Nexus card and Global Entry program guide

On April 2, 2024, the Canadian government announced an increase in NEXUS application fees from US$50 to US$120, effective October 1, 2024, subject to U.S. and Canadian approval of these regulatory changes. With fees unchanged for 20 years, this increase will be used to invest in improving the program, its infrastructure and its technology to meet the rising demand of recent years.

All applicants who apply and pay before October 1, 2024 will not have to pay the new fees, even if the interview process has not yet been completed.

We’ll have to wait for these new fees to become official before we know whether certain credit cards will change their NEXUS application fees coverage.

Programs NEXUS and Global Entry make it easier for Canadian and American travellers to cross the borders of both countries. These self-service programs speed up customs formalities by sea, land or air.

NEXUS and Global Entry have pre-selected these travellers. Thus, the authorities concerned were able to conclude, according to their criteria, that these travellers represented only a low risk to the security of both countries. As a result, there’s no need to linger, and these travelers can get ahead of everyone else.

A third program, CANPASS AIR, has the same function but serves passengers on private or business aircraft.

The NEXUS program is the result of an agreement between the Canada Border Services Agency and the United States Customs and Border Protection. It therefore only concerns these two countries.

The NEXUS card allows selected travellers to expedite their border crossing on both the Canadian and American sides. And may include TSA Precheck from US airports.

It also works for returns to Canada from any other country.

The NEXUS card is valid for five years, until your birthday.

For example, if you are approved on January 2, 2024, and your birthday is May 15, your NEXUS card expiry date is May 15, 2029. Renewals can be made up to one year in advance. You will therefore be able to renew your Nexus card from May 15, 2028.

With your NEXUS card, you can also use Global Entry kiosks in the United States.

How can I save time and avoid airport long lines?

First, by using the NEXUS automated declaration kiosks installed in these nine Canadian international airports:

• Edmonton and Calgary
• Ottawa, Toronto (Terminal I) and Toronto (Terminal III)
• Montreal
• Vancouver
• Halifax
• Winnipeg

And Global Entry with the NEXUS card, to enter the United States.

Equipped with an IRIS reader, these terminals recognize you and link your biometric data to the security database. You then answer a few questions via the touch screen, and that’s it.

• Secondly, by accessing the expedited clearance halls that exist at many Canadian airports and getting through security checkpoints more quickly.
• And finally, by taking advantage of the TSA (Transport Security Administration) pre-check lines in the United States.

By land, there are dedicated lanes for NEXUS and Global Entry travelers at 20 Canadian border crossings:

• Quebec: St-Armand/Philipsburg, St-Bernard-de-Lacolle and Stanstead ;
• Ontario: Fort Erie, Lansdowne (Thousand Islands Bridge), Ambassador Bridge, Niagara Falls Whirpool Bridge, Queenston Lewiston Bridge, Sault Ste.Marie Bridge, Sarnia, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel ;
• Alberta : Coutts ;
• British Columbia: Abbostford-Huntingdon, Aldergrove, Boundary Bay, Douglas and Pacific Highway;
• Manitoba: Emerson ;
• New Brunswick: St.Stephen 3rd Bridge and Woodstock Road.

Finally, NEXUS is also available by sea, where one telephone call is all it takes to one of the NEXUS marine reporting centers located in over 450 Canadian ports.

Once all the conditions have been met, the process is fairly straightforward (although it can take some time):

• Apply and pay the fees ;
• Wait for conditional approval (approx. 2 to 3 months’ wait, as of November 2023);
• Make an appointment at the airport or land border (may or may not be very quick, depending on your availability and location);
• Interviewing U.S. and Canadian customs officials;
• Wait for official approval (about 48 working hours);
• Receive the Nexus card after 4 to 6 weeks (someone on the team received his in 5 working days, dated January 2024!) ;
• Activate the Nexus card.

You can find all the eligibility criteria on the Government of Canada website.

However, you must have been a citizen or permanent resident of Canada or the United States for at least three years. Mexican nationals participating in the Viajero Confiable program are also eligible.

In addition, you will need to have a clean criminal history.

You will need to provide proof of citizenship or permanent residency:

• Valid passport ;
• Birth certificate and photo ID ;
• Permanent resident card ;
• Work or study permit.

Then other documents proving your place of residence such as :

• Driver’s license ;
• Or bank statement showing your current address.

They will also be requested during the interview with U.S. and Canadian customs.

The application for NEXUS membership is made online through the Trusted Traveler Programs System (TTP). It contains eight sections and ends with the payment of US$50.

To pay this fee in foreign currency, use your no-conversion-fee credit card such as the Scotiabank Passport^MD Visa Infinite* Card.

Or, a credit card that credits the account when the application is paid, such as the ^Aeroplan®* American ^Express® Prestige Card, which credits up to $100.

In the example below, a request costing US$50 resulted in a cost of CA$69.58. Then, 2 days later, a credit of $69 CAD automatically appeared. You don’t need to do anything else to get your money back.

Before completing the application form, please have your documents and certain information ready, such as :

• Passport information ;
• Driver’s license number ;
• Address and telephone number of your employer(s) for the last five years;
• Countries you have travelled to in the last five years
• And your last residential addresses for the past five years.

Once you’ve submitted the form, the authorities will get back to you within a few weeks or months. If your application is accepted, you will then be invited to the final stage: the interviews.

After conditional approval, go to your profile and click on Schedule an interview, to see the calendar with available dates, locations and time slots.

Interviews with Canadian and U.S. customs officials are now conducted separately. Nexus interviews can be conducted at many airports and land borders.

At the land border, make an appointment with U.S. Customs. You’ll have to go through the U.S. customs interview, and then return to Canada for the Canadian customs interview (no appointment necessary).

At the airport, synchronize your interview with a future trip to the U.S., as you’ll need to pass through security. Make an appointment with the Canadian side, then ask to make an appointment with U.S. customs (no appointment necessary) when you go through pre-clearance. Allow an extra hour or two at the airport, as waiting times can be long.

Remember that travelers must complete the same type of interview, for both interviews. You must have 2 interviews at a land customs center or 2 interviews at eligible airports. A mix of the two is not accepted.

When you are summoned, they will ask to see some of your proof of citizenship or permanent residence.

Then we’ll take a digital photograph of your face, which will be used for the NEXUS card. Fingerprints will also be required (except for children).

Some credit cards offer a refund of the NEXUS membership fee every 48 months.

Take these credit cards, for example:

In addition, they often have generous welcome bonuses.

If you don’t have these credit cards, you should know that this expense is made in American dollars. It’s a good idea to use a credit card with no conversion fees, of which there are 2 in Canada:

• Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card
• American Express^® Gold Card from Scotiabank

Global Entry is an American initiative aimed at their citizens. Like NEXUS, it allows pre-screened travelers to quickly clear customs upon arrival in the United States. And it includes TSA Precheck for departures from US airports.

The Canadian traveller is well advised to enrol in the NEXUS program, which includes the other two programs and is also less expensive.