Nexus Program - my experience
Apr 22nd 2010 | 4:58 am
#1
Thread Starter
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 413
From: Gastown - East Van
Nexus Program - my experience
Just completed my Nexus application and wanted to share my experience.
I was impressed with the turnaround time and the how efficient the program is. They use a web account to allow initial application and to keep applicants informed. Many government offices do this but are not so efficient The cost at $50 is a bit of a bargain too. Very reasonable considering 2 border agencies are involved, the program itself is a luxury and not a necessity, and there's a lot of background admin. I guess the program does save the government money in the long run, so it's a bit of a win-win.
My experience was about 2 weeks from point of application to time invited to interview. Interview availability was great too. My provisional approval was issued over the weekend; another first! I could have taken a Monday 8am slot at YVR if I was so desperate.
I attended the 'interview' this week. While I agree with others, that it's not really an interview, I found the US official quite unfriendly. I became my own worst enemy by not reciting things EXACTLY from my application form. For example referring to my employer with their full extended title, not the abbreviated title I used on the application form. Petty but I didn't escape a grilling over it. Also my job title is pretty vague and not 100% as I'd written it on the form. So again I was flambéed over this.
The Canadian border guard was the complete opposite. Very friendly and welcoming. Explaining the practicalities of using the card. For example I asked why I'd have to keep them updated when i change credit cards, not realizing the connection. Overall, Canadian official customer service was miles ahead of their US counterpart. But then they are just people rather than national policy. I normally find both US and Canadian officials very friendly.
The rules of the program are very simple. They check you out and trust you to be honest at the border. But make a mistake, try to out-smart the system, or tell a porky then you're done. For life. And I'm sure that will show up every time you cross the border in the future. I'm sure someone who's lost Nexus privileges has their record scarred for life, so way more chance of being 'randomly' selected, and I'm sure they'll put a box of latex gloves aside just for the offender.
They were very good at explaining the system to me. This is just as well as it's quite complex although I can imagine it gets easier with use. I'm not afraid of the admin side of it but unless you simply don't buy anything, the paperwork involved each time you cross the border might just make Nexus pointless. I'd like to be able to choose Nexus at the border if the queues for non-Nexus are too long. But if you've made a lot of purchases you can't just opt for Nexus at the border. You have to have a load of paperwork ready to go.
The official told me you have to account for everything. He even said a half cup of coffee needs to be accounted for, and he did not look like he was joking. And declarations need to be made for each person in the vehicle too, plus you need to provide them a summary, itemized based on different purchase groups. Clothes would be one group, whereas electronics would be another.
I'm starting to wonder whether it's such a time saver. I don't mind doing the admin but the time it might take could be longer than the wait at the regular lanes, particularly crossing later in the evening as I would do on the return journey. Of course accounting for goods you're bringing back is something you have to be able to do regardless of whether you're Nexus or not. But with Nexus you MUST have this done in advance and you submit your accounts on departure. And this is where the credit card piece comes in.
If your calculations show you owe tax and/or duty on your purchases, then this is charged to the credit card when processed. This allows you to still use Nexus even if you owe tax on goods you're importing to Canada. But if you let your credit card expire and don't update it on the account, then you'll lose the Nexus card as soon as they find out. I guess this means as soon as they process a tax or duty charge and the card fails. This is possibly the biggest risk to most people as you get a replacement card and start using it without a second's thought. Definitely something I will need to keep in mind. Being someone who has never had to pay tax or duties on anything I've purchased, always being within the limit, could potentially encourage me to forget they have my card registered, and which card I registered.
One thing I was really surprised at was when the Canadian official was reeling off the limits of goods being brought into Canada. I am painfully aware of these but still learned something new. The $50 limit for stays exceeding 24 hours is for ONE item. That seems ludicrous and means with the best will in the world, most people would simply exceed this. However she then went on to say that they're very flexible with this and you would probably not pay any tax or duty for $100 or more. Just surprised me for an official to be so laid back over the limits, especially as told me this in the Nexus office, not over a pint in a bar.
Well that's my experience told here. I didn't see a lot of information here on Nexus and wanted to share my experience. Holding the card seems worth it for $50 covering 5 years. But there are now many occasions where I think I wouldn't bother with the Nexus lane. What you might save at the border you'd be spending in doing the admin. And unless you hold Canadian passport you still have to have a valid Visa Waiver (green) form, which last only 90 days.
Enjoy your day!
I was impressed with the turnaround time and the how efficient the program is. They use a web account to allow initial application and to keep applicants informed. Many government offices do this but are not so efficient The cost at $50 is a bit of a bargain too. Very reasonable considering 2 border agencies are involved, the program itself is a luxury and not a necessity, and there's a lot of background admin. I guess the program does save the government money in the long run, so it's a bit of a win-win.
My experience was about 2 weeks from point of application to time invited to interview. Interview availability was great too. My provisional approval was issued over the weekend; another first! I could have taken a Monday 8am slot at YVR if I was so desperate.
I attended the 'interview' this week. While I agree with others, that it's not really an interview, I found the US official quite unfriendly. I became my own worst enemy by not reciting things EXACTLY from my application form. For example referring to my employer with their full extended title, not the abbreviated title I used on the application form. Petty but I didn't escape a grilling over it. Also my job title is pretty vague and not 100% as I'd written it on the form. So again I was flambéed over this.
The Canadian border guard was the complete opposite. Very friendly and welcoming. Explaining the practicalities of using the card. For example I asked why I'd have to keep them updated when i change credit cards, not realizing the connection. Overall, Canadian official customer service was miles ahead of their US counterpart. But then they are just people rather than national policy. I normally find both US and Canadian officials very friendly.
The rules of the program are very simple. They check you out and trust you to be honest at the border. But make a mistake, try to out-smart the system, or tell a porky then you're done. For life. And I'm sure that will show up every time you cross the border in the future. I'm sure someone who's lost Nexus privileges has their record scarred for life, so way more chance of being 'randomly' selected, and I'm sure they'll put a box of latex gloves aside just for the offender.
They were very good at explaining the system to me. This is just as well as it's quite complex although I can imagine it gets easier with use. I'm not afraid of the admin side of it but unless you simply don't buy anything, the paperwork involved each time you cross the border might just make Nexus pointless. I'd like to be able to choose Nexus at the border if the queues for non-Nexus are too long. But if you've made a lot of purchases you can't just opt for Nexus at the border. You have to have a load of paperwork ready to go.
The official told me you have to account for everything. He even said a half cup of coffee needs to be accounted for, and he did not look like he was joking. And declarations need to be made for each person in the vehicle too, plus you need to provide them a summary, itemized based on different purchase groups. Clothes would be one group, whereas electronics would be another.
I'm starting to wonder whether it's such a time saver. I don't mind doing the admin but the time it might take could be longer than the wait at the regular lanes, particularly crossing later in the evening as I would do on the return journey. Of course accounting for goods you're bringing back is something you have to be able to do regardless of whether you're Nexus or not. But with Nexus you MUST have this done in advance and you submit your accounts on departure. And this is where the credit card piece comes in.
If your calculations show you owe tax and/or duty on your purchases, then this is charged to the credit card when processed. This allows you to still use Nexus even if you owe tax on goods you're importing to Canada. But if you let your credit card expire and don't update it on the account, then you'll lose the Nexus card as soon as they find out. I guess this means as soon as they process a tax or duty charge and the card fails. This is possibly the biggest risk to most people as you get a replacement card and start using it without a second's thought. Definitely something I will need to keep in mind. Being someone who has never had to pay tax or duties on anything I've purchased, always being within the limit, could potentially encourage me to forget they have my card registered, and which card I registered.
One thing I was really surprised at was when the Canadian official was reeling off the limits of goods being brought into Canada. I am painfully aware of these but still learned something new. The $50 limit for stays exceeding 24 hours is for ONE item. That seems ludicrous and means with the best will in the world, most people would simply exceed this. However she then went on to say that they're very flexible with this and you would probably not pay any tax or duty for $100 or more. Just surprised me for an official to be so laid back over the limits, especially as told me this in the Nexus office, not over a pint in a bar.
Well that's my experience told here. I didn't see a lot of information here on Nexus and wanted to share my experience. Holding the card seems worth it for $50 covering 5 years. But there are now many occasions where I think I wouldn't bother with the Nexus lane. What you might save at the border you'd be spending in doing the admin. And unless you hold Canadian passport you still have to have a valid Visa Waiver (green) form, which last only 90 days.
Enjoy your day!
Apr 22nd 2010 | 7:05 am
#2
.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,188
Re: Nexus Program - my experience
Just completed my Nexus application and wanted to share my experience.
I was impressed with the turnaround time and the how efficient the program is. They use a web account to allow initial application and to keep applicants informed. Many government offices do this but are not so efficient The cost at $50 is a bit of a bargain too. Very reasonable considering 2 border agencies are involved, the program itself is a luxury and not a necessity, and there's a lot of background admin. I guess the program does save the government money in the long run, so it's a bit of a win-win.
My experience was about 2 weeks from point of application to time invited to interview. Interview availability was great too. My provisional approval was issued over the weekend; another first! I could have taken a Monday 8am slot at YVR if I was so desperate.
I attended the 'interview' this week. While I agree with others, that it's not really an interview, I found the US official quite unfriendly. I became my own worst enemy by not reciting things EXACTLY from my application form. For example referring to my employer with their full extended title, not the abbreviated title I used on the application form. Petty but I didn't escape a grilling over it. Also my job title is pretty vague and not 100% as I'd written it on the form. So again I was flambéed over this.
The Canadian border guard was the complete opposite. Very friendly and welcoming. Explaining the practicalities of using the card. For example I asked why I'd have to keep them updated when i change credit cards, not realizing the connection. Overall, Canadian official customer service was miles ahead of their US counterpart. But then they are just people rather than national policy. I normally find both US and Canadian officials very friendly.
The rules of the program are very simple. They check you out and trust you to be honest at the border. But make a mistake, try to out-smart the system, or tell a porky then you're done. For life. And I'm sure that will show up every time you cross the border in the future. I'm sure someone who's lost Nexus privileges has their record scarred for life, so way more chance of being 'randomly' selected, and I'm sure they'll put a box of latex gloves aside just for the offender.
They were very good at explaining the system to me. This is just as well as it's quite complex although I can imagine it gets easier with use. I'm not afraid of the admin side of it but unless you simply don't buy anything, the paperwork involved each time you cross the border might just make Nexus pointless. I'd like to be able to choose Nexus at the border if the queues for non-Nexus are too long. But if you've made a lot of purchases you can't just opt for Nexus at the border. You have to have a load of paperwork ready to go.
The official told me you have to account for everything. He even said a half cup of coffee needs to be accounted for, and he did not look like he was joking. And declarations need to be made for each person in the vehicle too, plus you need to provide them a summary, itemized based on different purchase groups. Clothes would be one group, whereas electronics would be another.
I'm starting to wonder whether it's such a time saver. I don't mind doing the admin but the time it might take could be longer than the wait at the regular lanes, particularly crossing later in the evening as I would do on the return journey. Of course accounting for goods you're bringing back is something you have to be able to do regardless of whether you're Nexus or not. But with Nexus you MUST have this done in advance and you submit your accounts on departure. And this is where the credit card piece comes in.
If your calculations show you owe tax and/or duty on your purchases, then this is charged to the credit card when processed. This allows you to still use Nexus even if you owe tax on goods you're importing to Canada. But if you let your credit card expire and don't update it on the account, then you'll lose the Nexus card as soon as they find out. I guess this means as soon as they process a tax or duty charge and the card fails. This is possibly the biggest risk to most people as you get a replacement card and start using it without a second's thought. Definitely something I will need to keep in mind. Being someone who has never had to pay tax or duties on anything I've purchased, always being within the limit, could potentially encourage me to forget they have my card registered, and which card I registered.
One thing I was really surprised at was when the Canadian official was reeling off the limits of goods being brought into Canada. I am painfully aware of these but still learned something new. The $50 limit for stays exceeding 24 hours is for ONE item. That seems ludicrous and means with the best will in the world, most people would simply exceed this. However she then went on to say that they're very flexible with this and you would probably not pay any tax or duty for $100 or more. Just surprised me for an official to be so laid back over the limits, especially as told me this in the Nexus office, not over a pint in a bar.
Well that's my experience told here. I didn't see a lot of information here on Nexus and wanted to share my experience. Holding the card seems worth it for $50 covering 5 years. But there are now many occasions where I think I wouldn't bother with the Nexus lane. What you might save at the border you'd be spending in doing the admin. And unless you hold Canadian passport you still have to have a valid Visa Waiver (green) form, which last only 90 days.
Enjoy your day!
I was impressed with the turnaround time and the how efficient the program is. They use a web account to allow initial application and to keep applicants informed. Many government offices do this but are not so efficient The cost at $50 is a bit of a bargain too. Very reasonable considering 2 border agencies are involved, the program itself is a luxury and not a necessity, and there's a lot of background admin. I guess the program does save the government money in the long run, so it's a bit of a win-win.
My experience was about 2 weeks from point of application to time invited to interview. Interview availability was great too. My provisional approval was issued over the weekend; another first! I could have taken a Monday 8am slot at YVR if I was so desperate.
I attended the 'interview' this week. While I agree with others, that it's not really an interview, I found the US official quite unfriendly. I became my own worst enemy by not reciting things EXACTLY from my application form. For example referring to my employer with their full extended title, not the abbreviated title I used on the application form. Petty but I didn't escape a grilling over it. Also my job title is pretty vague and not 100% as I'd written it on the form. So again I was flambéed over this.
The Canadian border guard was the complete opposite. Very friendly and welcoming. Explaining the practicalities of using the card. For example I asked why I'd have to keep them updated when i change credit cards, not realizing the connection. Overall, Canadian official customer service was miles ahead of their US counterpart. But then they are just people rather than national policy. I normally find both US and Canadian officials very friendly.
The rules of the program are very simple. They check you out and trust you to be honest at the border. But make a mistake, try to out-smart the system, or tell a porky then you're done. For life. And I'm sure that will show up every time you cross the border in the future. I'm sure someone who's lost Nexus privileges has their record scarred for life, so way more chance of being 'randomly' selected, and I'm sure they'll put a box of latex gloves aside just for the offender.
They were very good at explaining the system to me. This is just as well as it's quite complex although I can imagine it gets easier with use. I'm not afraid of the admin side of it but unless you simply don't buy anything, the paperwork involved each time you cross the border might just make Nexus pointless. I'd like to be able to choose Nexus at the border if the queues for non-Nexus are too long. But if you've made a lot of purchases you can't just opt for Nexus at the border. You have to have a load of paperwork ready to go.
The official told me you have to account for everything. He even said a half cup of coffee needs to be accounted for, and he did not look like he was joking. And declarations need to be made for each person in the vehicle too, plus you need to provide them a summary, itemized based on different purchase groups. Clothes would be one group, whereas electronics would be another.
I'm starting to wonder whether it's such a time saver. I don't mind doing the admin but the time it might take could be longer than the wait at the regular lanes, particularly crossing later in the evening as I would do on the return journey. Of course accounting for goods you're bringing back is something you have to be able to do regardless of whether you're Nexus or not. But with Nexus you MUST have this done in advance and you submit your accounts on departure. And this is where the credit card piece comes in.
If your calculations show you owe tax and/or duty on your purchases, then this is charged to the credit card when processed. This allows you to still use Nexus even if you owe tax on goods you're importing to Canada. But if you let your credit card expire and don't update it on the account, then you'll lose the Nexus card as soon as they find out. I guess this means as soon as they process a tax or duty charge and the card fails. This is possibly the biggest risk to most people as you get a replacement card and start using it without a second's thought. Definitely something I will need to keep in mind. Being someone who has never had to pay tax or duties on anything I've purchased, always being within the limit, could potentially encourage me to forget they have my card registered, and which card I registered.
One thing I was really surprised at was when the Canadian official was reeling off the limits of goods being brought into Canada. I am painfully aware of these but still learned something new. The $50 limit for stays exceeding 24 hours is for ONE item. That seems ludicrous and means with the best will in the world, most people would simply exceed this. However she then went on to say that they're very flexible with this and you would probably not pay any tax or duty for $100 or more. Just surprised me for an official to be so laid back over the limits, especially as told me this in the Nexus office, not over a pint in a bar.
Well that's my experience told here. I didn't see a lot of information here on Nexus and wanted to share my experience. Holding the card seems worth it for $50 covering 5 years. But there are now many occasions where I think I wouldn't bother with the Nexus lane. What you might save at the border you'd be spending in doing the admin. And unless you hold Canadian passport you still have to have a valid Visa Waiver (green) form, which last only 90 days.
Enjoy your day!
