Cross often? Make it simple, use NEXUS.
NEXUS is designed to expedite the border clearance process for low-risk, pre-approved travellers into Canada and the United States.
I got the above quote from the Canadian Border Services Agency Website. They make it sound so darn easy! Well, it was technically TOO hard, but it was certainly a process.
1) I had to create separate log-in and passwords for all 4 of us.
2) Adults have a $50 application fee.
3) Each application (yes, 4) took FOREVER to complete and you have to list every country visited the past 5 years. This was a little tough with my elephant memory. I was so cross-eyed by the time I did the last application (Melvin's) that I accidentally entered Mozambique as one of his countries. We had to then send an email since you can't edit an application!
4) Then, we had to wait....and wait, and wait, and wait.
5) Finally, after about 4 weeks, Melvin & I got emails within a day of each other saying we were conditionally approved and we could make appointments for our "interview".
6) 4 weeks AFTER that, the kids got approved (weird), so we had to make their appointments, which at that point were booked for more than a month out after ours.
7) Interview Day: Melvin and I got interviews the same day. The Canadian officer was so mean, said we couldn't process the kids' cards and they had to wait like everyone else. The American officer was SUPER nice (big surprise) and said, "oh, I'll just do the kids too. It's just a formality". Hah. An iris eye scan and fingerprints later, we got approved.
8) Our cards arrived in the mail a week later.
We're heading to Seattle tonight to try them out! Let's see if they really do make a difference in the time it takes to cross the border....our fingers are crossed. We also have some items from Amazon waiting for us in our mailbox. Yay!
Next blog post will be about our Seattle weekend. It'll be my 2nd trip there and Melvin & the kids' first. I tend to think it's very similar to Vancouver, but Vancouver is cleaner and more beautiful, but let's see if I think differently after this weekend.
Until next time!
