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wow glad I had Nexus

Only the Whirlpool bridge has that toll payment system where you load up money via your Nexus card.
 
So if I apply for a Nexus... does it matter that my passport expires next spring or should I wait?
How long does it take to get if I want to do the interview and everything in Mississauga (if possible)?

My first Nexus expired so I renewed last fall. Here's the link to the enrollment site. https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes When you get a new passport you have to report it to them. I haven't had any problems doing this and my passport and Nexus expiry dates are not in sync. If you want to do the interview at Pearson the wait is several months but you can usually get one in Niagara Falls NY within a few weeks of your approval.
 
My first Nexus expired so I renewed last fall. Here's the link to the enrollment site. https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes When you get a new passport you have to report it to them. I haven't had any problems doing this and my passport and Nexus expiry dates are not in sync. If you want to do the interview at Pearson the wait is several months but you can usually get one in Niagara Falls NY within a few weeks of your approval.
Sounds good. I'm in the US now, but don't cross the border much in the winter so I'll just book my interview at Pearson and wait it out.
 
Nexus is the best thing going if you cross the border regularly or even a couple of time a year.

I applied in January this year, sent in the paperwork and had an interview at Pearson scheduled for June!

Then they emailed me with a whole block of appointments that had opened up in February. I scheduled a 6:00am meeting, no traffic on the way to the airport and I was back home in time to get to work at 8:30.

Brilliant. Got one for my son too.

We've used it a number of times to go to his U.S. basball tournaments. We just get waved through the border, they sometimes ask a quick question or two.

Now they're experimenting with RFI scanners so you just flash your card and go through the border.
 
Yeah - the lanes at Lewis have the RFI scanners and you just flash the card but they want you to stop anyways
It just means the card is read.
 
If you are riding with a group of bikes and you have Nexus and they don't can you go through the Nexus line and wait for them on the other side?

I know dropping off your non-Nexus passenger to walk across (car or bike) is a big no-no but not sure about the above. Don't see why it would be a problem since everyone is on their own bike.

Unless ALL the riders in the group or people in a vehicle each have a Nexus then the special lane cannot be used nor can the WHirlpool.

I guess this is what I was asking above. It makes sense that you couldn't use Whirlpool - although if you set a meeting point in Niagara Falls and the other riders use Rainbow it would work. They aren't very far from each other. But I still fail to see why I can't use the Nexus lane at Peace/Lewiston if I'm riding in a group.

Only the Whirlpool bridge has that toll payment system where you load up money via your Nexus card.

My understanding is once you load the toll onto the card at Whirlpool the 1st time you can top it up with a credit card online. The first top up (at the machine) will determine what currency your card is in going forward. I believe once you have money on the card it can be used to pay the toll at any of the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission bridges (Whirlpool, Rainbow and Queenston-Lewiston) but NOT Peace Bridge. You also get something like $1 off the toll.
 
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If you are riding with a group of bikes and you have Nexus and they don't can you go through the Nexus line and wait for them on the other side?

Yes, no problems at Whirlpool (waiting for another nexus rider) and Peacebridge (coming back to Canada) Juts pulled over to the right.

I guess this is what I was asking above. It makes sense that you couldn't use Whirlpool - although if you set a meeting point in Niagara Falls and the other riders use Rainbow it would work. They aren't very far from each other. But I still fail to see why I can't use the Nexus lane at Peace/Lewiston if I'm riding in a group.
Yes, did this last time. We had to go to CBI to pick up some goods and met other riders later enroute :)

I
My understanding is once you load the toll onto the card at Whirlpool the 1st time you can top it up with a credit card online. The first top up (at the machine) will determine what currency your card is in going forward. I believe once you have money on the card it can be used to pay the toll at any of the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission bridges (Whirlpool, Rainbow and Queenston-Lewiston) but NOT Peace Bridge. You also get something like $1 off the toll.

cool. Yeah, I need to look into that. I want to head down there for a weekend to get some pre-winter shopping. Need a Thule Cargo box for winter
 
One of the other benefits which nobody has mentioned yet, is that when flying out of Pearson and other major Canadian airports (whether you're flying domestic or international), Nexus members get to skip the main security queue and proceed to their own line. It's saved me literally hundreds of hours given the amount I fly for work (especially at peak travel times during weekdays).

Just convinced my GF to get a membership as well, so that when we fly together (or when we drive across to NY), we won't have to wait.

She applied online a few months ago. It took her ~4 wks for the initial approval, and then she was able to book an interview at Ft Erie within a week of receiving her preliminary acceptance (interview bookings at Pearson would have been a 4 month wait).

Totally worth the time and effort to get the card!
 
One of the other benefits which nobody has mentioned yet, is that when flying out of Pearson and other major Canadian airports (whether you're flying domestic or international), Nexus members get to skip the main security queue and proceed to their own line. It's saved me literally hundreds of hours given the amount I fly for work (especially at peak travel times during weekdays).

This was my main reason for the card! lol! Especially handy when you have kids!
 
Except in their wisdom the idjits at the security funnel others into the "empty" Nexus queue. I was ****** when than happened to me.

Big advantage is US immigration ...no grilling.
I try and avoid flying in the US tho.
 
Another benefit apparently is when connecting through the US flying home from abroad you can use the Global Entry kiosks. Could save you hours if you miss a tight connection. I've never had an issue once they learn you are a Canadian in transit you are pretty much waived through, but you still have to stand in line with those dirty foreigners :p

It took me about 8 weeks to get Conditional Approval, probably due to my extensive international travel in the past 5 years (over 25 countries). The interviewer at the Niagara Falls office commented on this, but it was not a problem. I'm hoping my wife's won't take as long to come through, we waited until I was approved before doing hers just in case I was turned down.

When I got the approval (early August), I could have had an appointment in Niagara Falls the very next day, but I wanted a Saturday morning so I had to wait a few weeks. Pearson appointments were for October.

If you are doing your interview in Niagara Falls, make sure to ask the Canadian guy about getting a code to allow you to cross back of the bridge without paying the toll to get your iris scan, which is done on the Canadian side. Only works if you are going back straight away though.
 
It was a 5 month+ wait for our cards. . The Whirlpool bridge is great, once you do the toll load thing the first time. At Pearson Nexus card holders get to avoid that endless zig zag conga line to US customs. Even domestic flights have a Nexus line to help bypass long screening lines for the masses. Hard to find better value for $10/year.

Heavy shoppers can fill out a travellers declaration form in advance and drop it in the mailbox in the Nexus line. Any duty, taxes etc. if you are over the limit just get charged to your credit card. Misrepresent anything and get caught....... you're screwed for life.
 
It was a 5 month+ wait for our cards. . The Whirlpool bridge is great, once you do the toll load thing the first time. At Pearson Nexus card holders get to avoid that endless zig zag conga line to US customs. Even domestic flights have a Nexus line to help bypass long screening lines for the masses. Hard to find better value for $10/year.

Heavy shoppers can fill out a travellers declaration form in advance and drop it in the mailbox in the Nexus line. Any duty, taxes etc. if you are over the limit just get charged to your credit card. Misrepresent anything and get caught....... you're screwed for life.
How much is the toll for the whirlpool bridge?
 
Crossed at the rainbow bridge recently. Going and coming back was only a couple of minutes and this was on a Sunday. I've never really had an issue crossing. Is this card really worth the bother? I will note that the border patrol are usually nice but the last time coming back the guy asked me 3 times I bought anything while I was there. I didn't even have a tank bag and said he's welcome to search. He eventually said have a nice day.
 
Nexus is totally worth the effort, if your a frequent traveler. There are often "trusted traveler" lanes domestic airports and in the continental US , so you get fast tracked at TSA security points. Keep your shoes on, leave your laptop packed. In big hubs like Chicago where you change terminals for connect flights, you can breeze through pretty quick. Borders are a bonus, walk into pearson and skip the whole mess of the mice maze at customs.
If your one of those people that likes to dick around at customs and not declare everything, and think cheating on declarations is ok, Nexus might not be for you. They don't fool around much with this system.
 
Yup makes coming back into Canada and going into the US a breeze...the agents are downright friendly and the savings at the border in time on a busy day are incredible.
BTW if you are getting onto the Lewiston Bridge from the US on a busy day. Best is to not go on the 190 but get off and then there is an entrance to the east that puts you right into the bridge. You can access easily from 104 and also from Military Trail which parallels the 190.

On a Sunday when it's backed up down 190 - that entrance puts you right at Timmies and that's where they start the truck and Nexus lanes.

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right where that middle 190 sign is behind the Hospital.

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Nexus has been hosting some "open houses" around the GTA, Toronto convention center had one, you show up with valid passport, birth cert and some other photo id, marriage cert if you did that and fast track the whole process. Might be worthy looking at for anybody wanting in.
 

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