Canada News
CBSA re-opens select NEXUS centres as part of solution to backlog: New interview process at Canadian enrolment centres will expand capacity and help more people enrol in program
FILE: Vancouver, Canada – United States, Customs and Border Protection CBP) and Vancouver, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) work together for border crossing efficiency. United States and Canada Customs work together in the Vancouver International Airport NEXUS office processing passengers. The NEXUS program allows low risk pre-screened travelers expedited processing when entering the United States and Canada. CBP Photographer: Donna Burton. (Photo By U.S. Customs and Border Protection – CBP International Travel Preclearance Operations in Canada, Public Domain)
By expediting the border crossing process for trusted travellers and traders, the NEXUS and Free and Secure Trade (FAST) programs generate billions in economic activity and are vital to local economies on both sides of the border. With the program working to return to efficient and effective processing, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have developed solutions to help more travellers enrol in it now.
The CBSA has reopened two NEXUS and FAST enrolment centres in Canada. Applicants can now schedule interviews at the Lansdowne, Ontario (Thousand Islands Bridge) and Fort Erie, Ontario (Peace Bridge) enrolment centres. The re-opening of these centres with CBSA officers is the first phase of the solution to address the NEXUS and FAST backlog. As a result, more appointments will be available to applicants, and wait times for interviews are expected to be reduced.
Travellers booking interviews through the re-opened centres will be required to complete a new, two-step process. Applicants who are conditionally-approved for NEXUS can complete the first portion of their interview at a Canadian enrolment centre (Lansdowne, Ontario, or Fort Erie, Ontario) and complete the second portion at a nearby U.S. enrolment centre just across the border (Alexandria Bay, NY, and Buffalo, NY, respectively). Interviews are by appointment only and can be scheduled through the Trusted Traveller portal.
As this initial phase continues, more Canadian enrolment centres will open at additional select land border crossings in the future. Canada is committed to working with the U.S. on efficient and effective processing of NEXUS applications. Applicants continue to have the option to schedule their complete interviews, under the one-step process, at enrolment centres in the U.S. Existing members can also renew their membership prior to the expiry date to retain their membership benefits for up to five years while they await an interview (should they need one).
Quotes
NEXUS and FAST are a win-win for Canada and the United States – and we’re working hard to find creative solutions to reduce wait times, address the backlog and help more travellers get NEXUS cards. This new, two-step process is further proof of our commitment to it. We’ll keep finding solutions that leverage technology and streamline renewals.
– The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety
Quick facts
- The NEXUS program is designed to expedite the border clearance process for pre-approved, NEXUS members travelling between Canada and the United States. This allows both countries to focus their efforts on unknown and potentially higher-risk travellers and goods. NEXUS is jointly run by the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
- NEXUS members can save time when entering Canada and the U.S. by using dedicated NEXUS lanes at land crossing, designated kiosks and eGates at major airports, and faster processing at marine crossings.
- Applicants must be conditionally-approved by both CBSA and U.S. CBP before they can schedule their interview appointments. Some renewing members may not need interviews to renew their memberships and can be automatically renewed.
- The NEXUS program currently has over 1.7 million members.
