the crossing. I had to wait for over an hour in line and then they just said "you were supposed to activate this card when you got it 4 years ago". I was surprised as I didn't recall them telling us to do that. I have used NEXUS one more time since then without issue.

Is there anyway to know the card you have is activated without the cranky Men In Black detaining you from the Nexus lane the first time if you missed the original 30 day window?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BallardFlyer (Post 24903802)

Is there anyway to know the card you have is activated without the cranky Men In Black detaining you from the Nexus lane the first time if you missed the original 30 day window?

I think the only ways you're going to know for sure is to either call the NEXUS number, phone/visit an enrollment center, or attempt to cross with the card. Obviously I can't say for certain, but if you didn't think you needed to activate your card then it's very likely she didn't activate her card.

I'd say call. I don't believe there is any way anyone on here can help. The link is probably visible for 30 days within the account and outside of that window it's not available.

Best of luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xero9 (Post 24911974)

Thanks xero9. She called the goes web support and they said she was activated. We will know for sure on Monday I guess.

Just as an FYI, the "activate" link doesn't really stand out. It's right underneath the "::Program Membership::" on the main page when signed in. Do NOT click on "Manage Membership".

Here's a mockup - the font and possibly wording is off for the activate card link, as I'm working from memory, but the location is correct.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/417/18...f8fd12a2_z.jpg[

Renewal Conditionally Approved - Interview?

My wife and I recently completed our renewal applications for NEXUS and were conditionally approved over the weekend. I didn't realize we had to go for an interview; we live in New Orleans and have no plans to be in Canada (or near any of the other interview locations) any time soon. Do we need to complete this interview within a specific time period (we are already registered on GOES and they have all the information requested for the interview)? Any suggestions on how to clear this step in the least painful way? Thanks all!