It’s an age-old question…or at least it has been haunting me for a long time. I guess it was just one of those things where it seemed like a gray line so I always avoided it. NEXUS is after all a program between Canada and the USA to allow the easy crossing of borders (or so I thought). Thing is, I’ve tried to search this online and could never find a clear answer.
The question has always been this: “If I’m flying back from somewhere that isn’t the United States, can I bypass the Canadian customs officers and use my NEXUS card?” The benefit of being able to do this is that I then don’t need to fill out one of those Canadian customs forms nor do I need to stand in the often long lines.
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Where to stay in XYZ?
So on a recent flight back from Shanghai, I summed up the courage to ask one of the helpers at the custom hall at Pearson International Airport in Toronto. It was music to my ears when they said “Yes you can.”
No alarms blared, nor did I get sent to secondary for violating the program as I thought this could’ve been.
That’s all I wanted to do. I’m setting the record straight. You can pretty much use your NEXUS card every time you come back to Canada no matter from where.
If I look back at the official verbiage from the CBSA (Canadian Border Services Agency) it does kind of make sense because “NEXUS is designed to speed up border crossings for low-risk, pre-approved travellers into Canada and the United States (U.S.)”. So I suppose it doesn’t matter where you’re coming from, it’s about where you’re entering. As a NEXUS card holder, since we’ve already been pre-approved and pre-screened, we can totally use it.
And if you’re Canadian and don’t have a NEXUS card, shame on you and read my post on why you need to sign up for one.
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Travel Resources For Your Next Trip
If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.
Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature.
Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.
Airport Parking: You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.
Data: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices like PokeFi because their rates are so good and you can use it globally but recently, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. The best one is Airalo. Save money by getting region-specific eSIMs and use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase. Ubigi is another one that we’ve had success with where they uniquely offer 5G coverage. Use code AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.
Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. TripAdvisor is also useful for reviews and bookings.
Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental.
Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.
- Insured Nomads – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks.
- RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
- SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
- Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
- InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.
If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.