The wait is almost over for those cross-border commuters who are members of the NEXUS-FAST trusted traveller program.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced Tuesday that NEXUS and U.S./Canada FAST enrollment centres will reopen in the States on Monday, November 29. These include the three in southeastern Michigan, located in Detroit at the Ambassador Bridge, Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, and Port Huron at the Blue Water Bridge.
NEXUS is the expedited processing program that allows low-risk, pre-screened commuters to save waiting time at the US-Canadian border by using dedicated traffic lanes. It is a joint venture of CBP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). NEXUS members are still subject to random secondary inspections.
The U.S./Canada FAST program is for commercial drivers entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico.
Applicants who have already been conditionally approved may now begin booking appointments by going to the Trusted Traveller Portal, operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Border officials, though, are stressing patience. Due to the massive backlog of new applications created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the limited number of processing locations, CBP is only asking new applicants to book their appointments at this time.
However, existing members are encouraged to renew their cards before the expiry date to ensure they will not lose NEXUS privileges until the time comes for their interviews.
If you're heading to Michigan for a NEXUS interview, you must meet all the applicable travel requirements, which are on the Department of Homeland Security's website.
Commuters interested in signing up for the program can learn how to apply on the CBP's trusted traveller webpage. The cost is $50 U.S. for five years. Applicants must pass a background check before being invited to an interview, where an officer will make the final determination.
Enrollment centres in Canada remain closed until further notice. Processing centres in Ontario can be contacted by calling toll-free at 1-800-842-7647 on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
