NEXUS Center opens in Falls

“Trusted Travelers” urged to enroll in NEXUS program to facilitate border crossing
A “Trusted Traveler” Enrollment Center is opening in the former state travel information center in International Falls.
The center is designed to make obtaining a NEXUS border-crossing card easy and convenient for nearby residents on both sides of the border.
NEXUS is a joint Customs and Border Protection-Canada Border Services Agency program for frequent travelers that both the American and Canadian governments have implemented to enhance border security while simplifying border crossings for preapproved, low-risk travelers.
It also can be used in place of the I-68 forms, and boaters who hold a NEXUS card can call in to report their arrival instead of reporting for an inspection.
About 225,000 U.S. and Canadian citizens and residents are currently enrolled in the NEXUS program nationally, according to the CBP.
NEXUS members can use dedicated lanes at selected ports along the US-Canadian border. The dedicated “NEXUS lanes” allow travelers to cross the border with a minimum of customs and immigration questioning. Despite infrastructure constraints on the bridge in International Falls, a specific lane for NEXUS will be designated, according to Linda Loveless, CBP’s area port director in International Falls. When the NEXUS card holder reaches the front of the line, they can get through the border more quickly, she said.
“Border security remains our highest priority,” Loveless said. “The NEXUS program presents us with a ‘win-win’ situation: trusted travelers are able to cross our border with a single travel document which reduces border waiting, allowing our officers the ability to concentrate their efforts on higher risk traffic.”
The NEXUS card, which is the size of a credit card, is compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
As of Jan. 31, under the WHTI, oral declarations of citizenship were are no longer sufficient to establish identity and citizenship for entry into the United States. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older are asked to present a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate or they may present a single WHTI-compliant document. Children ages 18 and under are currently asked only to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. Passports and trusted traveler cards, such as NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST, are considered WHTI-compliant documents and are accepted for cross-border travel. NEXUS preapproved travelers crossing the U.S.-Canada border receive the added benefits of access to dedicated commuter lanes, expedited marine reporting and access to NEXUS kiosks at designated Canadian airports.
Applicants need to complete a single application form, available on-line at www.NEXUS.gov.
Eligible applicants must be compliant with customs and immigration requirements and pass a background check by both countries. The final step in the application process is a face-to-face interview with CBP/CBSA officers at the Enrollment Center.
The NEXUS Enrollment Center, located at 200 Fourth Street in International Falls, is open for scheduled interviews on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Applicants can call 283-2541 to schedule an interview at the NEXUS Enrollment Center following receipt of an approved on-line application. Interviews can also be scheduled on-line using the Global On-Line Enrollment system at www.NEXUS.gov.