I think the renewal interviews are random.

My friend and I got our cards at the same time and I got called in for an interview and he did not. I asked the agents why I got called in (I've moved and I've changed jobs), but they don't have an explanation. My friend changed jobs but didn't move, so not sure if it's the address change.

I thought it was any change to your file (work, passport update, address change), but an address change is pretty big. That's probably why.

My photo was taken at an odd angle and with no warning, too. Barely glanced over to my left before the trigger was pressed.

I suspect that it isn't imperative to get a dead-on shot because they appear to apply some skewing algorithm to distort the photograph anyways.

Not a good weekend for Nexus...decided to head to the outlets on Saturday, there was a 30 minute wait before I left so felt good about cruising through the Nexus lane. Hit the border, go in the Nexus lane and bang there's a line up. Turned out some guys car broke down in the Nexus lane, took almost 25 minutes for someone to move the cones so the traffic could exit the lane. Felt bad for the guy because people seem pretty pissed about.

Coming back it took another 20 minutes because some guy hit rear ended another driver so again the lane was held up until that BS got sorted. Finally got up to the officers who seem very pissed about something, sent me in to pay taxes on a $150 jacket. :failed:

Only good part was it was a blast driving down on such a beautiful day and there was barely any traffic and the outlets weren't that busy.

^ Damn! Both directions had car problems... Dude must have been pissed, I've never been asked to pay taxes on such a small amount.

Same here, I've declared more and I've gone through. Wasn't a biggie but just a hassle to go in and wait in line for such a small amount. And a couple other cars also got sent in so the dude was having a major bitch attack lol.

Do they still take those declaration forms? I usually fill them out if I'm bringing back >$400 per day trip so at least I can save time and not have to go to line up at the cashier.

Forms no longer required, optional. You can do verbal declaration at the booth.

I've never used the form, from your experience were you charged duty? Not taxes but categorized import duty?

... At the Blaine crossing they just charge PST & GST on most items, they probably don't have the time to inspect the original and composition of each item being imported. In my experience on imports from $300 to $10k I have only been charged taxes.

^
I believe it's a PDF you can print out from their website. I'm not sure if they still accept the traveller declaration cards anymore. (I may be wrong since I haven't used it in ages.)

I just got my Nexus this year and during the interview, they said I always have to have the forms filled out, even though folks here have said they are allowed to verbally declared.
So my first few trips, I always had filled out forms with me, though was never asked to submit them.

However, whenever I bring back 1 item > $400, I always fill out the form just in case. Once I had to wait inside for 20-30mins for the cashier because there was a line up and the guy in front was opening up boxes to find receipts and the cashier was looking through papers/binders to see what duty and tax to charge. If they're going to charge me, then at least I don't have to wait in the cashier line.

I've only been charged gst + pst when I've declared high ticket items like wheels, tires, etc...

And the biggest pet peeve for me is customs charging taxes on the total price so you're basically paying taxes twice. I brought this up with the cashier guy and he said it's the biggest complaint he hears and he said even he would like this rule changed because it's not fair. And I might be mistaken but didn't WA have a tax break for Canadian's a few years ago?

I've heard stories of people being charged the full duty plus gst&pst at the point Roberts crossing. Maybe it happens elsewhere if the person crossing is a dick or a liar. When crossing customs at the airport I've only ever payed taxes, never duty. Different story with receiving packages, everything clearing customs by canada post or any courier I get dinged both, ie 20% duty plus 12% taxes.

I agree, you shouldn't be paying taxes on taxes or shipping, should only be on the item. I've been waved through so many times and have saved so much in taxes, also I have paid a lot as I shop state side quite frequently. I'm always honest, never hiding stuff or lying. When I get asked to go inside it's always straight to the cashier, not a customs officer, no car search or item search, just to totalling the receipts paying and leaving.

I know that Foreigners can mail in an application to get a gst refund on items purchased when visiting canada. I wonder if this also applies to Americans? I believe Alberta has a deal with Washington where both parties get to shop taxe free.

I got asked to go inside to the cashier once but the cashier wasn't there and the officer waved me to his desk, got my car searched because of that, I wasn't hiding anything though but just annoying, I had to pay 12% tax on the total price.

For the Peace Arch going into the states, if the Nexus lane is all the way back to the duty free shop, how long of a wait is that?

At what point is it faster to use the regular lanes?

Usually less than 25 minutes, it still moves faster than the regular lane and that's all that matters

Got my new nexus pass in the mail yesterday :) ... since I didn't have to go in this time, they used my old picture (which is so horrible) ... it took almost 2 months from applying for a renewal to actually getting the card in hand (without an interview) ... FYI for anyone renewing but the sooner the better and they let you apply for renewal with 1 year left on the current card ...

Has anyone done the Nexus interview at Blaine?

I went there for my interview the first time. The interview wait was much shorter than YVR or the Main st. one.

You cross the border then turn right onto D st. and its around the corner.

I have to go back there again in a couple weeks for my renewing my nexus.

^I also did my interview at the Blaine location.

Agree on the shorter wait time. Roughly i waited a 2 weeks from the point I got my condition of approval to getting a interview date (I checked on a daily basis for earlier dates that have been dropped)

I've been noticing the shorter wait time at Blaine too so wanted to see if Canadians can do interviews there as well.

I just found a last minute open slot at Blaine yesterday and I snagged it right away. Keep checking, there will be open slots available at the Blaine location.

Just remember to factor in crossing the border wait times as you still have to go through the regular line up when you enter US and enter back into Canada after. Luckily my interview time was early and I got to the border with the only a 20mins wait time at the Pacific crossing.

My nexus interview is coming up soon and from what I hear, they will ask if you have done drugs. The last time I smoked pot was 2 years ago but I read that if you answer yes, they will fail you. Is this true? Has anyone answered yes and still received their nexus?

^ LOL

Straight up told them I smoke pot on a daily basis and my Nexus card still arrived 1 week later.

Originally got scheduled for December, checked the site daily. Then got moved up to October, and now September.