NEXUS (frequent traveller program)

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NEXUS logo

NEXUS is a program introduced to allow frequent travellers who are not a security risk to either Canada or the United States to cross the border with minimal formality. Members of the program are permitted to use designated lanes to avoid the long waits which can be common at the border. The program applies to those who enter either country via land, air, or by water. A traveller would simply present their card to a scanner/reader or an iris scan when travelling by air where their information is transmitted to customs and they would be allowed through quickly. This program is operated by both the Canada Border Services Agency and the United States Customs and Border Protection. The carrying of a NEXUS membership card meets the requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative when used at a NEXUS kiosk [1] .

1 Eligibility
2 Conditions
3 Locations
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Eligibility

Only citizens and permanent residents of either Canada or the United States can apply for the NEXUS program. An applicant must be able to pass any background check that is required by each country and pay the required fee to process the application. The fee is waived for any applicant under 18 years of age. Before anyone is admitted to the program, they are interviewed by both Canadian and American authorities where their documentation is checked, and the applicant is fingerprinted and photographed. A card is then issued and an explanation of what the program entails.

[edit] Conditions

Although NEXUS speeds up the screening process for participants, they are still subject to all the regular standard border checks and procedures. Declarations, if any, must be made to a customs officer and participants are prohibited from transporting certain items across the border. Certain declarations made by NEXUS travellers must be made via the regular lane. Another condition is that the NEXUS lane is utilized only by those who are in the program, i.e a NEXUS traveller cannot carry a non-NEXUS traveller including children. After five years, the NEXUS application must be renewed. Although the rules that govern NEXUS participants are not complex, they are strictly enforced and infractions can result in expulsion from the program or criminal prosecution.

[edit] Locations

NEXUS is only used at certain ports of entry, mostly between major cities on both sides of the border. The NEXUS marine program is only in the trial phase and will be put in place for the 2006 boating season. For highway travellers, the following crossings have dedicated NEXUS lanes: