Anything to Declare? Get A NEXUS Card

While I’m not an international jet setter, I do have family living north of the border in Canada. Because my wife actually wants to see her parents from time to time and we don’t want to deprive our daughter of face-to-face interaction with her grandparents, this means we travel to the Great White North two to three times a year. All but two of these trips have been by plane. I love flying. I love airports. I love travel documents and the feeling I get when I carry them around. I read the little instructions contained within passports. I’m upset my passport no longer lists information like countries I’m not allowed to visit or import produce from, linking to a state department website instead. I’m even secretly jealous that my wife’s dual citizenship means she gets to have two passports, while I’m only allowed to have one.

What I don’t like is coming a hair’s breadth away from missing my flight because of a combination of long lines at customs and a supposedly random Secondary Security Screening Selection extra-special security screening. I can’t change the screening practices of the TSA and its Canadian equivalent, but I do have an option that can make the customs line a lot shorter.

NEXUS is a joint U.S.-Canadian program open to citizens of both and non-citizen residents of said countries who have lived in either country for at least the last three years. The program uses a combination of background checks to screen applicants and biometrics to verify the identity of program participants.

The application is the most complicated part of the process. After submitting the app, it’s processed by the U.S. and Canada, who each run background checks. Bear in mind that the criteria for acceptance is surprisingly strict. Something as simple as an arrest can disqualify you, whether or not you were convicted.

After the application is reviewed and accepted, an in-person interview is required. These interviews are only conducted at certain border crossings and can be difficult to schedule. The safest bet is to schedule the appointment for your next trip across the border. The interview is a two part process, requiring meeting with representatives of both countries’ customs programs (Canada Border Services Agency and the United States Customs and Border Protection). At the end of the interview, an agent takes your biometrics (fingerprints and retinas), and then shows you how to use the airport kiosks.

Upon receipt of your NEXUS card, passing through customs becomes a much more streamlined process. Instead of standing in line to have your passport stamped, you proceed to one of several small kiosks located in the customs area. These kiosks contain a small ATM-like machine that scans your irises to verify your identity and asks you a series of questions, similar to the standard customs procedure, that you answer on a touch screen. The machine prints out a receipt, which you hand to the guard at the exit along with your standard declaration card. Traveling by car can also be expedited, with border crossings offering NEXUS-only lanes, and in at least one case, a NEXUS-only bridge.

Here’s where some of the program’s cons come into play. When you sign up for NEXUS, you agree to be subject to the occasional random screening. While I understand both countries’ respective customs agencies want you to be honest, it turns what’s supposed to be an accelerated process into what could be a drawn out affair as your bags are searched. Also, the countries’ agencies operate on a zero-tolerance policy. Forget to declare that orange in your carry-on and your membership can be revoked. Small children can’t use the iris scanning machines, so if you’re traveling with kids, you get to use the flight crew passport line or the special services desk. I’m lucky enough to have a child who is usually a good traveler and having her charm the pants off of a customs agent is always fun to watch.

NEXUS memberships cost $50 for adults and are free for children under 18. Enrollment in NEXUS also gives you membership in SENTRI (a U.S.-Mexico border crossing program), and Global Entry (expedited customs when returning to the U.S. from abroad) can be added on at no additional fee. Membership is good for five years before needing to be renewed. Considering the amount of time saved in what can be a time-sensitive activity, it’s money well spent. If only they could do something about the overpriced junk food in the departure lounge.