Nexus 2 steps interview experience in YYZ (Toronto Pearson airport) March 2024 - US Lawful Permanent Residence.

[Verrou 1,962]

Summary: 10 months to conditionally approved. show up 4 hours before your flight for ur CBP interview at YYZ. CBSA has 3 years legal residence rule. 

 

Just sharing my experience, and I don’t want to have Nexus vs Global Entry which one better debate.  I already got approved for Nexus !

 

Nexus is $50/5 years and Global entry and TSA precheck are included. (This is 100% fact that many many people didn’t know about this and thought nexus card is to expedite entry between USA and Canada only). It seems silly to pay $100/5 years, because I don’t have credit card that gave reimbursement.   

 

in October 2024, both nexus and Global Entry will be $120/5 years.

 

Also, i live in a city that required me to travel hours to do either Global Entry or Nexus interview anyway. 

 

 

Timeline :

US lawful permanent residence - first time applying.  

Applied: 4/8/23  

Conditionally approved: 1/29/24 (10 months)  

Interview CBSA at YYZ airport: 3/22/24  

Interview CBP at YYZ airport with boarding pass and after preclearance: 3/26/24  

Approved notification: 1 hour after CBP interview while still in airport lounge  

Activated membership card appeared on TTP portal when I checked on: 3/30/24 (don’t know when it first appeared)   

 

 

5 years 7 months validity since it’s going to expire on my bday in 2029.  

 

After debating myself whether I should:

1.        go to land border and drove 10 hours round trip or 

2.       to fly and do 2 steps interview at Toronto airport. 

I decided to booked appointment on TTP website with CBSA for 2 steps interview in Toronto Pearson 2 months later 3/22/24 when I have time to travel. CBSA interview slots are wide open. I made sure my flight time to go back to the US is in line with what CBP recommendation hour for Pearson airport, so I choose afternoon flight.  I also added additional 1 hour or my ETA time when I booked the interview slot, just in case my flight got delayed (it’s not).   

 

Flew into Toronto, after custom and got out from terminal 1 arrival entrance, i take elevator up to level 3 (departure). The Nexus Enrollment Center is in terminal 1 departure on level 3 aisle 8 (number is right on top near the ceiling). The office is empty. Got called immediately and interview conducted booth style. 

 

CBSA officer asked for my passport and GC. Asked basic questions from the application like full name, address, birthday, yada2. Thought it’s going to be smooth sailing interview (I prepared I will be grill by CBP and not CBSA). Turned the CBSA officer grilled me about my US LPR status. She kept repeating some questions over and over again especially “how long have you been an LPR?”. I kept responded with “the day I got my LPR card as shown on my green card (that she hold) I immediately applied for nexus). It’s literally few days shy a year ago today.”  

 

I didn’t understand why she kept asking the questions but of course I can’t ask her why, so I just answered with the same response. she asked couple of times how did I get my status repeatedly. Since I have RBF no matter what I do and it always show, she then offered explanation that the reason that she asked me how long I got my LPR status because Canada has rule that the applicant need to be either US or Canada legal resident for at least 3 years. (I didn’t know that and when I checked after the interview there’s no such rule stated on CBP website, but it did show on CBSA website that I didn’t bother look at all). I guess their nuance about legal resident VS lawful permanent residence because I did have working permit for years before I got my LPR status.  The moment she explained about 3 years rule, it felt like my blood drained from my body. I literally did this trip just for nexus interview and I was thinking did I just spend xxx money only to be denied? I did asked her “then why did I got conditional approval?”  She then made a comment “since you had your working permit from 2018, you should be okay”.

 

She also asked why my spouse didn’t apply for nexus. My answer “he already has Nexus for many2 years, that’s why I applied”. At the end of the interview, she told me 3 times to come early for the second step interview with CBP that can only be done when I’m heading back to US with boarding pass in hand few days later. I asked her “so did I pass the interview? Did I get approved from Canada side or not? “And she said, “yes you are good, its approved”. If I didn’t ask, she probably didn’t tell me.  No picture or biometric taken by CBSA. It will be conducted by CBP on the way back. Total interview time: less than 10 minutes.  

 

Few days later Tuesday 3/26/24 I went to Pearson airport terminal 1 almost 4 hours before my flight time (afternoon) on purpose. It was about 10.30 am, my Mobile Passport Control app can’t approve my submission, not sure why. But the security and also custom was super empty anyway so it doesn’t matter. CBP agent knew I came for step 2 interview just by looking at the system. After he’s done with me, he told me to walk through the double door and wait on the small waiting area on the right-hand side and take number on the machine. There are 3 people in front of me and the first guy said he’s been waiting for 1 hour and no agent showed up yet. (Usually, CBP agent will only conduct the interview when the line is not busy in the pre-clearance) He said he arrived at 10 am and until 11:30 am no movement. I was there at 11:10 am. The first guy almost gave up because his flight was boarding at 11:20 am. The second guy on the same flight with the first guy already left and didn’t bother to wait for interview. Just when the first guy slowly walked out and passed me his “wait number” one agent shows up and ask all of us (5-6 people total) to follow her to the office next door. 

 

She asked for my passport, GC and driver license. I got fingerprinted and picture taken (no contact lens but I don’t think they did iris scan anymore), tucked hair behind the ear. She told me to speak louder because she can’t hear me, and I have to speak up. There is thick glass between us, and the ceiling is very high so…

 

Basic question similar with what CBPSA agent asked me: full name, address, work history, why did apply for nexus (answer always: I want global entry and TSA precheck benefits). etc. when she asked about “Between the application and the interview is there any changes on the past 5 years trip outside the US”- I printed out my trips and just showed it to her and she typed it on the computer. She asked the “how did you get ur LPR status” and did my spouse also have nexus. She nods when i said “he did and has one for long time, that’s why im applying so i can use the nexus line on the border / land when we travel “.

 

She didn’t say if I got approve or not and just said “wait up to 48 hours for approval or denial and if I got denied, I will know from the letter that they are going to send it to my address”. It’s quite intimidating hahaha so i didn’t dare to ask if I got approved or not.  Total time from waiting to the end of interview on Tuesday noon was 50 minutes. The interview itself probably 5 mnts.  

 

1 hour later while I still in the airport lounge, I got an email notification from TTP website. I got approved for nexus (including TSA pre check <- this is one of the reasons why I applied for nexus) 

 

 

[OldUser 7,002]

Thanks for sharing your experience and congratulations on getting Nexus!

 

I fortunately had a much smoother experience with Global Entry interview, and I got it while on non immigrant visa (country was OK for GE). I guess Nexus has higher requirements for residence etc.

[TBoneTX 45,655]

Thanks for taking the time to let everyone know the details of your experience.  Your post is sure to help somebody in the future.