NEXUS/FAST enrollment centers to enter U.S. reopen

The Free and Secure Trade program for low-risk shipments entering the United States from Canada and Mexico is starting up again after closing because of coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

The NEXUS and U.S./Canada FAST enrollment centers in the United States are set to fully reopen April 19, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced. Enrollment centers for FAST and NEXUS closed on March 19, 2020.

NEXUS is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk Canadian travelers upon arrival in the United States,

The FAST – or Free And Secure Trade –  program is a joint program between the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency that enhances border and trade security while making cross-border commercial shipments simpler and subject to fewer delays.

Starting April 5, conditionally approved applicants may schedule interviews at U.S. NEXUS and U.S./Canada FAST enrollment centers in the United States on the Trusted Traveler portal.

Though the U.S. centers are re-opening, the ones in Canada remain closed.

Applicants may enter the United States to complete their interview, but must meet all applicable travel requirements, including being vaccinated for COVID-19.

There is a backlog of applications to be processed by a limited number of open enrollment centers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection warns in a news release. In order to prioritize new applicants requiring interviews, the bureau wants existing NEXUS and FAST members to refrain from scheduling an appointment at this time.

The nonrefundable application fee for both programs is $50 each. Applications must be submitted through Trusted Traveler Programs website. Once the applicant passes a background check, a bureau officer will conduct an interview with the applicant at select locations in the U.S. to make a final eligibility determination. LL

A Land Line timeline of the coronavirus pandemic is available online.