NEXUS/Global Entry Discussion Thread for AC Flyers

Rawr!!!!!

And you are telling us this because? I admit that I am jealous!

Do not understand ... tomh009 asked me if I had a good vacation - so I replied.

But were you on a UK passport?

I was being funny. Lost in translation.

No, I only have one passport (my handle should be a good clue! )

Idea? Do not walk up to the customs officer and go Rawwwwrrrrr!!!!!

So... not apples to apples.

UK border people to UK passport holders: nod and smile.

Canadian border people to Canadian passport holders: where have you been/why/how long for/what did you do there/how often do you go/what do you do for a living/blah blah blah blah irrelevant blah blah trying to trick you blah blah blah do you have any UK chocolate blah blah blah blah NEXUS and crew members don't get to jump the line, go to the back blah blah blah Mr Bin Laden I know you won't have any extra alcohol so come on in blah blah...

But that's not exactly apples to apples, either.

The UK border people are only performing a passport check. The Canadian border people are performing a passport check and customs check.

Now, I would much prefer the red line/green line approach to customs that most countries use, but somehow US and Canada seem to be stuck with this declaration card idea. Given that, the CBSA or CBP officer you talk to isn't responsible for doing just the single task that the UKBA officer has to do.

Tried to use Global Entry yesterday. Result = FAIL

Error message: Your passport expires XXX XX 2015. Please see Passport Control.

When speaking to a CBP agent. His response - 'a computer program is only as good as the programmer makes it, and he was an idiot!'

On the bright side, for the first time ever, I was the first person in the line to an agent!

i thought we live here to be taxed to insanity?

Quick update on NEXUX status.

Interview @YOW May 12 as scheduled - all in all 20 minutes max (iris/finger prints/docs and demo). Told card should be received by mail in up to 3 weeks - if not received by then asked to call them. Not GE sticker provided but agent confirmed that I was now also in GE systems with fingers prints and could use my NEXUS card.
Card received yesterday and now activated
Can't wait to try it out in 3 weeks for air travel and possibly next week by land.

Went through YVR US pre-clearance. Surprised to see two Global Entry machines (and going from three to two NEXUS machines). And now you have to stop and see a CBP person anyway? How dumb is that?

I heard a rumour that USCBP are currently doing heightened inspections of Nexus members at the GVRD land crossings based on suspicion of smugglers using Nexus. Perhaps they are (hopefully temporarily) increasing scrutiny of the Nexus lanes at YVR, too?

If it is true that some @#&$^ are using Nexus to smuggle I hope that they catch them...and do many, many bad things to them (had to edit myself there as this really ticks me off if true).

Any update on how long it is taking for a renewal application to be approved? Understand renewal application should be submitted 90 days prior to expiration date.

That makes sense. We cross at Peace Arch most weekends. 2 weeks ago the line for Nexus was backed up past the duty free (at least half an hour to wait) so we used the regular line which was only about a 10 minute wait. I flashed the Nexus cards at the reader (yes, in the regular lane) and when I pulled up to the booth the guy asked me why I was using his lane. I simply said it was because Nexus Lane was so backed up. He rolled his eyes and waved us through.

This appears to also be the case at YUL too, the seeing an officer bit not the GE kiosks.

That, alas, squares with my recent experiences in crossing at the Peace Arch. On the other hand, coming north? Always smooth sailing. The most recent time, the staffer was all set to wave me right through from a rolling stop, and looked genuinely surprised that I wanted to hand my filled-out TDC to her. Does nobody bother with those things anymore, and I just didn't get the memo?

We fill them out. That said, tho, if we're over our exemption on the way back, we only use the Nexus line coming back if the line up is huge, as you pay full duty and taxes through the TDC versus (usually) HST only through the regular line.

i thought you could now self declare at land crossings? in any case, i am so over my limits on land crossings, i usually always go the regular line and self declare and pay nothing.

It's true that one can self-declare at the land crossings; however, I have had inconsistent answers to my questions as to whether I am allowed to use the TDC in the regular lanes. A goodly part of my reason for wanting to use the TDCs is that I end up with a carbon-copy in my book (I have the old-style TDC books, still), and that helps me answer the occasional questions that USCBP asks me southbound, anent "when did you leave most recently?"

I shall allow myself the micro-rant that sometimes 'the world's longest undefended border' seems to be turning into Checkpoint Charlie, at least going southbound.

sounds like you might be on the west coast. thankfully, there is the whirlpool bridge which is nexus only. rarely a grump on that southern side there.

Did not see this posted, but the Nexus terminals were relocated in Pearson YYZ T1 and are now located on the far left. There were 4 kiosks, but only one in operation 21/08/11.

That's good news ... after they switched the regular lines into a single line across the full width, the Nexus line was going all around the main line, and merged with the crew line (this was still the case on 15.08.). A separate line on the far left ought to work much better.

Thanks for this useful information! Is there still a NEXUS kiosk in the 'connections' pathway, or will I now have to go through the main transborder entry point in order to use a kiosk?