Questions about Nexus card

[steven_ickman]

Hi, just applied for my Nexus card for travel into Canada and have a couple questions:

1. I'm assuming only the captain needs a nexus card. Any advantage to my wife also applying for one? It's another $50.
2. Once I go to Vancouver for the interview and get my card, do I need to do something to associate my boat with my Nexus card? The instruction related to marine passage with a Nexus card were vague at best.
3. When entering Canada/USA do I still need to enter at one of the custom ports? The instructions say you need to call a number they provide but it's not clear to me if that means I need to go to the custom docks like you normally would to make said call or if I can just call from my cell phone? Again. Very vague instructions.
4. Any other questions I should be asking? 🙂

-steve

 

[steven_ickman]

I guess one other question:

5. Assuming that even though I have a Nexus card I should still take my passport with me when I travel into Canada.

-steve

 

[steven_ickman]

Ok answered part 1 with a bit more digging. Everyone on board needs a Nexus card in order to clear by phone. And it looks like you can call customs 30 min - 4 hrs before arrival to receive further instructions. Assuming that works going both ways,

 

[scross]

Steve,
Just got mine last year and haven't had a chance to use it yet. The following is based what they told us during the interview.

Yes, everyone on the boat still needs passports regardless of everyone having/not having Nexus cards.
Yes, you still need to phone in or go to a Customs location and check in regardless of the Nexus card.
Yes, if everyone on board has a Nexus card, you can check in at some locations at off season where you could not check in if all did not have a Nexus card. (Example: Checking in to Canada from USA at Bedwell Harbor Customs dock at Pender Island, BC in April)
Faster phone in service.

Hope that helps!

 

[scross]

Steve,
You probably have already seen this but it's a copy of the Nexus call in process for entering Canada from the USA (or the reverse) on the West Coast. The phone in option can really speed up the process. To use this option all on board must have Nexus passes.

The boat master must call the NEXUS Telephone Reporting Centre (TRC) at: 1-866-99-NEXUS (1-866-996-3987);
Provide advance notice to the CBSA (Canada) or CBP (USA) at least 30 minutes (minimum) and up to four hours (maximum) before arriving in Canada. The boatmaster must provide to the TRC:
• an estimated time of arrival (ETA);
• the name and location of the landing site of arrival (“designated sites” are required for entering Canada);
• the registration number and/or the name of the boat;
• the full name, date of birth and country of citizenship and/or permanent residence status for all NEXUS members on board;
• the destination, purpose of trip and length of stay in Canada for each passenger; and passport and visa details of passengers when applicable or required;
Ensure all passengers have photo identification and proof of citizenship, permanent residence status and/or other immigration status documents when applicable or required; and
Declare all goods being imported, including currency information.
If any information changes before your arrival, contact the NEXUS Telephone Reporting Centre.
As proof of presentation, you will receive a report number for your records. You must produce this number when asked to do so by border officials.
If a border official is not at the specified landing site to meet the boat at the reported ETA or actual time of arrival, the individuals who have reported may proceed to their intended final destination.

With the new legal pot laws in Oregon and Washington, I have heard that the inspections for boats going into Canada may be much more thorough and the wait times longer for those without Nexus than in the past. At least that's what a CBSA officer told me last year.

 

[Da Nag]

Yes, everyone on the boat still needs passports regardless of everyone having/not having Nexus cards.

Hmmm...are you sure of this?

Neither wife nor I have passports - all we have are NEXUS. We've had no problem coming/going between US/Canada for the last 4+ years. Since we've no plans in the near future to go anywhere other than Canada, we specifically got NEXUS instead of passports.

Not that we'd need it, as we've never been asked for anything beyond the NEXUS - but we don't have the enhanced WA drivers licenses either.

 

[scross]

From the Nexus FAQ page at CBP website:

Can I use my Nexus card instead of a passport?

Yes, you can. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (the States and Canada are members) the US Immigration Visa & Travel Nexus card along with the enhanced driver’s license, SENTRI pass, FAST card for truckers (road travel only) and US passport card are recognized as acceptable equivalent documents to a valid passport. There have been noted incidents where border guards have asked to see a passport as well as a NEXUS card, but under US law brought in on June 1, 2009 legally the above documents count for travel between Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, by land or sea.

During our Nexus interview I specifically asked that question. The requirement is "photo identification and proof of citizenship, permanent residence status and/or other immigration status documents". I asked the CBSA and CBP agents if state issued drivers license was good enough. The answer was, "We strongly encourage you to bring your passport as proof of residence and immigration status."

 

[Da Nag]

Interesting. That runs counter not only to my experience, but the many discussions we've had over at the C-Brats on the topic. It also doesn't jive with Canada's information provided online, where they specifically state it's a valid alternative to a passport - serving as both acceptable identification and proof of citizenship.

They do state that passports are required for NEXUS holders who are permanent residents - but not US/Canadian citizens.

I don't doubt what you were told in the interview, but If things have changed - I can't find any official reference to it.

 

[scross]

My Oregon drivers license is not considered an enhanced drivers license. Oregon doesn't issue enhanced licenses.

So, from the FAQ answer (and what I was told during the interview) I would need my Nexus ALONG WITH an enhanced driver’s license, SENTRI pass, FAST card for truckers (road travel only) and US passport card.

Since my girlfriend and I don't have any of those additional qualifying IDs, we take our passports. So, in my earlier post I should have said, "You need a Nexus pass and a second form of qualifying ID." For us, that second qualifying ID is our USA passports.

Since you are crossing the border with just a Nexus pass and an non-enhanced drivers license you, technically, don't meet the documentation requirements. Would this work? For you it has worked. Could it be a problem for you if you met an agent who was having a bad day? Perhaps!

Not meeting the documentation requirements for use of the Nexus pass could result in having them revoked. I would not want to be crossing the border with a revocation note next to my name in the datatbase.

 

[Da Nag]

I think we're reading that info differently - but of course, it's not either of our interpretations that count. 😀

Yes, you can. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (the States and Canada are members) the US Immigration Visa & Travel Nexus card along with the enhanced driver’s license, SENTRI pass, FAST card for truckers (road travel only) and US passport card are recognized as acceptable equivalent documents to a valid passport. There have been noted incidents where border guards have asked to see a passport as well as a NEXUS card, but under US law brought in on June 1, 2009 legally the above documents count for travel between Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, by land or sea.

My emphasis added above.

I interpret "along with" to mean a NEXUS is equivalent to all the following documents when it comes to identification and citizenship proof. In other words, any of the items listed are by themselves, adequate for entry to US or Canada (enhanced driver’s license, SENTRI pass, FAST card for truckers, passport.)

 

[scross]

Interesting viewpoint on the interpretation of the requirement. I guess "along with" could mean "or" rather than my interpretation of "in addition to". Never would have read it that way.

Since my girlfriend and I both frequently travel internationally and domestically, and having had passports for decades, bringing along our the passports on all of our international travels is automatic.

The biggest single advantage of the Nexus pass for us was that is gets into the TSA Prescreened airport lines for almost all of our domestic and international flights. Since the Nexus pass is $35 cheaper than the $85 TSA PreCheck application, we considered the five year Nexus pass cost to be a bargain.

I'm going to be at the Seattle Nexus Pass Interview Center on Perimeter Road on Thursday (4/16) morning for a renewed passport verification for my girlfriend. I'm going to print this out and ask the senior official for clarification on what "along with" means....

 

[steven_ickman]

Thanks for all the feedback on this. I can see that the documentation is just as confusing to everyone else as it was to me. 🙂

-steve

 

[macnmm]

Also call Friday Harbor customs for advice getting back in. The Nexus requirements for US are different than Canada and for boaters you need a BR number associated with each passenger to phone in and not stay in line.

 

[steven_ickman]

Here's the info I found on the Boater Registration (BR) Number:

The Boater Registration Number (BR number) is unique to your vessel/master and should be kept for subsequent visits into the United States. In the case of the master the number is attached to both the vessel and the person. Passengers can also get BR numbers that are only attached to their name. If the number is lost, it can be retrieved by a CBP Officer.

You will receive a BR number when you are issued a NEXUS card. If you do not already have a NEXUS card or BR number, you will be issued a BR number upon your first arrival. You will be asked a series of questions pertaining to the master of the vessel, passengers and vessel information. You will be issued a BR number that you can give each time you make entry with CBP. The BR number allows CBP to speed up the process.