I began to look into NEXUS earlier this spring after I stood by and watched other travellers speed through Customs while I shimmied my way through a 90-minute lineup.
It is a multi-step process and a longer timeframe than I anticipated, but I'm already tallying up the saved hours in my travelling future.
NEXUS is the system that authorizes a traveller as "trusted" to easily travel between Canada and the United States.
Once approved for NEXUS, travellers can also utilize the U.S.'s Global Entry kiosks at sleet airports throughout the United States.
Program members use dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry, NEXUS kiosks when entering Canada by air and Global Entry kiosks when entering the United States via Canadian Preclearance airports. NEXUS members also receive expedited processing at marine reporting locations.
To start the process, I registered for an account on the GOES (Global Online Enrolment System) website, which is connected to the American Department of Homeland Security computer system.
Within 5 minutes, my application was complete and submitted and by the next week, I received an email requesting to log back in to check the status of my application.
...but not so fast...there is more.
A status message said that I am now to personally visit an enrolment centre to be interviewed by a GOES officer. When I check the availability calendar - and my own schedule - the next appointment available is July 21st at 3pm.
I received this status update mid-March.
On July 21st, I made my way through the highway construction, smog and cranky drivers to the enrolment centre located on the Pearson Airport property.
A secure, guarded entrance, a second sign-in attended station and I took my seat, nervously awaiting my name to be called.
When I was summoned to follow the Customs officer to the rear meeting area, I was pleasantly surprised to find several cubicles filled with smiling, sometimes giggling, officers. Some were finishing interviews, some were ordering McFlurries from the "runner" who was offering to grab the takeout for everyone.
A quick chat to verify my identity, a scan of my irises and fingerprints and I was done. C'est tous!
Not the usual, cold stares and questions I am used to receiving at Customs at the airport!
I was shown back to the waiting area and the door and reminded to wait to use Nexus only when my official card arrives in the mail.
Within an hour, an email announced itself on my phone saying that my "status" had changed again.
So...ironically...after all of these months, I am now still waiting for a card to arrive in the mail - so I don't have to wait too long to go through Customs.
It is definitely all a WAITING GAME.
