Narcity.com - NEXUS fees could more than double this year so here's how to get it before costs go up

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If you wait, you could have to pay almost $100 more for NEXUS!

Lisa Belmonte – Senior Writer

NEXUS fees are expected to increase this year and the price hike would make it more than double the current cost.

So, if you travel and want to reduce wait times at airports or the Canada-U.S. border by getting a NEXUS membership, you could have to pay more soon.

On April 2, 2024, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) gave an update on the NEXUS program.

It has been proposed that the NEXUS application fee be increased from US$50 to US$120 as of October 1, 2024.

That works out to an increase from approximately CA$67 to CA$162.

Although work is being done to implement that price hike, it still needs to be approved through regulatory amendments in Canada and the U.S.

“The current fee, set over 20 years ago, no longer covers the cost of the program,” the CBSA and U.S. CBP said in the update.

Both border organizations noted that the higher priced fee would “more accurately” reflect the cost of the NEXUS program and what’s needed to improve it in the future.

If the new increased NEXUS fee gets approved, the cost would break down to US$24 — approximately CA$32 — per year for the five-year membership.

Applicants who submitted their application and paid the US$50 fee but haven’t completed their enrollment interviews by October 1 won’t have to pay the higher fee, according to the CBSA and U.S. CBP.

So, here’s what you need to know about NEXUS if you want to get your membership before the fees increase.

What is NEXUS?NEXUS is a travel program designed to make border crossings into Canada and the U.S. faster for low-risk, pre-approved travellers.

It’s jointly run by the CBSA and U.S. CBP.

You can avoid long line-ups and save time when entering Canada with NEXUS by using:

self-serve kiosks and eGates at major international airports
dedicated vehicle lanes at designated land border crossings
NEXUS eGates at certain international bridges
Transportation Security Administration Pre-Check lines at over 200 U.S. airports

When entering the U.S. from Canada, NEXUS members have access to:

Global Entry kiosks at certain Canadian airports
dedicated lanes at some land border crossings
faster processing at all marine crossings

Who is eligible for NEXUS?Canadian citizens and permanent residents can apply for a NEXUS membership.

To be eligible for NEXUS you must:

be admissible to Canada and the U.S. under immigration laws
provide true and complete information on your application
not have violated customs, immigration or agriculture laws

You may not be eligible for NEXUS if you have been convicted of a criminal offence in any country and a pardon wasn’t granted.

If you’re a permanent resident, you must have been a legal resident of Canada for at least three years before applying for a NEXUS membership.

However, you’re exempt from the three-year residency rule if you are:

a family member of a person serving in the Canadian or American armed forces in a foreign country
a family member of a person serving in a Canadian or American diplomatic mission or consular post in a foreign country

How do you apply for NEXUS?You must provide proof of citizenship or permanent residency and proof of residency in the NEXUS application process.

That can include a valid passport, birth certificate and photo ID, valid driver’s license, document with a current address like a bank statement, and more.

You also must pay the non-refundable application processing fee which is US$50 but could be increased to US$120 in 2024.

There is no fee for applicants who are under the age of 18.

You have to submit your NEXUS application online and pay the application processing fee through the Trusted Traveller Programs System operated by U.S. CBP.

To apply for NEXUS, you need to:

go to the Trusted Traveller Programs System
choose the NEXUS program link
sign in using your Login.gov account information
complete your application

The application process also includes an in-person interview.

The estimated processing time for your application is within 30 business days.

However, that estimate doesn’t include the scheduling of your enrolment interview because Interviews depend on the availability of appointments at enrollment centres.

Also, there’s currently a “significant” backlog of new applicants.

How long is a NEXUS membership valid for?Your NEXUS membership is valid for five years and there is an expiry date on your NEXUS card.

If you renew your membership before that expiry date, you’ll keep your travel privileges.

You can your membership online and pay the non-refundable processing fee through the Trusted Traveller Programs System operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

There is no fee for NEXUS members who are under 18 years old.

With a streamlined renewal process, you might not need to do an interview at an enrollment centre.

Generally, you don’t need an interview if there are no changes to your personal information or any new information that affects your eligibility.

Where can you use NEXUS?There are many NEXUS locations in Canada and the U.S. where you can use your membership.

NEXUS members can avoid long line-ups when entering Canada at airports, land border points of entry and marine reporting centres.

If you’re flying into Canada from anywhere in the world, you can use NEXUS arrival kiosks or eGates at:

Calgary International Airport
Edmonton International Airport
Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport
Vancouver International Airport
Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport

NEXUS is currently available at these land border crossings if you’re driving into Canada:

Abbotsford-Huntingdon, B.C.
Aldergrove, B.C.
Ambassador Bridge, Ontario
Boundary Bay, B.C.
Coutts, Alberta
Douglas, B.C.
Emerson, Manitoba
Fort Erie (Peace Bridge), Ontario
Lansdowne (Thousand Islands Bridge), Ontario
Niagara Falls Whirlpool Bridge, Ontario
Pacific Highway, B.C.
Queenston Lewiston Bridge, Ontario
Sarnia (Blue Water Bridge), Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie Bridge, Ontario
St-Armand/Philipsburg, Quebec
St-Bernard-de-Lacolle: Highway 15, Quebec
St. Stephen 3rd Bridge, New Brunswick
Stanstead (55), Quebec
Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, Ontario
Woodstock Road, New Brunswick

There are 396 marine reporting centres across Canada that offer NEXUS privileges.

NEXUS members can use this program to avoid long line-ups when entering the U.S. through airports, land border crossings and marine reporting centres.

You must use a Global Entry kiosk at these Canadian airports if you’re travelling to the U.S.: