NEXUS questions

I'm fairly certain though that you need a passport to get a NEXUS card - though maybe I only used it because I have one and a birth certificate/other proof of citizenship is okay.

I’m learning all kinds of new stuff here. Would you believe you don’t even have to be a Canadian or US Citizen?
Nexus is available for Permanent Residents too.

Here is the list of valid ID options to get a Nexus.

Canadian or U.S. citizen
  • In Canada
    • a valid passport;
    • a birth certificate and photo ID;
    • a Canadian citizenship certificate or card; or
    • a Certificate of Indian Status.
  • In the United States
    • a valid passport;
    • a birth certificate and photo ID;
    • a U.S. citizenship certificate;
    • a certificate of naturalization; or
    • a border crossing card.
Canadian or U.S. permanent resident
  • In Canada
    • a valid Permanent Resident Card; or
    • a Record of Landing.
  • In the United States
    • a valid Permanent Resident Card
Mexican nationals who are members of Viajero Confiable
  • valid passport;
  • a valid work or study permit, if required.
Working or studying in Canada or the United States
  • a work permit; or
  • a study permit.
 
That's old info. Both USBS and CBSA now state Nexus is fine. No passport required to get Nexus. You are correct that some airports do not have Nexus kiosks, in which case, you will need a passport. But most of the majors accept Nexus without any issue.

Clearly you know everything, so you'd better tell Porter airlines. I took that from their site 90 seconds before posting- it is NOT old information. The CBSA and US CBP say that the NEXUS card is enough to cross the border (agreed), but the airline as its own requirement (you could possibly argue them, but they've been their for years, so have likely already been challenged).

Also, Global Entry kiosks require your passport to work (unlike NEXUS, you don't scan your card, you scan your passport). So, you do need your passport there.

No idea what USBS is.
 
I’m learning all kinds of new stuff here. Would you believe you don’t even have to be a Canadian or US Citizen?
Nexus is available for Permanent Residents too.

You know what, I knew that, so clearly should have known that you don't need a passport.

Though I've seen places that say that you need to a be US or Canadian resident and I know that isn't the case (since I'm not - though I was when I applied). They have my address, so it isn't like I'm hiding the fact (though I did need to give a US or Canadian mailing address - just used a family member's (again, they knew it wasn't my address)).
 
Clearly you know everything, so you'd better tell Porter airlines. I took that from their site 90 seconds before posting- it is NOT old information.

I think both you SirDuff and msHanson3121 are actually right here.

1) You need to fly into airports that supports Nexus.
2) Porter airlines is a smaller airline that only uses propeller planes. So, they fly into smaller, regional airports in many cases. I’ll assume Porter made a blanket policy to require passports rather than risk confusion about what airports do and do not need it.
 


Clearly you know everything, so you'd better tell Porter airlines. I took that from their site 90 seconds before posting- it is NOT old information. The CBSA and US CBP say that the NEXUS card is enough to cross the border (agreed), but the airline as its own requirement (you could possibly argue them, but they've been their for years, so have likely already been challenged).

Also, Global Entry kiosks require your passport to work (unlike NEXUS, you don't scan your card, you scan your passport). So, you do need your passport there.

No idea what USBS is.

You can scan your Nexus card at Global Entry kiosks as long as the flight has been pre-cleared.

USBS = US Border Services
 
I read that after the interview, you get the card within a week or so.

DH had his renewal interview April 24 and he got his Nexus card early last week. I think we got our original ones within 2 weeks of our interview. Once approved, it does come quickly.

Other than the faster Nexus service, why would someone opt for a Nexus in lieu of a passport?

Other than the previous discussions here about having it instead of a passport (which I would find very limiting since I travel other places beyond the US), you just answered your own question. It is incredibly faster. Like sometimes 30-60 minutes faster. And in some places, it is just less hassle since you usually don't have to remove any light jackets, shoes (unless there's metal in them which will set off the detector), liquids don't have to be taken out, and you are barely asked any questions, if even any at all, when going through customs. Lines at security, at Pearson at least, can be insanely long especially if you're doing business travel and going at the same time as half the city seems to be going. It is just one little thing that makes travelling a bit less onerous and that's well worth $50 (children are free).

Why would one go through multiple rounds of screening, including a scheduled in-person interview, in process that takes 2-months at a minimum, to acquire a document that expires in five years (vs. a 10-year Canadian passport)

Even though it only lasts for 5 years, the renewal process is simple. While DH did have to go in for an interview, I did not. There's at least a chance that you don't need to do much more than pay your $50 and fill in the application. You can renew up to a year prior to expiry and your existing card is good until you get the new card and activate it. It's really quite painless. And there aren't multiple rounds of screening. You fill in the application form online, wait until they approve you and then set an interview date. The "interview" is very short and really only the time spent to get there is a pain.
 
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I would also swear reading (or being told officially) that a Customs Officer may ask you to present a passport in addition to the Nexus card.

That's what we were told when we originally got our cards - in fact, they emphasized it. I recall that they told us this several times. So not requiring it now is new but we were never informed about the change.

Also, Global Entry kiosks require your passport to work (unlike NEXUS, you don't scan your card, you scan your passport). So, you do need your passport there.

Yeah, that threw me a little on our last trip to the US. I thought I'd remembered scanning my Nexus card previously but this time I was required to scan my passport. I just thought that I'd mis-remembered but it appears that I did not. I also noticed that the machines were labelled as Global Entry instead of Nexus so we actually backtracked a little bit because we thought we were in the wrong area and tried to find Nexus. Finally figured out that we were in the right place and had to pull my passport out. So we definitely needed our passports in addition to Nexus cards. But returning to Pearson, we only used the Nexus cards through customs. I've also discovered that there always seems to be some issue using my Nexus card at the Air Canada kiosks to get boarding passes and luggage tags. It accepts my passport but not my Nexus card even though my online check-in was done with Nexus. Seems like maybe there's a little bit more work to get the bugs out.
 
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Hmmmm... Interesting. I was not aware.

I am completely open to being corrected but I believe passports are universally easier to acquire than a Nexus pass. For example, the whole Canadian passport process can be done by mail and complete within 20-days. It can even be done in a week if applied for in person.

Other than the faster Nexus service, why would someone opt for a Nexus in lieu of a passport?

For example: Why would one go through multiple rounds of screening, including a scheduled in-person interview, in process that takes 2-months at a minimum, to acquire a document that expires in five years (vs. a 10-year Canadian passport).

I know this question sounds facetious and I apologize. I’m just looking to learn. (Like, I already learned that I don’t actually need to carry my passport anymore).

In addition to it being cheaper (although we also have passports anyway) you get to use TSA-Pre-Check and Global Entry.

We travel to the States a lot, usually flying out of Pearson. Pearson is not painful at all with TSA-Pre-Check to cut the time spent in security lines and then using Nexus (or Global Entry on the return if you’ve been somewhere other than the States) to cut the immigration/customs lines.
 
We get passports as well, due to doing a bit of international and more than a few cruises. Kids also have UK passports since my wife is from there.

I consider them sunk costs, but ymmv.
 
You can scan your Nexus card at Global Entry kiosks as long as the flight has been pre-cleared.

USBS = US Border Services

Only in Canadian airports (i.e. pre-clearance facilities).

Can I use my NEXUS card at the Global Entry kiosk?
The NEXUS card will be recognized by the Global Entry kiosks in Canada Preclearance locations only. When using the Global Entry kiosks in Canada Preclearance locations you can use your passport, U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident card or NEXUS card. You cannot use your NEXUS card at Global Entry kiosks outside of Canadian Preclearance locations. At all other ports, you will need to use your passport or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident card.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/frequently-asked-questions

No such thing as US Border Services. It is CBP (Customs and Border Protection) or US Border Protection.
 
I think both you SirDuff and msHanson3121 are actually right here.

1) You need to fly into airports that supports Nexus.
2) Porter airlines is a smaller airline that only uses propeller planes. So, they fly into smaller, regional airports in many cases. I’ll assume Porter made a blanket policy to require passports rather than risk confusion about what airports do and do not need it.


Well, since all I was saying is that Porter insists you have a passport and I provided a link saying so, I know I'm right here :)

Actually, in the US, Porter has to fly into airports with CBP (since Billy Bishop doesn't have pre-clearance), so they aren't smaller, regional airports (which Porter does often fly into in Canada). They fly into Logan (Boston), Newark (New York/New Jersey), Dulles (DC/Virginia), Midway (Chicago), and I think now somewhere in Florida. It's own of the downsides to Porter to me that you cannot fly to National which is much, much closer to downtown DC than Dulles is or LaGuardia which is often more useful in New York than Newark is. Not sure about the Florida one(s), but the others all have Global Entry. Even Billy Bishop now has NEXUS kiosks. I don't know why they insist on you having a passport but they do.

I actually only realised it (I always travel with my passport anyway), because a friend works for them and noted that it has caused issues for some people who try to travel without their passport (she's also the one who pointed out the piece missing from all Porter safety announcements - any Porter flyers want to guess what it is?). Air Canada notes that you just need your NEXUS card for travel between Canada and the US.
 
Actually, my last two posts may have solved the mystery (at least if flying out of Toronto) - (1) Billy Bishop doesn't have CBP pre-clearance facilities and (2) you need your passport to use the Global Entry kiosks at US airports. So, if flying to the US from Billy Bishop, you need your passport even if you have NEXUS. Though I wonder if you could take your NEXUS card to the "normal" counter and get in that way?
 
I suppose you could, but the CBP officials would likely treat it like a passport.

Side note: The island airport has been approved for US preclearance, but I'm guessing that funds have yet to be allocated to actually create the separate preclearance area since it doesn't yet exist.

FWIW, I've taken Porter once, to Chicago, and it was great since they flew to Midway and Porter is one of the few (if only) airlines that utilizes customs there. Very fast and efficient.
 
I suppose you could, but the CBP officials would likely treat it like a passport.

I was just thinking in terms of traveling with a NEXUS card and no passport. Could you do it by just going to the normal CBP officials and not using the kiosk (which you couldn't do without a passport).

Side note: The island airport has been approved for US preclearance, but I'm guessing that funds have yet to be allocated to actually create the separate preclearance area since it doesn't yet exist.

I thought I had read that it was approved but know that they don't have it (and sure that they ever will). I used to live within walking distance of Billy Bishop, so used it fairly often (especially since work had me traveling to Ottawa a lot). However, I now live in Europe, so it isn't quite so useful :) Even when I"m back home, I rarely take it either because my family is pretty equidistant between there and Pearson (and the only route I commonly do that they do is to New York, and I don't want to go to Newark given that I'm generally heading to Long Island).

FWIW, I've taken Porter once, to Chicago, and it was great since they flew to Midway and Porter is one of the few (if only) airlines that utilizes customs there. Very fast and efficient.

Funny, two trips to Boston on Porter was what convinced me to get NEXUS :) Horribly long lines (but, unlike Midway, many international flights land there).
 
I was just thinking in terms of traveling with a NEXUS card and no passport. Could you do it by just going to the normal CBP officials and not using the kiosk (which you couldn't do without a passport).
That's really the question, right? It's an Official Document, and CBP has to approve your using it, so one would think that it could in theory be used in the regular line. But in practice? No idea.

If I go through a regular line again I guess I'll hand both to the official and see what happens, or ask, but that won't be for a while yet.

I thought I had read that it was approved but know that they don't have it (and sure that they ever will).
I'd guess that any funds to build a preclearance area won't be approved until 2022 at the earliest.
 
I agree that the TSA pre check line at MCO is wonderful. Not only is it short, but you also don't have to remove your shoes, jacket, liquids, laptops, you just load everything up on the belt and walk through the metal detector. Most airports have separate "trusted traveler" security queues, but Orlando's makes it worth having a Nexus card for sure.

YES. We specifically got Nexus for pre-check at MCO. Hate that TSA line otherwise...
 
Because it's less money. Nexus is only $50 per adult and completely free for kids under 16. Compared to $120 ($57 kids) for a 5 year passport plus the cost of your photo, and there's only one round of screening - a quick 10-15 minute interview. Plus you don't have to mail your birth certificates and risk their getting lost, or needing them for something in the interim.

So when our renewal came up for our family of 4, we paid $100 US vs. $434 CDN (including cost of photos).
I find it interesting that you believe you can get a Nexus card without a Passport. I've never heard of this. When we flew from Toronto to MCO we had to produce both our Nexus and Passports to fly. This was in Dec 2018.

On another note, normally I only carry our Nexus cards for my DD and I when we are driving across the border and flying out of Buffalo. We only carry our Passports when flying out of Toronto or, when our vacation includes a cruise outside of the US. In the almost 5 years that we've had Nexus we have never been asked for our Passports except when we flew in and out of Toronto.

Cannot count the amount of time Nexus has saved us both at land crossings and TSA-Pre lines in the airports. Plus, the bonus of not needing to remove electronics, shoes, etc. Ours are coming due next year and we'll be renewing for sure!
 
I find it interesting that you believe you can get a Nexus card without a Passport. I've never heard of this. When we flew from Toronto to MCO we had to produce both our Nexus and Passports to fly. This was in Dec 2018.

On another note, normally I only carry our Nexus cards for my DD and I when we are driving across the border and flying out of Buffalo. We only carry our Passports when flying out of Toronto or, when our vacation includes a cruise outside of the US. In the almost 5 years that we've had Nexus we have never been asked for our Passports except when we flew in and out of Toronto.

Cannot count the amount of time Nexus has saved us both at land crossings and TSA-Pre lines in the airports. Plus, the bonus of not needing to remove electronics, shoes, etc. Ours are coming due next year and we'll be renewing for sure!

I don't "believe" you can, I KNOW you can. A passport is not a requirement for a Nexus card.

As for why you had to have both to fly, that's been discussed previously - certain airports are not equipped with Nexus kiosks etc... Certain airlines (because they're flying in/out of small airports) just make a blanket policy because of it. In those places, you have to have a passport. Not because Nexus is insufficient, but just because they don't have the technology for it (lack of kiosk).
 
I don't "believe" you can, I KNOW you can. A passport is not a requirement for a Nexus card.

As for why you had to have both to fly, that's been discussed previously - certain airports are not equipped with Nexus kiosks etc... Certain airlines (because they're flying in/out of small airports) just make a blanket policy because of it. In those places, you have to have a passport. Not because Nexus is insufficient, but just because they don't have the technology for it (lack of kiosk).
Yep. Directly from the application site...

PROOF OF IDENTITY

If you do not have a passport, you can get still a NEXUS Card, though it is not recommended because you will only be able to use it for driving across the border, not flying. The most common proof of identity that is not a passport is a Driver’s License.
https://nexuscardapplication.com/how-do-i-apply-for-a-nexus-card/
 

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