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Archived: The NEXUS Information Thread

Old Mar 3, 2013, 10:24 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: TWA884
Current NEXUS Information messages can be found in the following thread:

The NEXUS Information Thread



Welcome to the Travel Safety/Security Trusted Travelers Forum Nexus Information Wiki! This resource will appear at the top of every page within this thread to help users learn more about this program.

About NEXUS

NEXUS is designed to expedite the border clearance process for low-risk, pre-approved travellers into Canada and the United States.

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) are cooperating in this joint venture to simplify border crossing for members while enhancing security.

Program benefits

If you are approved to participate in NEXUS, you will receive a membership identification card to use when entering Canada or the United States at all designated NEXUS air, land and marine ports of entry.

Membership will enable airline passengers to save time by:
  • using automated self-serve kiosks in dedicated areas at designated international airports;
  • using NEXUS/SENTRI lanes at land crossings when/where available. NEXUS lanes entering Canada will likely have a constant red traffic signal. This is to discourage non-NEXUS members from using the lane. Canada-bound NEXUS land crossing operating hours. All occupants must have NEXUS cards when using NEXUS lane entering Canada. At some locations, the NEXUS lane, the inspection booth is not staffed but there should be a call button. When entering US in a NEXUS/SENTRI lane, all occupants must carry either NEXUS, Global Entry, or SENTRI cards (or any combination thereof). Notable exception is Whirlpool Bridge which requires a NEXUS card to open the toll gate on the Canadian side to cross to the US..
  • As of 17 MAY 2017 - NEXUS members no longer need to complete a paper CBSA Declaration Card (Form E311) when using a NEXUS self-serve kiosk at any Canadian airport where NEXUS is available. (Refer to post #10421)
  • using the Trusted Traveller Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) Security Line at major and select medium-sized Canadian airports to expedite airport pre boarding security screening. For detailed information, please visit the CATSA Web site.

Join NEXUS

Here are the steps for becoming a member. There is a non-refundable processing fee of CAN$50 or US$50 per applicant for a five-year membership card.

About NEXUS
Eligibility
How to apply
Enrolment process


Key points about the program as found by forum members:
  • NEXUS cardholders must advise of ANY changes to their vital information such as passport numbers/validity, visa status, legal names, primary residence, criminal convictions, and employment if it impacts your eligibility in the program.
  • It's normal to find the first in-person NEXUS interview to be months into the future, but a little patience and regular checks on the TTP website almost always yields an interview date much sooner.
  • Each person who wants to participate in the NEXUS program must fill out a separate application form. There is no fee for applicants under the age of 18.
  • If traveling with non-NEXUS family members NEXUS cardholders are required to use the regular customs lines.
  • There is a zero tolerance policy and membership can be terminated for infractions including not having your NEXUS card on you and using the NEXUS lane and not declaring items on your customs declaration card, though members have reported some leniency being granted for such infractions in the past.
  • Private companies may offer services for submitting your application and charge an additional processing fee but these extra charges are not part of the official NEXUS application fee. Expedited services offered by such companies will not assist in speeding up the application process.


Updating Passport with Canada for NEXUS

As per CBSA website, updates to passport information can be handled on TTP.
Please note that NEXUS members are not required to report to an Enrolment Centre to update or change their passport information with the CBSA.
This is supported by data points in post 11122 and 11132.

Some FT members don't trust instructions provided by CBSA and recommend the following:
Call the Canadian Processing Centre with responsibility for residents of the United States:
  • 800-842-7647 --- Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (Eastern Time)

After going through the phone tree to reach a Nexus representative, advise them that you need to update your US passport with Canada.

The representative will give you an email address and instructions to scan your updated passport picture page (include your trusted traveler number on the scan) and then email it to a particular email address. I was advised to put the representative's name in the email message so that he could process the update on the Canadian side. He confirmed that any passport update in TTP does not reach Canada. NOTE: FT members have been able to enter Canada without any issues by updating passport online only.

He specifically requested that only the telephone number be posted (and not the email address).

In case the telephone number doesn't work, here's the webpage where the phone number is posted: Canada Border Services Agency - NEXUS - General Information
Note:

US citizens/residents who have both Global Entry and NEXUS cards and who renew the Global Entry membership whilst their NEXUS card is active, will not be able to renew the NEXUS card until after it expires. The option to do so disappears from the TTP website.
Dear mxzblftspk,

Your NEXUS membership is not set to expire until July 11 2016.

As an approved NEXUS member, you added Global Entry for an additional $100. When you completed your Global Entry application, you received a Global Entry card. When you activated the Global Entry Card, your NEXUS Card was deactivated and the option to renew NEXUS was removed from your account.

If you wish to renew NEXUS, you will have to wait for your NEXUS membership to expire. Once it expires, you will have the option within your TTP online account to renew NEXUS. After you follow all of the steps to become a NEXUS member again, including the completion of an interview at a NEXUS Enrollment Center near the Canadian border, you will receive a new NEXUS card and will have Global Entry benefits at no additional cost.

When your Global Entry account expires 5 years after your application, do not renew it. Global Entry benefits are included with your NEXUS membership.

It is our goal to provide you the best information we have in response to your question. If you follow the information provided in our response, and still need assistance, please reply to this email and we will investigate how we may further assist you.

Thank you again for contacting the CBP INFO Center.

Sincerely,

CBP INFO Center
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Archived: The NEXUS Information Thread

Old Jun 5, 2017, 11:15 am
  #10441  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: LAS/GRU/DUB
Programs: Amex, JPMR, Nexus
Posts: 365
Originally Posted by bt_yyz
I am a Canadian citizen with NEXUS and I'll be travelling to the US in the next couple days. However, I am applying for a visa (foreign country, not US) so I plan to travel WITHOUT my Canadian passport.

From YYZ, I will fly UA and then 3 other domestic US flights on UA (I guess I could use a drivers lic, or NEXUS), and then AC to fly back to Canada.
Is this an issue with airline GAs? It appears that CBP and CBSA are fine for using NEXUS as ID, proof of citizenship, entry document, etc. But a bunch of other forum threads have mentioned problems with GAs.

Should I have any concerns? Otherwise I will have to bring my passport and pay extra for rush/expedited visa application.
Both UA GA and CBP will probably ask you for a passport on the way to the US.

Last edited by greglvnv; Jun 5, 2017 at 4:06 pm
greglvnv is offline  
Old Jun 5, 2017, 2:13 pm
  #10442  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,620
CBP at YUL have been consistently asking for passport despite me using NEXUS card for the kiosk. Since I always bring my passport anyway, I never tried telling them I only have NEXUS card on me.
seawolf is offline  
Old Jun 5, 2017, 3:40 pm
  #10443  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL PM 1MM
Posts: 3,437
Originally Posted by bt_yyz
I am a Canadian citizen with NEXUS and I'll be travelling to the US in the next couple days. However, I am applying for a visa (foreign country, not US) so I plan to travel WITHOUT my Canadian passport.

From YYZ, I will fly UA and then 3 other domestic US flights on UA (I guess I could use a drivers lic, or NEXUS), and then AC to fly back to Canada.
Is this an issue with airline GAs? It appears that CBP and CBSA are fine for using NEXUS as ID, proof of citizenship, entry document, etc. But a bunch of other forum threads have mentioned problems with GAs.

Should I have any concerns? Otherwise I will have to bring my passport and pay extra for rush/expedited visa application.
Originally Posted by greglvnv
Both UA GA and CBP will probably ask you go for a passport on the way to the US.
Originally Posted by seawolf
CBP at YUL have been consistently asking for passport despite me using NEXUS card for the kiosk. Since I always bring my passport anyway, I never tried telling them I only have NEXUS card on me.
When weighing your options, consider:

- The cost of rush/expedited service for a visa application
vs
- The cost (dollars / time) of missing flight(s) due to insufficient documentation

It is entirely the responsibility of the traveler to carry correct travel documents. If a GA/TA denies boarding because you don't have a passport, that's on you, not on the airline. You might well be right, but you will be at least out of time if not money due to the disagreement.

Yes, it might work to travel CA->US->CA by air just with Nexus card.

I wouldn't do it. For me, the downside risk of possible disrupted travel plans is simply too high.
mnbp is offline  
Old Jun 5, 2017, 10:15 pm
  #10444  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,854
Originally Posted by bt_yyz
I am a Canadian citizen with NEXUS and I'll be travelling to the US in the next couple days. However, I am applying for a visa (foreign country, not US) so I plan to travel WITHOUT my Canadian passport.

From YYZ, I will fly UA and then 3 other domestic US flights on UA (I guess I could use a drivers lic, or NEXUS), and then AC to fly back to Canada.
Is this an issue with airline GAs? It appears that CBP and CBSA are fine for using NEXUS as ID, proof of citizenship, entry document, etc. But a bunch of other forum threads have mentioned problems with GAs.

Should I have any concerns? Otherwise I will have to bring my passport and pay extra for rush/expedited visa application.
Haven't tried in a while, but IME, UA agents will not accept Nexus card for ID at check in or boarding..they'll ask for your passport, and won't check you in without one. At minimum, it will likely be a fight for it, so if you try it, give yourself well more extra time then normal. Don't forget...you'll need to show it at both check in (unless you are checking in online and don't have any bags...if you don't have your passport on file in the 'system' on UA, you won't be able to check in online anyway since you'll need to scan your passport when checking in on the app, or you won't be able to complete it) and at boarding...so you'll need to convince two different people.

Personally...its not worth that kind of fight for me. And that doesn't even mention CBP. In the last two years, I travel with a child who is also GE, but even though we all use the kiosk, with kid getting the X, and having to go to an agent, a lot of the time, the agent asks for our passports also. Prior to that, of the times I've been sent to secondary (either due to declaration or random), I'd say about 50% of the time, I was asked for Nexus card only, and the other 50%, specifically asked for passport...I don't know what agents would say if I didn't have one, and to be quite honest, I'm never going to find out.

IMO, much better to travel around getting a visa. In best case, yes, you can get through. But there is risk. If you get asked, best case is UA denies you check in/boarding before you leave, as it would preempt potentially worse scenarios. For example - they accept it for travel into the US, but AC doesn't accept it for your return (though I'd think this scenario is most unlikely - IME, AC is better about accepting Nexus only for travel, though still not perfect). Of course, also possible, and worst case, is that you get sent to an agent at US CBP (or on your return with CBSA), get asked for it, tell them you don't have it, and get NEXUS revoked. Certainly possible.

It's all up to your risk tolerance - like I said, I would never do it.
emcampbe is offline  
Old Jun 5, 2017, 10:44 pm
  #10445  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: YVR
Programs: UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 3,756
It's very risky. Your safest option if there is no way to expedite the return of your passport is to drive to Buffalo (or any other US airport) and fly domestic from there.
eigenvector is offline  
Old Jun 13, 2017, 1:41 am
  #10446  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,987
I just had a "system error" when I used my NEXUS today at YVR. Then tried 2 other machines and it wouldn't work: it told me to go to manual processing. Don't think it's the machine, even if a few are broken at YVR. Anyone have this issue before?
keitherson is offline  
Old Jun 13, 2017, 8:12 am
  #10447  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: Hilton Diamond Mariott Plat UA Silver Aeroplan E25K SAS Gold NEXUS
Posts: 1,306
Originally Posted by keitherson
I just had a "system error" when I used my NEXUS today at YVR. Then tried 2 other machines and it wouldn't work: it told me to go to manual processing. Don't think it's the machine, even if a few are broken at YVR. Anyone have this issue before?
Yes, in YYZ, went to manual processing, fine the next time. Was just a transient system error.
atsak is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2017, 9:28 am
  #10448  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 103
Originally Posted by atsak
Yes, in YYZ, went to manual processing, fine the next time. Was just a transient system error.
I have received this error more than once, just moved on to a new machine and worked as usual.
damieniz1 is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2017, 9:37 am
  #10449  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Posts: 20,477
Exclamation Moderator's Action

A recent question about NEXUS renewal processing time was moved to the following thread:
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
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Old Jun 14, 2017, 3:48 pm
  #10450  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,987
Originally Posted by damieniz1
I have received this error more than once, just moved on to a new machine and worked as usual.
Yes but what was unusual was that it did not work after I switched machines and told me to just go to an officer for processing. Hopefully this is a one-off as I've never experienced this before. Will find out next time I clear Canadian immigration in a few weeks.
keitherson is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2017, 10:36 pm
  #10451  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
Have had two weird issues with NEXUS this month: YYC I got a completely blank receipt. Not one thing was printed on it. Officer was nice, but decided to play a quick game of 10 questions to enter Canada.

The next week at YVR the machine said "take your receipt" and nothing printed. Officer called them "junk" and sent me on my way in about 10 seconds.

Anyone else have these issues?
tusphotog is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2017, 8:04 am
  #10452  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 733
Originally Posted by tusphotog
Have had two weird issues with NEXUS this month: YYC I got a completely blank receipt. Not one thing was printed on it. Officer was nice, but decided to play a quick game of 10 questions to enter Canada.

The next week at YVR the machine said "take your receipt" and nothing printed. Officer called them "junk" and sent me on my way in about 10 seconds.

Anyone else have these issues?
The machines are in a sorry state and their sensors are already busted. They are supposed to stop working when their roll is empty. This isn't an uncommon issue unfortunately.

Luckily this gen of machines aren't intended to stay for much longer.
Nazdoom is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2017, 8:10 am
  #10453  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 733
Originally Posted by keitherson
Yes but what was unusual was that it did not work after I switched machines and told me to just go to an officer for processing. Hopefully this is a one-off as I've never experienced this before. Will find out next time I clear Canadian immigration in a few weeks.
Unless the chip in your card is malfunctioning or there is residue on the machine readable zone on the back, the error was more likely just a transient connectivity issue.

There are simple ways to check that the chip is still functioning. For example, if you tap it on a card sensor on a bus or at a metro station, if the sensor senses a card an error sound should be heard!
Nazdoom is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2017, 8:59 am
  #10454  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 446
Does anyone know how the process is for NEXUS members with children at airports with the new primary inspection kiosks? Because the little one doesn't have any biometric data on file we can't use the automated NEXUS kiosk, so we have to go to the special services desk. Do we have to wait in line at the primary inspection kiosk like the regular folks?
xero9 is offline  
Old Jun 19, 2017, 4:22 pm
  #10455  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
Originally Posted by Nazdoom
The machines are in a sorry state and their sensors are already busted. They are supposed to stop working when their roll is empty. This isn't an uncommon issue unfortunately.

Luckily this gen of machines aren't intended to stay for much longer.
Aren't these the "new" machines? I remember the ones a year or two ago at YVR & YYC that were always broken. These seem much faster, minus, of course, the printing issues I've had recently.
tusphotog is offline  

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