Make sure you remain a Trusted Traveler
Becoming a member of NEXUS means travel between the U.S. and Canada becomes a lot easier and a lot less frustrating. However, as you enjoy the benefits of the program, remember one thing – you have to renew every 5 years. And because NEXUS is a screening process involving security agencies in several countries who assess you to see if you’re a low-risk traveler, renewing your membership isn’t quite as easy as you’d expect.
So, as big a relief as it is when you join the program, the first thing you should remember is to set a date for when you start the application to renew and thus ensure your reinstatement in the program.
NEXUS requires you to go through almost the same application when you renew as you did the first time, so you need to think ahead and plan your NEXUS renewal application to the program well in advance of your expiry date. This is because enrollment centers were closed for up to 2 years due to the COVID pandemic, creating a large backlog of scheduled interviews for NEXUS.
This means you need to be persistent to get that interview scheduled before your card expires. In fact, you should do this well before your NEXUS expiry date.
Now, a NEXUS card is valid for 5 years and generally has the expiry date on the card itself. Seeing that Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) recommend you start the renewal process 1 year before your NEXUS card’s expiry date, you should start the renewal process around 4 years after first receiving your membership in the program.
If your card does not have an expiry date you should contact NEXUS by:
- Calling one of the following Processing Centers:
- Residents of the Maritime Provinces & Quebec – call 1-866-399-5887
- Residents of Ontario & the United States – call 1-800-842-7647
- Residents of the remaining provinces & territories of Canada – call 1-866-496-3987
- Emailing NEXUS at: ttppost-pvfpostes@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
How to Renew your NEXUS Membership
Unfortunately, renewing a NEXUS membership involves submitting an application all over again. However, if the information you provide in your application to renew is basically unchanged from when you first applied for a membership, the process will be easier, and odds are you will be approved for another 5 years, hopefully without an interview if your personal information and your situation hasn’t changed. Here’s how to apply for your renewal:
- Log in to the Trusted Traveler Programs website found here and choose NEXUS. You will need your login.gov account information to log in which you should have from when you initially applied for NEXUS.
- Please remember that the TTP website is a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) computer system and does not give you any guarantees of privacy of information as your profile has to be shared among various security agencies in both Canada and the U.S. as well as other security agencies abroad during the screening process.
- Fill in the application online completely and accurately. Do not conceal or intentionally modify any information that could accurately answer the questions asked.
- Pay a US$ 50 fee online through the TTP website.
- If the information is essentially unchanged since your initial application, then satisfying the eligibility criteria, being admissible to both Canada and the U.S., and passing the risk assessment shouldn’t be a problem, and you may not have to do an interview.
- Remember that children also have to apply but do not have to pay the US$ 50 fee.
- If there are changes to your personal information since the previous time, or any other new information, you may be required by NEXUS to do an interview. You will be advised of this when you receive your letter of conditional approval in your TTP account. You will have 30 days to schedule an interview at an enrollment center once you receive your conditional letter of approval.
- Once you obtain final approval, your new NEXUS card will be mailed to you.
FAQ
Can you renew your NEXUS Card online?
The only way to renew your NEXUS Card is by applying online. You essentially undergo the same application process as when you first applied to the program, but if your information remains essentially the same, the application is a little quicker.
Can I renew my NEXUS Card if it has expired?
The answer depends. Always try to begin the renewal application for NEXUS at least a few months (and even up to a year) before your card expires. However, if your card has expired and you also have submitted your application for a renewal before the expiry date, you may be able to use your expired card. In general, it is not a good idea to apply to try to renew your NEXUS membership after the expiration date.
What documents are required for NEXUS renewal?
It’s basically the same application as when first joining NEXUS that you have to do all over again, so the same documentation is required.
How long does NEXUS card renewal take in Canada?
CBP and CBSA officers used to suggest renewing 90 days before your NEXUS card expires. However, due to significant delays in NEXUS, they now suggest applying for renewal 1 year before expiry of your card, seeing that renewal is now taking around 12 months.
Do I need an interview to renew my NEXUS?
Unfortunately, the answer is a definite maybe. If your personal information has changed and if there is any new information about you that might interest the various security agencies involved in the screening process with NEXUS, you may be asked to book an interview at an enrollment center, just as when you first applied.
In other words, do not assume that because you are renewing NEXUS, you will not need to book an interview.
What is the grace period for NEXUS renewal?
Apparently, you have a 2-year grace period – once you’ve submitted your application to NEXUS – in which you have to schedule an interview if you are required to do so.
How soon can I renew NEXUS?
The latest advice from Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is that you should begin the application to renew your NEXUS membership 1 year before your expiry date. Because the validity period is for 5 years, that means you have to wait until you’ve been a member of NEXUS for 4 years.
How do I renew my expired NEXUS pass?
As we explain above, every 5 years you have to apply again online to NEXUS in a similar fashion to when you first applied. Log in to the TTP website and apply for membership following the instructions and pay a US$ 50 fee per person, excluding children under 18 years old.
