Nexus

[WillieC]

We have an appointment scheduled regarding our application for a Nexus pass to ease passing between US and Canadian waters on our A25.

This border crossing system seems to be evolving, Covid didn't help to be sure. I am looking for actual users and their experience using the Nexus system. Our transit will be from Washington into BC, maybe twice a year, each direction. We got stuck last year mainly due to our ignorance having previously checked in directly at Ports of Entry on both sides. We were directed to get the ArriveCan going and CBP Roam returning apps and ended up with more rigmarole than seemed necessary. Going north via B_____, (names have been obscured to protect the guilty) the Port attendant took pity on us watching us wait on hold for over 45 minutes and checked us in the old fashioned way. In minutes.

My understanding from listening to the Starfleet Commander's research is that, once you have an official Nexus Pass, the whole process is done over the phone with no physical Port of Entry stop required. You still need to follow all the rules regarding having passports, receiving an entry number to post, and declaring contraband and maybe be required to physically stop at a POE if they don't like your answers. Reasonable. What we really want to avoid is the useless standing around at a phone kiosk on a dock where you never know if anybody is going to pick up. Does the Nexus system really work?

Barring Nexus, is there an alternative and is it the ArriveCan and CBP Roam method? Apparently, just showing up at a POE for a physical check in is no longer an option. Is this correct?

Thanks for reading. (We stopped at an official government trusted traveler enrollment center, of which there are only two or three for the entire 49th parallel, to ask a few innocent questions and barely made it out of there alive. Not helpful.)

[DesertAlbin736]

Hey Rick,

We've used CBP ROAM to check back via in to US at Point Roberts via video chat last time in 2019, the only way they do check ins then & I assume now, but that was pre-COVID. We haven't used NEXUS, just the old fashioned phone kiosk at the dock to check in to Canada. CBP ROAM works good, IF you can get a good cell phone signal. Last time we actually had to pull in to a regular marina dock in Point Roberts (not the POE dock) to get a good signal and do the CPB thing over the phone. I already had our particulars entered into the CPB ROAM system. What kind of rigamarole getting set up with ArriveCAN? We won't be going there this year and maybe not next, but inquiring minds want to know. Nowadays if you ain't got a smart phone you're nowhere.

[WillieC]

Yup, a smart phone WITH A SIGNAL which we lost as we were approaching Bedwell. Somehow, without going into all the details, we managed to only partially complete the rigmarole before we lost the signal. I think Nexus is the way to go, if we can just get past xxxxxxxxxxxxx...content deleted so as not to negatively affect our interview.