NEXUS Air

Do you often fly into Canada or the United States through the Vancouver International Airport? If your answer is yes, then NEXUS Air may be for you!

NEXUS Air simplifies and expedites air border crossing for pre-approved, low-risk travellers while improving the secure flow of travellers into Canada and the United States. NEXUS Air is a joint initiative of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The NEXUS Air pilot project was launched at Vancouver International Airport in November 2004 and will continue operating as a pilot until further notice. Updated information will be posted on this Web site and members will be given adequate notice of any changes to the program that may affect their NEXUS Air membership.

Members must be pre-approved before they can participate in the pilot project. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and will be interviewed by a customs or immigration officer before they are enrolled in the NEXUS Air pilot project.

To expedite the border process, NEXUS Air members answer the standard customs and immigration questions at self-service kiosks in the Canadian Inspection Services and U.S. Preclearance areas at the Vancouver International Airport. NEXUS Air uses iris recognition technology to verify membership in the program.

How does NEXUS Air work?

NEXUS Air members enjoy certain privileges. At the NEXUS Air kiosk, a digital camera will capture an image of your eye. Within seconds, this innovative technology will recognize the iris of your eye as proof of your identity. The interactive kiosk will then guide you through the customs process.

In addition, when entering Canada, Canadian members may use the self-service kiosk to declare goods and have duties or taxes owing charged to their pre-authorized credit card.

NEXUS Air members flying from Vancouver International Airport receive priority access to the Vancouver International Airport Authority's FasTrack Lane. Members are given expedited access to pre-board security screening when they present their membership card and boarding pass to the attendant on duty.

When and where is NEXUS Air available?

The NEXUS Air pilot project is available at the Vancouver International Airport to members travelling to and from Canada and the United States.

NEXUS Air members can use the automated kiosks located in the U.S. Preclearance area and the Canadian Inspection Services area at Vancouver International Airport. NEXUS Air members can also use the automated CANPASS kiosks located at the Canadian Inspection Services area at six other international airports located across Canada: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg.

How to apply for NEXUS Air membership?

Print the application form, complete it, sign it and mail it with the non-refundable processing fee and photocopied documents to the following address:

NEXUS Air Pilot Project
28 176th Street
Surrey, BC V3S 9R9
CANADA

The processing fee is CAN$80 or USD$50 payable by VISA, MasterCard, American Express or by cheque or money order payable to the Receiver General for Canada. Applications will not be processed until the fee has been received.

While no fee is required for participants under 18 years of age, consent from a parent or legal guardian is required when applying to the NEXUS Air pilot project. Since we cannot capture iris biometrics on children under the age of one, they are not eligible for this program.

Who qualifies for NEXUS Air?

This program is open to citizens of Canada or the United States, resident aliens of the United States, or permanent residents of Canada who have continuously resided in either Canada and/or the United States for the last 3 years.

You may not qualify for NEXUS Air membership if you:

• have not resided in Canada or the U.S. for the past three years;
• are inadmissible to Canada or the U.S. under applicable immigration laws;
• provide false or inaccurate information on your application;
• have been convicted of a criminal offence in any country for which you have not received a pardon;
• have been found in violation of customs or immigration law; or
• fail to meet other requirements of the NEXUS Air pilot project.

If you apply to become a member of NEXUS Air and do not meet the eligibility criteria, you will receive a letter notifying you of this decision. Remember, the application fee is a processing fee and will not be reimbursed.

For U.S. citizens and permanent residents

Alcohol-related driving offences, such as driving while intoxicated, driving while ability-impaired, and driving under the influence of alcohol, are criminal offences in Canada. You may want to contact a Canadian embassy or consulate in the United States to discuss immigration admissibility and legislative requirements prior to applying.

You must provide acceptable proof of citizenship or permanent resident status in Canada or the United States. Please send photocopies of your original documents with your application form. These photocopies will not be returned.

Proof of citizenship documents

Please provide one of the following:

• original birth certificate (must be accompanied by photo identification)
• valid passport
• citizenship certificate (with photo) or card (Canada)
• certificate of naturalization (United States)

A certificate of registration of birth abroad is no longer acceptable.

Proof of Canadian or U.S. permanent residency documents

Please provide one of the following:

• valid U.S. resident alien card
• valid Canadian permanent resident card
• original record of landing (Canada)

Your application form will be checked by Canadian and United States law enforcement agencies to determine if you are eligible for the program. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you will proceed to the second step of the application process, enrolment. You will receive a letter asking you to schedule an interview at the NEXUS Air Enrolment Centre in order to complete the enrolment process.

We can only process your application if:

• the processing fee is enclosed;
• all required documents are signed;
• all criminality questions are answered; and
• proof of citizenship or resident status is enclosed.

Processing of applications will take four to six weeks.

Finalizing your enrolment

Once you arrive at the enrolment centre, we will review the originals of the documents that you submitted with your application and conduct an interview. Following the interview we will take a digital photograph of your irises, take fingerprints of your two index fingers, a digital photograph of your face for the membership card, and issue you a NEXUS Air membership card. We will also show you how to use the NEXUS Air kiosk.

You are now ready to enjoy the benefits of NEXUS Air membership!