NEXUS

Canadians entering the United States by land or water must present two pieces of identification. The first must be a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's licence. The second can be either a valid passport, a birth certificate, a citizenship card, or a NEXUS or Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card. These requirements come from the U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Canadian citizens flying to or through the U.S. must present a valid Canadian passport.

NEXUS is designed to expedite the border clearance process for low risk, pre-approved travellers into Canada and the United States.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agency are cooperating in this joint venture to simplify border crossings for members, while enhancing security.

Eligibility Criteria

You may qualify if you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada or the U.S. and have lived in one of these countries continuously for the last three years.

You may not qualify if you:

• are inadmissible to Canada or the United States under applicable immigration laws;
• provide false or incomplete information on your application;
• have been convicted of a criminal offence, in any country, for which you have not received a pardon (for U.S. background checks you may be questioned about full criminal history, including arrests and pardons, which may exclude you from NEXUS);
• have been found in violation of customs or immigration law; or
• fail to meet other requirements of NEXUS.

Summary

If you are approved to participate in NEXUS, you will receive a membership identification card to use when entering Canada or the United States at all participating NEXUS air, land and marine ports of entry.

Membership will allow you to save time by:

• crossing the border more quickly, using automated NEXUS self-serve kiosks in designated areas at participating international airports;
• enjoying a quick and simplified entry process while travelling back and forth between Canada and the U.S., using dedicated lanes at the land border; and
• reporting to border officials by phone in the marine mode.
  

Fees

The non-refundable processing fee for NEXUS is CAN$50 or US$50, per applicant. Membership is valid for five years. Children under the age of 18 must apply but, if eligible, are admitted to the program free of charge.

How to apply

A separate application should be made on behalf of or by each applicant. The process to determine eligibility takes six to eight weeks. The following options are available:

Online application
You can apply online to NEXUS using the Global Online Enrollment System that is operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency.

Paper application
You can complete the NEXUS application form by downloading and filling out the PDF form online, printing it and mailing it together with the processing fee. You can also pick up an application form at any Canada Post outlet.

Mail the completed form, along with photocopies of your supporting documentation and the application processing fee, to one of the following locations:   

NEXUS Program P.O. Box 126 Niagara Falls  ON L2E 6T1 CANADA

NEXUS Program 400 Place d’Youville Montreal  QC H2Y 2C2 CANADA

Mandatory Documents

You must provide a photocopy of an acceptable proof of your citizenship and admissibility and a second document to demonstrate your current place of residence.

Send photocopies only. Do not send original documents with your application form, since these will not returned to you. You will need to bring the original documents to the enrolment centre for your final processing interview.

Application Process

CBSA and CBP officers will check the information you have provided on your application to make sure you meet the requirements of customs and immigration legislation. Criminal information databases will also be verified.

If you meet the eligibility criteria and your application is approved, you will receive a letter inviting you to visit a NEXUS enrolment centre to complete the enrolment process. You will be notified in writing if you do not meet the eligibility criteria.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
NEXUS
Canada Border Services Agency
Toll-free (information): 1-866-639-8726
Web site: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexus/menu-eng.html