NEXUS: Expedite Your Journey Throughout Canada and the US

NEXUS is a joint Canada–United States program designed to scale back wait occasions and probably get rid of a number of the problem at border crossings and airport safety traces in each nations.

With some upfront leg work and a little bit of endurance, a five-year membership with NEXUS is nicely definitely worth the effort for frequent travellers.

Let’s look into the numerous advantages of enrolling in NEXUS, together with how to enroll, which bank cards supply NEXUS rebates, and why each eligible traveller ought to have a NEXUS card of their pockets.

What Is NEXUS?

NEXUS is a program for Canadians and Individuals that pre-approves low-risk travellers for cross-border entry.

Those that enroll in this system will profit by getting into the nations with higher ease through the use of automated self-serve kiosks and passing via separate border traces.

This system gives advantages to NEXUS cardholders who’re getting into Canada or the US by air, land, and sea.

Coming into Canada by Air

NEXUS cardholders can bypass probably lengthy safety traces by going on to NEXUS self-serve kiosks or NEXUS eGates after touchdown in Canada from outdoors the nation.

Skipping probably lengthy traces applies to travellers getting into into Canada from anyplace on this planet, not solely from the USA.

There are 9 Canadian airports outfitted with NEXUS kiosks or eGates in Canada, situated on the following airports:

Whereas functioning nearly precisely the identical as an everyday non-NEXUS arrival kiosk, NEXUS kiosks and eGates don’t require you to fill out the tedious E311 Declaration Card, required of all different passengers.

NEXUS cardholders travelling with non-NEXUS cardholders must use the NEXUS kiosk or eGate individually, as they’re not allowed to convey a non-NEXUS companion via with them.

Whereas anybody with one thing to declare remains to be ready to make use of the NEXUS kiosks or eGates, they must communicate with an officer after utilizing a kiosk or eGate. In the meantime, these with over $10,000 value of foreign money and financial devices to declare can’t use NEXUS kiosks or eGates and should use the common gates.

CATSA/ACSTA Verified Traveller Line

The Verified Traveller line is a really sturdy NEXUS profit for these flying domestically inside Canada.

To not be confused with the “Trusted Vacationers Program,” a US program of which NEXUS is a component, the CATSA/ACSTA Verified Traveller line permits NEXUS cardholders, navy members, and flight crew an easier and sooner safety screening in Canadian airports.

NEXUS members are capable of bypass the common screening line, and as a substitute be a part of the Verified Traveller line.

Eligible travellers have a streamlined expertise, and should hold their sneakers, belts, and light-weight jackets on, hold small gadgets of their pockets, and depart compliant liquids, aerosols, and gels of their carry-on baggage.

NEXUS cardholders aren’t required to take away any laptops from their carry-on (besides on transborder flights to the US), and should nonetheless cross via X-ray screening.

The place Verified Traveller screening traces should not obtainable, those that would have in any other case benefited will nonetheless obtain front-of-the-line service, however should comply with common screening procedures.

For home and worldwide flights, co-travellers 17 years or youthful, in addition to 75 years and older, could accompany anybody who’s eligible for Verified Traveller entry. For transborder flights, any co-traveller could accompany you, no matter age.

Coming into the US by Air

Just like NEXUS cardholders getting into Canada, these getting into the US might also bypass probably lengthy traces.

That’s as a result of your NEXUS card additionally supplies entry to International Entry, which permits expedited entry upon getting into the US by air.

Whether or not you’re getting into the US through Canadian pre-clearance places or from one other worldwide vacation spot, you’ll use International Entry kiosks, that are similar to NEXUS kiosks.

We’ll focus on extra in regards to the varied similarities and variations between NEXUS and International Entry beneath.

TSA PreCheck

As an extra profit, as a result of NEXUS confers International Entry advantages, which means that all NEXUS members mechanically get entry to TSA PreCheck.

At present obtainable at greater than 200 airports throughout the US with greater than 90 airways collaborating in this system, TSA PreCheck permits for additional advantages for travellers flying out of the collaborating US airports to any home or worldwide location.

TSA PreCheck advantages embrace using TSA PreCheck “quick lanes” the place relevant. Moreover, and positively of nice profit to frequent flyers, members don’t must take away sneakers, belts, allowable liquids, laptops, or gentle jackets whereas going via screening at safety.

Notice that TSA PreCheck is strictly restricted to departures out of US airports. It isn’t relevant to travellers leaving from or arriving at a Canadian airport.

Not like the NEXUS program, kids aged 12 and youthful could use the TSA PreCheck profit whereas travelling with an eligible mum or dad or guardian.

Youngsters aged 13 to 17, who do not need TSA PreCheck, could discover it indicated on their boarding cross if they’re on the identical reservation as a mum or dad or guardian who’s a member of this system. In any other case, they’d not be eligible for TSA PreCheck advantages.

To get pleasure from TSA PreCheck advantages, all you need to do is enter your NEXUS card quantity, referred to as your “PASS ID quantity,” as your “Recognized Traveller Quantity” once you make your subsequent flight reservation. This nine-digit quantity is situated on the again of your NEXUS card.

Once you obtain your boarding cross, written on it’ll some type of a TSA PreCheck indicator. It is available in varied types, resembling TSAPRECHK, TSA PRE, or TSA PreCheck®. Any of those grants you the total TSA PreCheck advantages.

 

Coming into Canada and the US by Land

NEXUS members crossing the Canada–US border by land could use devoted NEXUS lanes so as to skip the longer traces within the common lanes.

There are 18 Canada–U.S. border crossings with designated NEXUS lanes. Not all have NEXUS lanes on either side of the borders.

Extra info, together with the hours of operation and momentary closures, might be discovered on the CBSA web site.

There are a number of essential exceptions to be aware of when attempting to make use of a NEXUS lane together with your NEXUS card:

• Just like getting into Canada by air, these travelling with $10,000 or extra can’t use the NEXUS lane whereas getting into Canada.
• Travellers getting into the US who’re over their private exemption or entitlement can’t use the designated NEXUS lane.
• These travelling with non-NEXUS cardholders can’t use the NEXUS lane, regardless of the age of or relation to the opposite passenger(s).
• Travellers getting into Canada with industrial items can’t use the NEXUS lane.
• These travelling into Canada with restricted, managed, prohibited, or allow required items (resembling firearms) can’t use the NEXUS lane.

Those that incessantly cross the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge between Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York, with their NEXUS card could should take extra steps so as to mix their required toll account with their NEXUS account.

Coming into Canada and the US by Sea

Whereas not as incessantly used as air and land border crossings, NEXUS cardmembers have particular advantages associated to reporting procedures if getting into Canada or the US by sea at over 400 marine websites.

Once more, this profit is barely relevant if all individuals on board are NEXUS members, and isn’t relevant to these carrying over $10,000 in foreign money.

For extra particular steps round utilizing these reporting advantages, consult with the Canada Border Providers Company web site.

What’s the Distinction Between NEXUS and International Entry?

NEXUS and International Entry are each part of the Trusted Traveler Program by the US Division of Homeland Safety. NEXUS is a joint Canada–US program, whereas International Entry is a US program solely.

NEXUS will get you International Entry advantages, however not the opposite method round. NEXUS members can use International Entry kiosks when getting into the US, however International Entry members can’t use NEXUS kiosks when getting into Canada.

Youngsters below the age of 18 can apply for a NEXUS membership without cost, whereas there isn’t a comparable low cost supplied to International Entry candidates.

International Entry kiosks can be found at 77 airports each within the US and internationally. Which means NEXUS and International Entry members even have expedited entry advantages in different nations outdoors of Canada and the US, together with at:

• Abu Dhabi Worldwide Airport (AUH)
• Aruba – Queen Beatrix Worldwide Airport (AUA)
• Bermuda Worldwide Airport (BDA)
• Dublin Airport (DUB)
• Grand Bahamas Worldwide Airport (FPO)
• Nassau – Sir Lynden Pindling Worldwide Airport, Bahamas (NAS)

Each applications have comparable software processes that require you to fulfill with somebody at an enrollment centre.

Moreover, each applications grant the aforementioned advantages of TSA PreCheck and the CATSA/ACSTA Trusted Traveller applications.

How you can Signal Up for NEXUS

Eligibility

NEXUS membership is barely obtainable to residents or everlasting residents of Canada or the USA, in addition to Mexican nationals a part of the Viajero Confiable program.

Everlasting residents of both nation should have lived as authorized residents for no less than three years earlier than making use of for a NEXUS card. A number of exceptions are given for these concerned with the armed forces or on diplomatic missions in international nations.

Candidates should be capable to enter Canada or the US below common circumstances, and candidates convicted of a critical prison offense should not eligible to hitch NEXUS.

Whereas there isn’t a age requirement, kids below 18 will want both all mother and father or guardians current or a letter of consent from the mum or dad(s) or guardian(s) not current.

Curiously, whereas kids want extra permission for membership, the mother and father or authorized guardians don’t should be NEXUS members for the kid to develop into a member.

Utility

All purposes for NEXUS playing cards are processed on-line via the Trusted Traveler Program web site. The NEXUS program used to just accept paper purposes by mail, however that’s now not the case.

After creating an account and choosing NEXUS, you need to fill out an software, which incorporates quite a lot of private info requiring documentation, resembling proof of citizenship and proof of residency.

It’s essential to additionally fill in employment historical past, journey historical past, and reply background questions associated to potential earlier prison exercise.

After certifying that every thing is confirmed and true, you’re despatched to a web page to pay the $120 (USD) software payment. All candidates below the age of 18 are free.

After making the fee, your software shall be pending assessment for conditional approval.

Whereas there’s a banner informing candidates that getting conditionally authorized could take 5 enterprise days, nobody appears to be getting it that shortly.

Some are being authorized after three weeks, whereas others are being instructed that processing time will take 12–14 months.

In my expertise, my spouse submitted her software in September 2024 and was conditionally authorized in July 2025. Plus, we submitted an software for our son in March 2025, and he was conditionally authorized in June 2025.

Primarily based on these occasions, an grownup can count on to attend round 10 months for conditional approval, whereas a toddler could also be authorized sooner.

Interview

Upon being conditionally authorized, you will have 730 days to schedule and full an interview. Should you don’t full the interview throughout this time interval, your software shall be cancelled with out a refund.

At present, you will have three choices for finishing your interview:

• A joint interview at a land enrolment centre within the US
• A cut up interview at Canadian and US land enrolment centres
• A two-step interview at collaborating Canadian and US airports

Joint Interviews at Land Enrolment Centres

Should you select a land enrolment centre, you’ll have a joint interview with a Canadian CBSA officer and a US CBP officer.

There are presently 15 open enrollment centres in the USA to select from:

• Jonesport (Calais) Enrollment Centre, Maine
• Houlton (Woodstock) Enrollment Centre, Maine
• Derby Line Enrollment Centre, Vermont
• Detroit Enrollment Centre, Michigan
• Port Huron Enrollment Centre, Michigan
• Sault Ste. Marie Enrollment Centre, Michigan
• Worldwide Falls Enrollment Centre, Minnesota
• Warroad Enrollment Centre, Minnesota
• Pembina Enrollment Centre, North Dakota
• Sweetgrass NEXUS and FAST Enrollment Centre, Montana
• Alexandria Bay Enrollment Middle, New York
• Champlain Enrollment Centre, New York
• Niagara Falls Enrollment Centre, New York
• Ogdensburg Enrollment Middle, New York
• Blaine NEXUS and FAST Enrollment Centre, Washington

In Canada, yow will discover the next enrolment centres (along with those situated in airports, that are listed beneath):

• Buffalo-Fort Erie, Ontario Enrollment Middle
• Lansdowne, Ontario Enrollment Middle

You possibly can join an appointment on the Division of Homeland Safety web site.

Your greatest probability at getting a NEXUS appointment at considered one of these places is to consistently refresh the web page and hope for a cancellation, though you might be refreshing for hours. You may as well search X (previously Twitter) for bots that comb for obtainable appointments, though these appointments are likely to disappear shortly.

Enrolment centres which can be farther away from main cities, such because the places in Minnesota, are likely to have extra availability, so you possibly can contemplate making a visit to hurry up the method.

Break up Interviews at Land Enrolment Centres

Should you select the cut up interview possibility, you’ll do one interview on one aspect of the border, after which the opposite throughout the border.

The second portion of the interview shall be mechanically scheduled for a similar date.

You possibly can select to do the cut up interviews on the following land enrolment centre pairings:

• Lansdowne, Ontario / Alexandria Bay, New York
• Fort Erie, Ontario (Peace Bridge) / Buffalo, New York (Peace Bridge)
• Derby Line, Vermont / Stanstead, Quebec

Two-Step Interviews at Collaborating Canadian and US Airports

Should you don’t dwell close to any of the land enrolment centres, or in the event you plan on visiting the USA, your greatest wager is probably going to decide on the two-step interview possibility.

With two-step interviews, you will have one interview at a Canadian airport enrolment centre, after which the second interview both earlier than your subsequent flight at a US pre-clearance location inside a Canadian airport, or enrolment upon arrival within the US.

You’ll must first schedule an interview at any of the next Canadian airport enrolment centres:

• Halifax Stanfield Worldwide Airport (YHZ)
• Winnipeg Richardson Worldwide Airport (YWG)
• Vancouver Worldwide Airport (YVR)
• Calgary Worldwide Airport (YYC)
• Edmonton Worldwide Airport (YEG)
• Montreal-Trudeau Worldwide Airport (YUL)
• Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport (YYZ)
• Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Worldwide Airport (YOW)

Then, as soon as that interview has been accomplished, in the event you select to finish the second interview at a US pre-clearance location, you are able to do so on the following ports:

• Halifax Stanfield Worldwide Airport (YHZ)
• Winnipeg Richardson Worldwide Airport (YWG)
• Vancouver Worldwide Airport (YVR)
• Calgary Worldwide Airport (YYC)
• Edmonton Worldwide Airport (YEG)
• Montreal-Trudeau Worldwide Airport (YUL)
• Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport (YYZ)
• Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Worldwide Airport (YOW)
• Alaska Marine Freeway System Ferry Terminal (Prince Rupert, British Columbia)

Alternatively, you may full the second interview upon arrival within the US. Extra info might be discovered on the CBP web site.

When you get an appointment, the interview itself is pretty simple. In most conditions, it’s fairly fast.

Throughout the interview, you may be requested about your earlier journey historical past and why you need the NEXUS card. They’ll additionally clarify this system, take your fingerprints, and take your photograph for the cardboard.

After the interview, purposes can theoretically be authorized in roughly one or two enterprise days; nevertheless, I’ve heard it might take so long as two weeks for travellers to obtain their NEXUS card within the mail.

Which Credit score Playing cards Supply NEXUS Rebates?

Whereas the $120 (USD) software payment is actually worthwhile for frequent travellers, there are a number of Canadian- and US-issued bank cards that supply a full or partial reimbursement on NEXUS purposes.

Canadian Credit score Playing cards with NEXUS Rebates

It’s value noting that CIBC is the primary Canadian financial institution to supply NEXUS software payment rebates that cowl the total $120 (USD) software payment, which elevated from $50 (USD) in October 2024. Hopefully, different issuers will take observe and make will increase, too.

The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card gives two assertion credit of as much as $200 each 4 years, to fully cowl the NEXUS software charges charged to the cardboard.

In the meantime, the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card and the CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card every have one $200 assertion credit score each 4 years to offset the NEXUS software payment charged to the playing cards.

The American Specific Aeroplan Reserve Card and American Specific Aeroplan Enterprise Reserve Card supply assertion credit of $100 (CAD) each 4 years to cowl NEXUS software charges charged to the cardboard.

The American Specific Platinum Card and the Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific supply a press release credit score of as much as $100 each 4 years for NEXUS software or renewal charges charged to the playing cards.

The American Specific Gold Rewards Card provides one $50 assertion credit score each 4 years to partially cowl the NEXUS software payment charged to the cardboard.

The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card and TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card have one assertion credit score as much as a $100 each 4 years to offset the NEXUS software payment charged to the cardboard. As much as three extra cardholders additionally obtain a $100 NEXUS credit score each 4 years.

Conclusion

Until you like ready in lengthy traces, getting a NEXUS card is a no brainer. That is very true for many who have one of many many bank cards that may reimburse you for some or all the software payment.

Whether or not you’ve been a NEXUS cardholder for a few years, or have just lately braved the journey south of the border in your interview, you may sit up for having fun with many time-saving advantages when you lastly obtain your NEXUS card within the mail.