Nexus | 'neksəs | Noun: Trusted traveler program | Syn: SNAFU

Travelers who are just getting around to renewing their NEXUS membership or applying for the first time should be prepared for long waits at the border while their application slowly wends its way through the bureaucracy. According to Rebecca Purdy, senior spokesperson for Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), there is a backlog of over 270,000 NEXUS applicants currently waiting for an interview. This figure does not include the number of Global Entry, FAST and SENTRI applications on the U.S. side.

Individuals who re-apply online before their membership expires are given a two-year extension to the original five-year term. Reportedly, there was a six-month backlog prior to the border being closed in March 2020 meaning some people have likely been waiting since September 2019 to have either their applications or renewals processed.

Once an individual has applied online and paid the application fee, both CBSA and CBP separately undertake a risk analysis of the applicant. If and when an application has been approved by both countries, the applicant receives an email confirming their conditionally approved status. The applicant is then able to schedule an interview at a NEXUS enrollment center.

In an email to The Northern Light, Purdy said the CBSA was completing risk analyses of applicants within the agency’s service guidelines but did not say how long that would actually take. (The Northern Light in a follow-up email on April 11 has requested clarification on this and other issues.) In a travel media virtual roundtable event held at the end of March, Michael Millich, director of the U.S. Trusted Traveler programs, said that it was generally taking 16 days for Global Entry applications, a similar Trusted Traveler program solely administered by the U.S.,  to be provisionally approved with another 90 days for appointments to take place. NEXUS applicants would be lucky to get an appointment within 90 days, if that.

The appointment portal opened last week with interviews beginning on April 19. Canada has yet to open up any NEXUS processing centers and officials have not said when, if ever, they will. Prior to the shutdown, Canada had 12 processing centers, mostly at international airports. Neither the U.S. nor Canada have said why those offices haven’t opened but word on the street is that the U.S. is not prepared to send their officers north without carrying firearms. The processing centers are staffed with both U.S. and Canadian border officers.

Blaine immigration attorney Len Saunders told The Northern Light that he has talked to officers on both sides of the border and was told the issue is Canada’s refusal to allow U.S. officers to be armed.

The U.S./Canada Preclearance agreement that went into effect in 2019 authorized U.S. officers working in Canadian airports and other ports performing immigration and customs duties in preclearance areas to carry guns wherever CBSA officers carry guns. As CBSA officers are not allowed to carry guns, neither, apparently, are U.S. officers. The agreement also allowed U.S. officers to conduct strip searches when necessary.

In the meantime, interviews can only be done in the U.S. processing centers. Of the 10 NEXUS processing centers in seven states, only six are currently offering appointments. There is one each in Washington, Montana, Michigan, New York and two in Minnesota. While there are interviews available as early as April 19 in Minnesota, the earliest opening in Washington at the Birch Bay Square NEXUS office is August 16. Everywhere else appointments will take at least until June or July and probably longer as cross border traffic picks up and people hear about the offices reopening.

The Canada/U.S. NEXUS program began in November 2000 but picked up steam after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. It has been very successful and, according to Millich, currently has 1.6 million members. Membership costs $50 and is valid for five years (excluding any extensions). Across the four trusted traveler programs, Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST, there are 9.9 million members, 7.6 million of which are Global Entry members. In the current fiscal year, the U.S. has received 3.3 million membership applications across all programs.

Saunders was unsparing in his criticism of the two government’s handling of the NEXUS backlog. “With a backlog of two-and-a-half years, this could mean up to half of all NEXUS members aren’t even part of the program anymore,” he said. “Can you imagine if I shut down my practice for that long but continued to accept clients? When I reopened, I’d have file cabinets full of cases and a whole lot of very unhappy and angry clients."

“It is totally frustrating for NEXUS members who have patiently waited for the border to reopen after a two-year closure to now have expired NEXUS cards due to a lack of coordination by both federal governments with no plans on handling the enormous backlog of pending applications. I’m not surprised with the lack of NEXUS program coordination between the U.S. and Canada after witnessing the complete lack of coordination surrounding the border closures during Covid-19. Canadians are going to freak out when all their NEXUS cards start to expire with no interview appointments available in Canada and they are forced to drive to Sweetgrass, Montana to get an interview,” Saunders concluded.

U.S. officials suggest that applicants should continue to monitor interview schedules (bit.ly/3xqYu1b) as cancellations do occur and an earlier opening could show up. As well, there may be an option to schedule an online interview. Go to the Trusted Traveler portal for more information. As well, applicants could try walking into a processing center to see if same-day appointments are available.