One of the best travel decisions I’ve made was applying for my NEXUS card. NEXUS has saved me hours at the airport and so I really want to share more information with you about this program by first explaining what it is, the benefits and how you can apply. I also have a couple of tricks up my sleeve too!

What is NEXUS?

In a nutshell, NEXUS allows you to expedite the border clearance when travelling into the United States and Canada. It works when you travel by air, land or sea.

The Benefits of NEXUS

When you travel with your NEXUS card, you save time. So. Much. Time. The last time I flew out of Toronto Pearson Airport I was flying to Charlotte in North Carolina. I used my NEXUS card and here is how I saved time:

After I arrived at the airport I checked my bags in and headed straight to the NEXUS automated self-serve kiosks. They have self-serve kiosks for travellers who don’t have NEXUS too, but here’s the difference; there was no queue for the NEXUS kiosks. No queue and plenty of machines available. Once we cleared customs, we handed in our receipt the kiosk prints for you and headed straight for the Trusted Traveller CATSA Security Line, once again skipping the queue. We timed the whole process and it took us 15 minutes. Incredible!

NEXUS is helpful when travelling to America and when you land back in Canada. If all of your travel takes you everywhere else except the US, then it might not be worth the application process. However, you still benefit every time you land back in Canada as you head to the NEXUS kiosks, which once again don’t have a queue.

If you travel a lot to the UK, either for business or maybe you have family there you often visit, they are now offering a similar program called Registered Traveller. Click here to find out more www.gov.uk/registered-traveller.

How to Apply

You can apply online for NEXUS, which is exactly how we applied. It’s a simple process and easy to complete. Once you have applied and provided the mandatory documents, your eligibility will be checked and you’ll be invited to set up an appointment for an interview at a NEXUS enrollment centre.

Insider Tips

Schedule an interview at an enrollment centre just across the US border. Their wait times for an interview are significantly shorter. We drove just across the border into New York State for our interview instead of waiting for an appointment at Toronto Pearson. We cut our wait time down by months.

When you receive your NEXUS card, it will be in a protective sleeve. Put a coloured paper clip on each family member’s sleeve so you can easily tell whose is who’s by the colour of the paper clip.

For more information on the NEXUS program, head to www.nexus.gc.ca

About the Author

Rhian Torontow is a Family Travel Consultant with Magical Family Adventures. Rhian creates travel experiences that foster connections in your family that will last a lifetime and transforms your children into open-minded, flexible, well-travelled people. During Rhian’s childhood, her father travelled for work constantly and it was always travel that brought her family back together. You can follow Rhian on Facebook at www.facebook.com/magicalfamilyadventures, Instagram @MagicalFamilyAdventures and you can also connect with her on LinkedIn ca.linkedin.com/in/rhiantorontow/