notalk28

Does anybody know what happens when you make a mistake on your application form? I applied for my wife, two kids and myself about a month ago - august 8th. On the application for my son, I made a mistake on his birthday? I put 2015 instead of 2013. There was no way for me to correct this since I didn't realize the error until the next day. I would think they would realize this rather easily since the date my son got his passport is summer of 2013 and that date is on there as well? Anyway, just wondering if they will impact any or all my applications. It has been about a month, I hear people saying it takes a couple of weeks?

thanks

mcdhookup

Per https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...ication-system

jackal

Is there any place that it's documented to be optional?

The page I linked to upthread (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexu...terre-eng.html) is a bit confusing, but it seems to indicate:

Entering Canada:
Canadians: If over exemption, use NEXUS lane and TDC
Americans: May make an oral declaration [if within personal declaration]. No declaration required if within personal exemption. If over personal exemption, must use regular lane.

Entering the US:
Either nationality: May make an oral declaration if within personal exemption. If over personal exemption, must use regular lane.

I don't see an option for Canadian residents to make an oral declaration, but we all know that the online materials often contain conflicting information...

I also think it's crap that US residents must use regular lanes if over the exemption. Clearly, CBSA has the infrastructure to support handling that stuff if they allow Canadian residents to use the NEXUS lanes when over their exemptions, so why not extend that to US residents? (Not to mention the US policy being even worse in not allowing anyone, even their own citizens, to use the NEXUS lane if they are over...)

crimsona

Since I got my nexus card in 2012, I haven't even seen a tdc box at B.C.borders. From my understanding they were actually removed.

I've done land crossings maybe ten to twenty times a year and have verbally declared every single time. I don't even know what a tdc form looks like

Rare

Did you ever "bring goods in excess of your personal exemption entitlement"? If so, what happened?

Finkface

As above, I always do the verbal declaration. I was told this was fine both in my interview and again when I went in to update a document. The guy said if I wanted to use a TDC, I should just keep a couple on hand, but that really no one ever uses them at land crossings. Never even seen a TDC box even if I did want to use it. A couple of weeks ago, I was over my limit. The officer gave me the paper, I went into the office and paid. Exactly the same as if I had used the regular lane with no Nexus.

crimsona

I am Canadian, so our personal entitlement for a day trip under 24 hours is a whopping zero. It's 800 CAD if over 48 hours though

In short, I'm over every time except for the few times we do multi day road trips.

Verbal declaration, either get waived through or sent in to be taxed. Never under 100 CAD, once under 300, more often than not if over 400

I'd expect tobacco and alcohol imports to be taxed more heavily though, I never bring those across on a day trip

laidback71

My passport picture has me with a goatee. I recently grew a beard. I have my interview next week. My beard is not thick, and I maintain it closer to a long stubble. Is this going to cause an issue? Do the pictures need to be similar?

flyerCO

Nope. I had no facial hair in passport picture, and plenty of it by time applied. Nope won't be a problem unless, you've now got the werewolf disease and your whole head is now covered in hair.

laidback71

Only during a full moon! Aaooooooooo!!!

Kiraly

The documentation all says things like "you may use" a TDC or "if you are using" a TDC. Nowhere does it say things like "you must use" or
"you have to use" a TDC. It's not required.

I only bothered with the TDC one time: the first time I crossed back in 2012. Far too much hassle. Verbal declarations are the way to go. Does anyone use the TDC's anymore?

surreycrv

A few years back apparently it was mandatory at land crossings to use a TDC for Nexus while regular lane users would verbally declare. The officer was empowered with discretion about remitting taxes. That wasn't deemed fair to all so they discontinued the paper declaration.

It makes sense, why should a Nexus holder have to pay $5 when a regular lane user gets waved through over $20

tom_qwerty

Hi. Signed up here just to post my NEXUS experience. Sorry if this is the wrong thread. Seemed relevant. Anyway, here's my beginning-to-end (?) experience. (Spoiler alert: It doesn't end well, although it's something I expected.)

I applied back around mid-June for NEXUS. I was conditionally approved ~10 weeks later, in early-Sep. I tried to schedule an interview in Seattle. The earliest interview was on Jan. 7 @ 8 AM, with next one available about a month later. I ended up biting the bullet and driving up to Blaine yesterday.

Long story short, I got rejected a few hours after my interview. The process was about what I expected.

- I showed up 15 min. early for my interview, which was one of the first of the morning. They gave me some info on the program and on border crossings. I gave my passport, driver's license, birth certificate, and invite letter. Despite this, my interview started ~45 min. late. I know somebody was looking at my docs earlier because the clerk mentioned it when I asked her why people who came in after me were getting serviced first.
- When I was finally called, I was interviewed by an American man, with a Canadian woman who listened and chimed in on occasion with questions. The American was leading the questioning.
- The questioning was pretty thorough. Questions included if I had ever been fingerprinted before, why I had traveled to certain countries, details about my jobs, details about my visits to Canada in the previous year, minor details about people I had seen in my travels, minor details about my partner (she had come with me for most of my Canada visits), etc. They also wanted to know if I had any upcoming international travel (I do).
- When I was done, I had to wait another 5-10 min. for somebody to return my docs. When they were returned, the man who had interviewed me looked at me and simply said, "Just be sure to read everything." Despite his questioning (see below), I took it as an implication that I'd get NEXUS. I thanked him and left.
- ~5 hours later, I had my rejection letter. The reason for rejection? "You do not meet the program requirements at this time." I was bummed and am considering my next move but I knew this was a real possibility in my case.

So, here's a little about me, in case anybody stumbles across this and is in a similar situation. In the last five years, I've traveled to multiple countries that can raise eyebrows during questioning: Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia, multiple central African countries, and Iraq, all for tourism purposes. (Yes, you can go to Iraq as a tourist! It's fascinating on many levels, if also frustrating.) I also have a minor arrest (trespassing) from over 10 years ago where I was found innocent. I also, to be blunt, have long hair and do draw a bit of attention from authorities when I travel to other countries, albeit usually to confirm that I really do look like the person in my passport (short hair and no beard). While I know it's still possible to get NEXUS, I knew this could be an uphill battle.

What happened? Short of writing the ombudsman and getting a detailed reply (usually not the case, or so I've heard), I can only speculate. Any or all of the following crossed my mind.

- My appearance. I dressed reasonably, IMO (clean tan shorts and brandless long t-shirt), but it probably does help to do business casual. Not a requirement, obviously, but I'd imagine it helps. That and not having long hair and a long beard, especially when you've been visiting sketchy countries. Anyway, my passport photo shows me with short hair and no beard. I know that alone wasn't the problem, as plenty of people grow more hair and get accepted.
- The countries I visited. It's probably one thing to have gone to, say, Egypt and have that be the only high-interest country. When you're being questioned about 6-7 countries (mostly about your travel companions, if any), you probably need a silver tongue to get away with it. I did offer some paperwork whenever I could to show that everything was on the up-and-up. Hard to say if that helped or hurt. I'm not sure what good an Iraqi government invitation letter in Arabic does when dealing with people at a Canadian border....
- It was 9/11. (I went only because, long story short, it was the most convenient date I'll have for months.) Maybe they decided to be even more hardline?
- One or both of the agents may not have liked my answers. I hate hate hate dealing with authority figures and always get nervous. While I never lied, I tried to omit details whenever I could. They may have picked up on this. That and not being able to answer a couple of questions about an old government job I had. (Hey, it was 15 years ago, and they had me doing meaningless work.) I also stole a page from Henry Rollins. When the American felt the need to remind me that these countries were dangerous, I reminded him that our country isn't exactly a winter wonderland itself. I then said that everything is a calculated risk. Even if he respected what I said, admitting that you take any sort of risk probably isn't a good idea.
- The name of one of the companies I worked for in the past could have military implications, even though it actually doesn't. When I mentioned that I worked on software, the matter was dropped. (I'm guessing somebody looked up the company at some point.)
- Having an arrest on your record, even if it's relatively minor and has nothing to do with drugs (including alcohol), never helps. I tried to play coy when questioned - I was found innocent, after all - but the American insisted on getting more detail. So, I did my best to give a case overview without admitting guilt. I have no idea if that helped or hurt. I also have no idea if I could've played dumb and gotten away with it. (This was a state charge.) I'm not brave/crazy enough to try, though. In any event, if you're about to apply and have an arrest on your record, even if you've gotten it expunged at the state/local level, be honest. Getting it expunged from the NCIC is, AFAIK, an expensive and time-consuming task, and you'd still be lying if you said you had never been arrested.
- Maybe the Canadian voted for denial? The lady only asked a couple of questions about Canada but she had a slightly concerned look on her face the entire time. I tried to charm her a bit - she mentioned reading details, and I talked about some I had read - but that obviously didn't do the trick.
- Now that I think about it, CBP did search my car ~15 years ago when I was coming back from Canada. They found nothing other than a prank costume and let me go. Still, I wonder if that had anything to do with the rejection. Probably not, and I can't think of any place on the application where that would've gone, but still.... (Besides, if they really are rejecting people because they forgot to declare an apple, who knows if I brought back something minor that set them off.)

That's basically my story. I'm sure I left out some details. C'est la vie. If anybody has any ideas on how I should proceed, I'd love to hear them. Ideally, I'd love to appeal and get NEXUS. (I've heard lawyers can help, although that obviously costs $$$.) Realistically, I'd settle for just getting more detailed info regarding my rejection. Is this something that will pass in time? Should I never bother to apply again for any trusted traveler program?

Thanks.

essxjay

Welcome to Flertalk, tom_qwerty.

TonyLuke

Email addy for the Canadian side of the Champlain Nexus operation

LaColle is where you go for the iris scan after the Champlain interview