What you need to know – Forbes Advisor Canada

To enroll in TSA PreCheck, you can either go to the Trusted Traveler portal or go directly to the TSA PreCheck enrollment page. After completing the enrollment form, you can select an enrollment center and schedule an appointment. The TSA PreCheck enrollment process is conducted by third-party providers IDEMIA and Telos at many centers across the country, including airports, local government offices, and office supply stores.

Generally, you should receive your Known Traveler number within three to five days of completing the application and registration process, but it may take up to 60 days. You will be notified by email after approval, but you can check the status of your application by logging into the Trusted Traveler website.

Global entry

To enroll in Global Entry, visit the Trusted Traveler portal, create your Trusted Traveler account, pay your non-refundable fee, and submit your application. Each person, regardless of age, must have their own account.

During the application process, you will provide personal information that will allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to check your history. Once the history check is complete and your application is conditionally approved, you will be notified to schedule an in-person interview. Each person applying must have their own interview appointment. You should receive an email if the status of your application has changed, but we recommend checking the dashboard in your Trusted Traveler account in case the email notification is lost.

Once you have conditional admission, you can schedule an appointment online at a location of your choice. Global Entry enrollment centers are typically located at international airports and border crossings.

During the Global Entry interview, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer will review your information, ask you some basic questions (“Why do you want Global Entry?” “What do you do for a living?”), take your photo, and process your fingerprints.

Global Entry also offers an option called Registration on Arrival. This option allows applicants who have been conditionally admitted to complete their interview when they arrive in the United States on an international flight. Over 50 U.S. airports and over a dozen international locations offer Global Entry Registration on Arrival.

To complete your registration upon arrival at an international airport, follow the appropriate signs that will direct you to a Customs and Border Protection officer who can conduct the Global Entry interview.

You must bring your passport, proof of residence and, if applicable, a permanent residence card to the personal interview. This is not necessary for minors.

Once you are approved for Global Entry, you will receive your Global Entry card within two to four weeks. Your Global Entry card has RFID features that work in the expedited NEXUS/SENTRI lanes when entering the U.S. at land border crossings. To access this feature, you must activate the card in your Trusted Traveler account.

NEXUS

To apply for NEXUS, set up your Trusted Traveler account on the Trusted Traveler website. Complete the NEXUS application and pay your $50 non-refundable fee. Both the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will conduct a background check. Once your application is conditionally approved, you will be notified to schedule your in-person appointment. You should receive an email notifying you that the status of your application has changed, but be sure to check the dashboard in your Trusted Traveler account regularly in case the email ends up in spam. Each applicant, including children, must have their own appointment.

The NEXUS interview process is more complex than a Global Entry interview because you will be interviewed and approved by two agencies rather than one.

There are three options for the NEXUS interview, all of which must be planned in advance:

1. Joint US-Canada interviews at land registration centers in the US U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency officials conduct interviews together at the same location. These centers are few and far between and are located in U.S. cities along the border.
2. A split interview conducted at a Canadian land registration center, followed by an interview at a U.S. land registration center. Applicants are interviewed by Canada Border Services Agency officers at a Canadian land registration centre, followed by an interview with US Customs and Border Protection officers at a nearby US registration centre as you cross the border. When you schedule the Canadian interview, the US interview is automatically scheduled for the same date shortly after. This option is currently only available at three locations, but more locations will be added in the future.
3. Interview at a registration center at a Canadian airport, followed by an interview at a U.S. preclearance location at a Canadian airport. The Canadian interview is conducted by Canada Border Services Agency officers at one of the registration centers at Canadian airports. The second phase is an interview conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in the pre-clearance area of ​​a Canadian airport prior to departure to the U.S. No appointment is required for the U.S. interview, but you will need to allow extra time for it before your flight.

Nexus cards are mailed within 10 days of approval. The card must be activated before you can use your NEXUS benefits.

CLEAR Plus

Signing up for CLEAR Plus is relatively straightforward. It can be done directly at the airport. You also have the option of starting the application process online and then completing it on your next flight by registering your biometric data at a CLEAR Plus airport checkpoint. The process only takes about five minutes and you do not need to make an appointment. You can start using CLEAR Plus immediately after successful registration.

Please remember that you must present a valid identification document (e.g. passport, driving license or permanent residence card) before registering your biometric data.

How do I use my benefits?

Once you are approved for a U.S. Trusted Traveler Program, you will receive this Known Traveler Number, or PASSID.

For TSA PreCheck, you can look up your KTN at this link to the TSA PreCheck website. For Global Entry and NEXUS, you can access your PASSID by logging into the Trusted Traveler website and checking your dashboard.

To use TSA PreCheck when flying, your Known Traveler Number or PASSID must be attached to your ticket. You can manually enter your number when you book your flight reservation. Better yet, log into your airline loyalty program accounts and update your profile with your KTN. Future flights under your airline loyalty number should automatically attach your Known Traveler Number and you will receive your TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS benefits when they are available.

If your Known Traveler Number has been successfully attached to your ticket, you should see the TSA PreCheck indicator on your boarding pass.

At the security checkpoint, look for the TSA PreCheck lane for expedited screening. Even if you have a card with your Trusted Traveler program, the only thing that matters is the check mark on your boarding pass.

Global Entry members do not need to activate their Global Entry cards for air travel. After arriving at a U.S. airport, follow signs to the Global Entry lane in the immigration area. Global Entry kiosks use facial recognition to identify you. You simply look into the camera on the kiosk, declare food or products on the screen, and walk up to the immigration officer. The kiosks can process multiple people at once if you are traveling with family members who also have Global Entry.

If you want to use Global Entry to enter the United States through the NEXUS/SENTRI lanes at land border crossings, you must activate your Global Entry card for it to be recognized. You can activate your card by logging into your Trusted Traveler account and navigating to the Program Membership section.

While it may seem pointless to have a card if you may never need it, the card serves as a federal ID and is accepted at airports for domestic travel.

NEXUS members must activate their cards before using NEXUS kiosks at Canadian airports or land and sea crossings. Your NEXUS card can be activated in your Trusted Traveler account.

To use NEXUS upon arrival at a Canadian airport, follow the signs to the NEXUS kiosks. You will be asked to enter the number of travelers in your party, as the NEXUS kiosk can process up to five people at a time. You will scan each NEXUS card and a photo will be taken of each member. Take the receipt from the kiosk and proceed to baggage claim if you do not need to declare any items.

CLEAR Plus is not considered a government-approved Trusted Traveler Program because it is not government-operated and does not include TSA PreCheck, so you will not receive a KTN. Instead, CLEAR Plus can be used once you have registered your biometrics. To use CLEAR Plus, go to one of the CLEAR Plus checkpoints at the airport and verify your identity using your fingerprints or eyes. Once this is done, you can proceed to security.

If you also have TSA PreCheck, either directly or through Global Entry or NEXUS, CLEAR Plus combined with TSA PreCheck can help you get through security even faster.

How much does Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, NEXUS and CLEAR cost?

Currently, NEXUS is the cheapest option at $50; plus, children are free. TSA PreCheck costs $78 ($105 CAD) or $85 ($115 CAD), depending on the provider, and Global Entry costs $100 ($135 CAD). Note that the Trusted Traveler programs are valid for five years, making them relatively inexpensive per year.

Although it is the most affordable program, NEXUS has fewer interview centers than Global Entry, making the process more challenging. The interview locations are located at the country’s border, so if you don’t live near such a location or are flying soon, you may need to plan travel to coincide with your interviews, either at the airport or at a location at the country’s border. This increases the cost of NEXUS.

However, on October 1, 2024, the price for Global Entry and NEXUS will increase to USD 120 (CAD 162) for the five-year validity period.