jammy123

Hello friends, good day. I apologize in advance if I am asking this in the wrong forum and if I am, please let me know where I should post the question.

I am looking into getting a Nexus pass or a GOES pass. I am both a Canadian permanent resident as well as a US green card holder. I am trying to figure out the difference between the GOES and the Nexus. Here is my understanding below, and you can let me know if I am right or wrong:

Nexus - good for travel between the US and Canada or entry into Canada directly from an international location.

GOES - good for entry into the US only from any location (from Canada to the US or from an international location to the US).

Thanks for your input my friends.

kimilseung

How can you be both? A resident of two countries at the same time.

jammy123

??? I got my Canadian PR then got my US green card? I do not understand the question.

Jerseygirl

Where do you live?

NEXUS is used for entering and exiting the US and Canadaland from/to anywhere in the world.

kimilseung

I assumed that if you became a resident in one place, it meant that you had stopped being a resident in the other place. Does it mean you have to be careful with questions at the border at all? Do you have to be careful with balancing your time to be able to continue to hold the status for both countries?

jammy123

Can the NEXUS be used for entry into the US from an international location? (Arriving into the US from an international location)? I thought that it could only be used for entry into Canada...so the US to Canada or vice versa, or entry into Canada from an international location.

Based on your response, are you saying that it makes more sense to get the NEXUS then? (The NEXUS has gives you coverage for both Canada and the US, whereas GOES gives you coverage for the US only)?

jammy123

No there is no implication there. You are given a certain period of time to relocate to the US...before then, you are free to live wherever you choose to. In my case as I mentioned, I had my Canadian PR before I got my US green card...I have not made the transition to the US as yet.

Hope this answers your question.

Jerseygirl

I covered this in my post above.

I have NEXUS...I use it to exit and enter Canada and the US from/to countries worldwide

jammy123

Thank you

Former Lancastrian

NEXUS gives you GOES privileges to enter the US using the GOES kiosks or using NEXUS lanes or NEXUS kiosks.
GOES only gives you access to GOES kiosks.
Now applying for one with PR of both countries could be problematic as you have to maintain your Canadian PR status of 730 days every rolling 5 years unless exempt i.e. accompanying a Canadian citizen outside of Canada, Employed abroad, on a full-time basis, by a Canadian business or in the public service of Canada or of a province, or Accompanying a Canadian permanent resident spouse or common- law partner or parent abroad and who is employed on a full- time basis by a Canadian business or in the public service of Canada or of a province.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resourc.../enf23-eng.pdf

NEXUS is cheaper than GOES so IMHO NEXUS is the way to go.

I have no idea what the US regulations are for maintaining a Green Card and PR status.

jammy123

Thank you very much for the clarity Lancastrian. Always there to my rescue Makes perfect sense - thanks again.

There is also the ability to qualify for Canadian citizenship as well, so that is another option to keep Canadian status without having to worry about the physical presence requirement.