NEXUS (frequent traveler program)

NEXUS logo

NEXUS (formerly frequent traveler program and currently part of Trusted Traveler Program) is a joint Canada–United States program designed to let pre-approved, low-risk travelers cross the Canada–U.S. border quickly. Members of the program can avoid long waits at border entry points by using self-serve kiosks at airports, reserved lanes at land crossings, or by phoning border officials when entering by water. The program is operated by the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A NEXUS membership card is a valid document under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Eligibility

To qualify for the program, an applicant must be a citizen of Canada or the United States, or a permanent resident. Previously, there was a requirement to have resided in either country for three years, but this has since been removed to allow Canadian and American citizens living abroad and those who have recently returned to apply for NEXUS. Permanent residents of the United States or Canada must reside in their respective country for three years before applying for NEXUS membership.[1][2] Applicants must also be legally admissible to both nations, must have complied with immigration and customs regulations during previous travel, and must also have a criminal history check. Additionally, if the applicant is under 18, both parents must provide their written consent.[3][4]

Application process

Sample NEXUS card

NEXUS applications can be submitted online via the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website or a paper application, processed by the Canada Border Services Agency. The application fee is $50 USD or CAD, which is waived for applicants under the age of 18.

Applicants are screened for citizenship and immigration status, checked for criminal history and positive matches on U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), United Nations, and Interpol terrorism and no-fly list databases and United Kingdom Police National Computer. Applicants who pass the initial screening are interviewed in person by agents of both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency (typically one right after the other). After approval members are mailed a RFID-enabled NEXUS card, valid for five years from the applicant's birthday following card issuance. Renewal typically takes place six months prior to expiration, and members may be required to attend another interview to verify that they still qualify for the program.

Shortly after the announcement of the US requirement for a WHTI document for all travelers by 2009, CBP and CBSA announced their commitment to streamline the membership renewal process for the NEXUS program, and now will waive the interview for members who have not had changes to their information and have maintained their low-risk status. The United States and Canada also announced they had begun enrollment blitzes to expedite the processing of NEXUS applications and had launched an outreach and awareness plan to increase membership in NEXUS.

Use at land crossings

NEXUS cardholders are generally screened more quickly at the border, however they are still subject to standard immigration and customs checks, and may be selected for secondary screening. Participating border crossing points typically have one lane solely reserved for NEXUS use and some will also designate a second lane for NEXUS use on an as needed basis. A vehicle can only use the NEXUS lane if all passengers (including children) hold a valid NEXUS card, and nothing requiring a special customs declaration or payment of duty is being brought into the country (see below).

A NEXUS lane at the U.S. side of the Ambassador Bridge.

Items permitted in a NEXUS lane

Items prohibited in a NEXUS lane

Certain restricted and sensitive items cannot be brought through a NEXUS lane. Examples include:

Members are advised to inquire ahead of time with the appropriate authorities, and if in doubt, to use a standard lane. It is important to note that nearly every lane crossing in either direction, and at all ports of entry, a Nexus member can use their Nexus card as proof of citizenship of either the US or Canada. Permanent Residents are still required to carry their passport, Permanent Resident Card and any relevant immigration documents for either country, such as US I94 or I94W landing cards (although they may not need to show these items in normal circumstances).

U.S.–Mexico Border

NEXUS members may utilize SENTRI lanes when entering the US from Mexico by land, but must be traveling in an approved, registered vehicle[5] (SENTRI requires members to register their vehicles into the program, which involves a thorough inspection by CBP, whereas NEXUS has no such requirement). Regardless of whether in an approved vehicle or not, the NEXUS card is a WHTI compliant document, and may be used in any standard lane from Mexico into the US as proof of identity and citizenship. Pedestrians can use dedicated SENTRI lines for expedited entry into the U.S. from Tijuana at the San Ysidro border crossing.

U.S. Global Entry

Main article: Global Entry

United States and Canadian citizens can use their NEXUS membership at Global Entry kiosks in the United States for expedited clearance at Global Entry equipped airports in the United States and US CBP Preclearance facilities. The Global Entry kiosks are located at the 20 busiest U.S. international airports by international passenger traffic. To use the Global Entry kiosks, a valid, machine readable passport is necessary. Travelers are not required to use the NEXUS card in the kiosk, but are advised it is prudent to carry it on person. There is no additional cost to use Global Entry, and it can be used for the duration of the NEXUS membership.

TSA PreCheck

US and Canadian citizens who are NEXUS members may use TSA PreCheck on all participating airlines for domestic US flights by entering their Customs and Border Protection PASS ID / Trusted Traveler number from their NEXUS card into their flight reservation information or into their frequent flyer account.

Use at airports

A NEXUS card is a WHTI compliant document,[6] meaning that it is an accepted identification document in lieu of a passport for travel to or through the United States from a designated Canadian airport.[7] A designated Canadian airport is one of the following eight airports:[8]

NEXUS members entering Canada may use a NEXUS machine to declare, as long as the member's irises are on file with the CBSA. If the member's irises are not on file, or the NEXUS machines are not working, NEXUS members may use the Special Services desk. NEXUS members entering Canada must still fill out a customs declaration card. NEXUS allows travelers flying from many Canadian airports, even on domestic flights, to bypass the regular security screening line and use an expedited trusted traveler line.[9]

NEXUS members entering the United States, either at preclearance facilities or by landing in the US, can use the Global Entry kiosks as long as the member's fingerprints are on file. Those using a Global Entry kiosk don't need to fill out a customs declaration card. If the member needs to see an immigration officer, they get front-of-line privileges (as with all Global Entry members). NEXUS members who are US or Canadian citizens can participate in TSA Precheck as long as their member number is in their airline reservation.

Legal status of NEXUS card

In the United States, a trusted traveler card, such as NEXUS, is a valid secured document under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and may be used by itself to reenter the United States from Canada, including by air. Although the card creates a presumption of nationality, neither US nor Canadian law view the NEXUS card as full proof of citizenship. NEXUS cards issued after September 2010 are accepted as proof of citizenship (if the card holder is a citizen of either country) and the traveler is no longer required to carry the passport (if traveling by land only - airport documentation checks can and do require presentation of a passport in addition to the NEXUS card in the event of a secondary inspection).

NEXUS and FAST membership cards will now be accepted as proof of identity and as documents that denote citizenship when entering Canada at all land and marine ports of entry. This means that citizens of Canada and the United States who are NEXUS or FAST members, and are carrying with them valid membership cards, are no longer required to carry other supplementary documents such as passports or birth certificates with them when entering Canada by boat or by land, when using non-NEXUS or non-FAST lanes.[10]

NEXUS and FAST members who are not citizens of Canada or the United States are still required to travel with a passport and proof of permanent residence, and may be requested to present these documents to a border services officer upon arrival at the border.

NEXUS members travelling by air can enter Canada using the self-serve kiosks regardless of where they are coming from. For example, a NEXUS member returning to Canada from overseas and arriving in Montréal can use the self-serve kiosk in Montréal.[11]

Locations at which NEXUS is available

Airports (customs and immigration)

Airports (priority security screening)

Land crossings

Marine crossings

NEXUS members can report to approximately 450 sites.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "CBSA Customs Notice 12-020". Canada Border Services Agency.
  2. ↑ "NEXUS". Canada Border Services Agency. May 8, 2012.
  3. ↑ "NEXUS Eligibility". U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
  4. ↑ "CBSA NEXUS eligibility". Canada Border Services Agency.
  5. ↑ "NEXUS General Information". U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
  6. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions about the NEXUS Program". Canada Border Services Agency. Government of Canada. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "WHTI Program Background". U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "NEXUS - Air". Canadian Border Services Agency. Government of Canada. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Using your NEXUS card at security". Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  10. ↑ "NEXUS Proof of ID". Canada Border Services Agency.
  11. ↑ "NEXUS Air". Canada Border Services Agency.
  12. ↑ "NEXUS Air". Canada Border Services Agency. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Using your NEXUS card". Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Canada Bound Rainbow Bridge NEXUS Lane Closing January 23, 2011", "Canada Border Services Agency", January 5, 2011, accessed January 27, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Marine crossings". Canada Border Services Agency.

Further reading

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for NEXUS.
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