US Border Canada: Get Nexus Pass for Crossing Washington Border into Canada

Crossing Washington at the US border Canada for a first time traveler is both exciting and intimidating. Many travelers are well educated and keep current on the ever-changing travel regulations and rules and what to expect in order to prepare for border crossing. For the new traveler, however, going into Canada will be a new experience filled with surprises --both good and bad. One surprise is the procedure crossing Washington into Canada and back into the US, at the popular point of entry outside of Blaine Washington.

What to expect crossing Washington into Canada

The border crossing into Canada from the US just outside of Blaine Washington is often uncrowded and fairly straightforward. The border guard will ask a series of questions about where you are going and how long you plan to stay. They also want to know if you are carrying any weapons and produce. You will need to produce a passport or passport card (as of 2009) and then you are on your way. This easy border crossing into Canada may cause the unsuspecting traveler to assume the entry back into the US will be the same. The wait time into Canada is usually much less than the re-entry into the US.

What to expect crossing Canada into Washington

You will also be questioned but often much more extensively. Your vehicle will be scanned, photographed, possibly searched, and the guard will already know your name when you arrive at the crossing. Getting to the crossing, however, is the hardest part.

The number one thing to expect is a very long delay much different than the trip into Canada. There are only a few lanes leading up to the border crossing into the US. The far 2 left lanes are all passenger vehicles. The next lane is the Nexus lane for Nexus card holders and the far right lane for commercial vehicles. There is a sign stating the delay can be up to 90 minutes...not true! At the point that you pass under the 90 minute wait sign, you will be fortunate to get there is less than 3 hours. It is at this point that you may have already been in line for a several hours, especially in the summer according to the US border patrol.

The majority of people going in the US from Canada will fall into the "passenger vehicle" category. Because of this, it will also be the longest wait time. As you slowly inch forward in the long line of cars, you will observe people getting out of their cars and walking around. There may also be ice cream vendors walking in between all the virtually parked cars. They will offer $3.00 ice cream sandwiches to bored drivers willing to shell out that much money simply to break the monotony. Another thing you will notice are passenger cars flying by your lane to the right.

These drivers fall into two categories. The first is the driver who is selfish, savvy and aggressive who knows the drill. This driver knows they can use the Nexus lane up to the point where the lanes are divided by more than just dotted white lines. It is here that the driver will fly to the front of the line, far head of the weary travelers who have waited for hours, and then jump in front of a polite driver letting them cut to the front of the line, saving this driver hours of wait time. Many people pull this rude and annoying trick and there is no one to stop them.

The other category are drivers who have purchased a Nexus pass. If you are new to border crossings, you may be unaware of what a Nexus card is. All you know is the lucky people who have something called a Nexus pass are driving in a lane where there is little delay and you are jealous of their special privilege. This could be you, however.

It is relatively easy to get a Nexus pass if you are a "low risk" traveler. A Nexus card application is available to all US and Canadian Citizens. Here are the steps for a Nexus pass according to US Immigration Visa and Travel department.

1. Download the Nexus application, fill it out and send it back to the IVT
2. Receive a payment link via Paypal- simply pay the fee with a credit card or bank card- cost is $169 to $199 per traveler with a potential 50% discount for children and infants.
3. After your application is processed and approved, you will have a 30 minute interview scheduled with a border patrol representative.
4. Receive your Nexus

The pass is good for five years and is only approved for the vehicle you register the pass with. If you get a new car you will need to apply for a new pass.

You can also use the Nexus pass, where available, on sea and air throughout the United States and Canada (not Mexico) as long as you have also completed an iris scan. Unfortunately for US citizens, the scan is only available at limited locations.

Applying for the Nexus pass for a US border Canada crossing (or any other US point of entry) will give you an extreme time advantage when you plan a trip to Canada. Next time, you will be the enviable driver flying past all the poor weary travelers who must reenter the US border crossing Washington where they have waited for hours simply because they did not have a Nexus card.

Source:

http://usa.immigrationvisaforms.com/travel/nexus-pass