Hi Dave,

While I agree overall, they are working hard to expand their footprint through the Flux Alliance. Dutch citizens can now sign up (although they do have to also be a member of the Dutch Privium, which is quite a bit more expensive), and according to the CBP guy stationed in AMS, they are getting quite a number of applicants. So you will see growing numbers I'm sure.

(Especially as a foreign citizen, for whom lines tend to be longer than for US citizens/permanent residents)

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

Yes, I appreciate that the numbers will increase. I am also aware, tho not intimately aware of HOW foreign nationals gain access. My point really is that this is going to remain a tool of frequent travellers, including some airline staff with whom I've spoken.
IMO, it will NEVER reach the point that it is overwhelmed by the common international tourist types.

Dave

I have a really tight connection in DFW next month: how long does it take to get approved for the NEXUS card? When you apply online, how do you provide the documentation--do you scan it in or just show it at the interview? Does the interview have to be scheduled between the hours of 9 and 5, or are they more flexible? I live nowhere near an international airport, and my flight departs at o'dark thirty in the morning...not sure it's something we could do before departure.

Hi Dave,

You are quite correct. Unless you are a regular visitor to the US, you won't take the time to apply.

As for the process, it's quite simple:
You apply to the partner program in your country of citizenship. They submit your request to the Flux Alliance in order for the CBP to run a background check on you. In parallel, they run their own check.

If you pass both checks, you get invited for an appointment to take your biometric information (in the Netherlands, it's an eyescan), while the CBP agent stationed there takes your picture and 10-digit fingerprints. Quite painless and fast.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

A month might not be possible. First, you submit an application online which will be processed for background checks by the Canadian and U.S. Government authorities. Once you have passed those background checks, you will receive a "conditional approval" message and will be invited to schedule an interview at one of the NEXUS Enrollment Centres. If you want to use the airport kiosks (not just vehicle/vessel), you must schedule your appointment at a location that is equipped with the iris scanning machines--the Canadian airports are the most convenient if you live in the USA and will fly up for the day. (Unless you live near Buffalo or Seattle, I suppose.)

I seem to recall that when I logged in to set up my appointment, I had to wait about 3 weeks for an available slot that would work with my schedule. Appointment times depend on the station, but usually are Mondays through Fridays during normal business hours. Then, I simply used miles for a same-day round-trip to YYZ.

The whole process took about 2.5 months from first application to walking away from the airport with my NEXUS card. So, I think trying to do it in a month would be difficult, especially if you have anything in your record that could delay the initial "conditional approval," such as any immigration/customs violations, arrests, convictions, criminal proceedings, frequent relocations, or extensive international travel.

Note, also, that NEXUS does not work at DFW itself. As far as air travel is concerned, NEXUS is a program that operates strictly at US CBP preclearance stations at Canadian airports. If you want to become a GlobalEntry member, it is free and practically automatic if you are an active NEXUS member. But, you do need to go back into the GOES system and officially apply for GlobalEntry after you have your NEXUS card in hand. You should get an approval notification soon after (NEXUS membership qualifies you for GlobalEntry because NEXUS has even more stringent criteria).

Quite possibly true, but I suspect fairly strongly that all the people ahead of you in that long slow "US Citizens & Permanent Residents" line at passport control are among that percentage that do have passports, and they're the ones we're worried about. :)

Having said that, I do believe it won't be too much of a problem. The program isn't likely to attract your once-every-couple-years travelers since it involves the $100 and visiting the airport outside of a normal trip. I suspect you might end up with a short line for the machines, but still significantly better than the standard line.

Absolutely impossible to argue with that logic!! ;) :D
Yes, we could eventually find some lines forming at the machines, but I think you're right that it will always be faster than the alternative.
IMO, the ones to BE concerned with are the airline employees who ARE frequent international travellers, ARE aware that lines form quite often even in the "crew lines", and can clearly spend $100 for 5 years of GE.

We'll see! Keep our fingers crossed!!
Dave

Hooray. Used GOES today at BOS and it worked like a charm.

Guilty! I love GE and actually look forward to going through customs now!

Just wanted to chime in here and add my observation that, in stark contrast to the overwhelming majority of other threads in this forum (aimed particularly at the TSA), the tenor towards GE, the CBP, and the officers and administrators behind it is remarkably positive and supportive.

This goes to show that the constituency is not simply dogmatically opposed to security screening of any kind, but instead, is in fact sympathetic to as well as supportive of the need to do so as long as the means and ends of doing so upholds reason, dignity, and efficiency in the process, very little, if any, of which is present in the TSA's past, present, and apparently future campaigns.

Used GE for the 1st time at DFW on Wednesday. 2 kiosks located between the immigration lines for US Citizens and non US Citizens. So I was then the 1st from my flight waiting for luggage! But what was really nice is that they allow GE users to use the crew/diplomat line at customs. That really saved me some time as the customs lines were fairly long when I was exiting. The agent told me they were still getting used to seeing those receipts from the GE kiosk but he welcomed me home and sent me on my way. Worked great.

Of course, the fact that you were at luggage claim for 40+ minutes to find this out suggests you just substituted one wait for another . . .

When it says "machine readable" passport, does that mean one of the new ones with a RFID chip in it? I still have a pre-chip passport, and wouldn't want to pay the non-refundable fee only to find out I can't do it.

Of course, I will have to renew in about 18 mos., so at that point . . .

I think it means that your passport is in working condition (ie, no peeling laminated areas).
Mine is chip-less and works fine.

No RFID required, it just means that you can run it through their reader, e.g. the Check In machines at the airport or what the immigration officer uses.