Cross-border commuters who wish to renew their trusted-traveller membership may have to pay more for it this coming fall.
NEXUS, a joint program operated by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, announced Tuesday that it has proposed raising its renewal fee from $50 U.S. per person to $120 U.S. per person, effective October 1.
The increase is subject to regulatory approval in both Canada and the United States.
"The current fee, set over 20 years ago, no longer covers the cost of the program," read a media release from the CBSA. "The new fee would reflect more accurately the cost of administrating the program and the investment required for future program improvements, including technology and infrastructure enhancements. This would work out to $24 U.S. per year for the five-year membership."
NEXUS uses dedicated lanes at land border crossings for pre-screened, low-risk travellers, allowing them to bypass long lines. Users are still subject to random secondary inspections.
The program also uses kiosks at select airports for international travellers.
Anyone wishing to apply to NEXUS for the first time, or renew their membership, is encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Those who submitted an application before October but have not been invited to an interview by then will not be subjected to the increase.
Demand for the program has been on the rise. Since April 2023, 510,000 applications have been received with about 10,000 interviews conducted every two weeks on average.
Complete information can be found on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's official website.