Global Entry, Nexus, or Sentri?
- Thread starter IamNY
- Start date
It was great to be back in town. Wanted to update my fellow merbites on my recent NEXUS encounter at YUL airport. Arrived early evening to a jam packed customs area. For those of you who have been to the airport, the entire area was 100% packed. Looked like it would easily take an hour or more to get through. To my right I notice the good old NEXUS line. Nobody was on it, scanned my card, scanned my iris, and off I went to pick up my rental car. I was very impressed with how simple, efficient, and fast the whole process was. Less than 5 minutes and I'm at the car rental agency.
Very impressed, highly reccomended.
Very impressed, highly reccomended.
On my way back to the states it was just as easy. Although, the US customs agent did ask me a few basic questions, what was I in town for, how long, etc. Even with the NEXUS card they still insist on asking bullshit questions. But the tone and attitude was minimal, the US border agent was very nice to me.
FYI about bringing hand warmers on a plane. For some reason they set off an alarm and you need to take them out of your bag for further inspection. Other than that, trip back was a breeze.
FYI about bringing hand warmers on a plane. For some reason they set off an alarm and you need to take them out of your bag for further inspection. Other than that, trip back was a breeze.
Just wondering for people who have gotten Nexus and have visited Montreal often before applying, were you asked during your interview why you visited so much? I currently have global entry and I'm considering applying for Nexus, just a little worried about them looking at my travel history and seeing how much I visit Montreal. I'd say I've visited about 10 times since late 2015.
When during the year did you visit? If it was during hockey season, and if they ask, say you are a Habs fan? If during summer, some street fair/festival? Keep in mind you don't have to limit your answers to just visiting Montreal. You could be visiting Ottawa/Quebec City or connecting to a flight to somewhere else in Canada with Montreal being port of entry.
Of course don't outright lie and say you visited frequently because of business meetings or you have a client in Canada if you have always marked Personal on your prior declaration forms.
Does CBSA ask you now why so often when you visit? I think their primary concern if they see visiting often as an issue is to probe whether you are working illegally in Canada or smuggling (currency/drugs/duty evasion).
When they ask a question, the answer itself often times may not be important as long as it is plausible. How you answer it and body language is what they are paying attention to. Case in point. When I come back to US from Canada, CBP sometimes ask me of my purpose of visit to Canada. My answer is really irrelevant, as a US citizen, my admissibility into US is not being evaluated. CBP is just looking for risk indicators from how I answer to determine if secondary inspection (for smuggling) should be performed. One time, I told CBP I came up for a Habs game against the Rangers (I did watch part of it in a bar a couple of evenings prior to flight and later that evening the cab driver told me who won). The questioning then stopped as CBP agent tells me he is a Rangers fan and waived me thru. LOL.
Of course don't outright lie and say you visited frequently because of business meetings or you have a client in Canada if you have always marked Personal on your prior declaration forms.
Does CBSA ask you now why so often when you visit? I think their primary concern if they see visiting often as an issue is to probe whether you are working illegally in Canada or smuggling (currency/drugs/duty evasion).
When they ask a question, the answer itself often times may not be important as long as it is plausible. How you answer it and body language is what they are paying attention to. Case in point. When I come back to US from Canada, CBP sometimes ask me of my purpose of visit to Canada. My answer is really irrelevant, as a US citizen, my admissibility into US is not being evaluated. CBP is just looking for risk indicators from how I answer to determine if secondary inspection (for smuggling) should be performed. One time, I told CBP I came up for a Habs game against the Rangers (I did watch part of it in a bar a couple of evenings prior to flight and later that evening the cab driver told me who won). The questioning then stopped as CBP agent tells me he is a Rangers fan and waived me thru. LOL.
I wasn't asked many questions during my interview. It was more about verifying a few thing like spelling of my name, date of birth, etc. when you apply they run your info and basically prequalify you. By the time you get to the interview, it's a matter of going through the motions, scanning your prints, iris scan, and explaining how the Nexus process works when traveling.
That is the primary objective of the interview but I would definitely expect a "why are you applying for NEXUS?" and/or "what is the nature of your travel to Canada/US?" Answer to first question is along the lines of I don't want to wait in line. I doubt they will go deeper than that but how you answer it will affect the level of questioning. Just remain calm and cool.
I don't recall them asking about that. Being prepared for the question is a good idea, but may not be necessary.
Be aware that it will take about 2 months just to get preliminary approval and another 0-3 months for an interview for final approval (YMMV depending on location). You are looking at 2 to 5 months from when you submit application to becoming NEXUS member.
The process used to be faster but not anymore. Current wait time posted on CBSA site is 48 days but reports on travel forums these days are stating closer to 60 days just for the conditional approval which you need to attain to schedule interview. Bottleneck is with CBP approving.
If you were to have a Nexus card and another person traveling with you does not, does that mean we have to go through two different streams at customs to leave and enter the country? Thus nullifying the convenience for the Nexus holder?
At land borders NEXUS member MUST take the non-NEXUS lane if any companions are not NEXUS. At airports NEXUS members can take NEXUS or non-NEXUS immigration clearance. NEXUS member should not take non-NEXUS member luggage to clear customs if using NEXUS.
All three programs works at both northern and southern US borders. Difference is really which citizenship you hold which may limit you to a certain program.
Nexus is great depending on the airport and situation. I do find Nexus arriving back st YUL to be kind of retarded.. they don't have enough machines and on a few occasions trying to use Nexus took longer than regular customs machines! Also, as a frequent traveller, I have Star Alliance Gold status so the shorter security line doesn't really help that much. Customs at YYZ without Nexus is a disaster though. Waited in line for over an hour with a busted leg once!
You can use Nexus only lane on the US side of land crossing with Global Entry to save a lot of time but if Nexus includes Global Entry according to Canadian border officials than can we use it on the Canadian side?
Nexus is both Global Entry and Nexus. Global Entry by itself is only Global Entry. So if you have a Nexus card you can use it on the Canadian side because you are cleared for both Canada and the USA.
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