Can I get a nexus for leisure travel?

[pehudson2]

Hi there,
I travel to the U.S. about every 6 to 8 weeks for leisure, i.e. shopping. I would like to apply for a Nexus card to avoid the long lineups at the Southern Ontario border crossings. Is it possible to successfully get one if it's not for work or study?

Patti

[axolotl]

Yes, definitely. As long as you are either a Canadian or US citizen or permanent resident that has lived in either country for the past 3 years, and you pass their background checks, you qualify. If you're driving, everyone in your car has to have a NEXUS card or you can't use the NEXUS lane. (This includes children.) Also, if you're declaring anything (going over the customs exemption) you can't use the NEXUS lane.

[Steven]

That's what they're intended for, i.e. people who frequently cross the border for any reason. The customs declaration thing seems to work differently at different POEs. At airports you just fill in the declarations form and give it to CBSA in the baggage area, or you can register for the declaration programme and then go to the NEXUS office, drop the declaration in the box and they charge the credit card they have on file for you. I know at YYC this is utterly pointless because the NEXUS office is a stiff walk from the arrivals area so it's better to use the regular declaration form.

At some of the smaller land POEs you either have to talk to CBSA or at the larger ones you can enroll in the "Traveller Declaration Programme" which basically means you fill in a declaration, stuff it in the box in the NEXUS lane and they charge your credit card. CBSA complain about it because it's easier to commit fraud.

The forms you use for NEXUS are not the regular customs declaration cards, they give you a book of them at the interview when you get your card.

[pehudson2]

Thank you to both of you for your replies. That's good information that I couldn't get from the Nexus website. I guess if I'm going shopping the Nexus isn't really going to help me because I always go over the limit!
Patti

[Steven]

Yes it will because you can just fill in the form and dump it in the box in the NEXUS lane and not bother talking to CBSA. In theory it should be much faster, provided the POE you are using has a NEXUS lane, a lot of the rural ones don't.