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Consensus seems to be that, as a US citizen, for travel into the US from Canada, the two cards are virtually interchangeable. That also includes using the expedited security line in Toronto when heading to St. Louis, for example (pre-clearance). Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Answers are contradictory, however, when the question is whether a Nexus card held by a US citizen allows expedited entry into the US from the UK or Germany, for example, as the Global Entry card does. Could someone clarify that?

Crazydre
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Walter Groth
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    Related: https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/53925/is-nexus-clearly-better-than-global-entry-or-tsa-pre-check-for-us-citizens. Basically, Nexus really does confer all the benefits of Global Entry and then some; the only trade-off is that you have to go to one of the few Nexus enrollment centers. – Nate Eldredge Oct 16 '18 at 22:57
  • So-called earlier duplicate was exactly the one with contradictory answers to the above question and had tailed off into unrelated digressions. Rather than enter that thicket I thought it useful to restate the questions of using Nexus to enter the US from other than Canada in the clearest and simplest way. And we got clear and simple answers, the only "digression" being those that wanted to discuss the whether you needed only a Nexus card without passport in certain situations. This was not my original question but I found the info interesting. – Walter Groth Oct 17 '18 at 14:27

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From https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus/card:

All NEXUS members can enjoy the benefits of Global Entry at no additional cost through using the Global Entry kiosks for entry at participating airports.

When using the Global Entry kiosks in Canada Preclearance locations you can use your passport, U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident card or NEXUS card. You cannot use your NEXUS card at Global Entry kiosks outside of Canadian Preclearance locations. At all other ports, you will need to use your passport or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident card.

So you can use Global Entry kiosks when arriving from other countries than Canada, but you cannot use your Nexus card in that case.

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dunni
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  • Finally, two quick and unequivocal answers to using Nexus to enter the US from other than Canada. Nexus sounds like a no brainer, as it adds expedited entry through Canadian immigration/customs, which Global Entry does not, correct? Now if I just didn't have to drive 500 miles for the application interview.... – Walter Groth Oct 16 '18 at 17:21
  • I can confirm this. My Canadian airport lacks US preclearance. My wife and I have used the GE benefit of our NEXUS card to clear US customs and immigration at LAS, DEN and ORD. Whether you are flying from Saskatoon or London won't matter. – Jim MacKenzie Oct 16 '18 at 22:42
  • @JimMacKenzie YOu mean you used your NEXUS card alone at the GE kiosks at LAS, DEN and ORD? Not supposed to be possible. – Crazydre Oct 19 '18 at 15:03
  • @Coke Actually I used our passports (the card is merely evidence of our participation) but from what I understand, you can use the actual card now. I've not tried it, however. – Jim MacKenzie Oct 19 '18 at 19:24
  • @JimMacKenzie To my knowledge the card is supported by GE kiosks at preclearance, while at US airports (where it's still accepted if flying from Canada) you have to use the "regular" lanes (don't know whether APC would work, as that's signposted as the default for Americans/Canadians at many airports) – Crazydre Oct 19 '18 at 20:24
  • @Coke That could be - it's been my understanding that when traveling by air, one should always one the passport anyway, so I've not tried any alternatives. I use my card without passport only when I cross by land. – Jim MacKenzie Oct 19 '18 at 22:39
  • @JimMacKenzie Yeah, flying Canada-US by air, it used to be that NEXUS was only accepted instead of a passport if using preclearance, but that was abolished in autumn 2017 - you can now fly from anywhere in Canada – Crazydre Oct 19 '18 at 22:47
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There is a duplicate here.

The answers by both @dunni and @Coke are correct though they express slightly different concepts which cause them to appear contradictory. The summary of the points is as follows:

  • Being a member of either Global Entry or Nexus programs allows you accelerated access to enter the US at both Canadian pre-clearance locations, US airports and other pre-clearance locations in the world.
  • In order to use the kiosk at a Canadian pre-clearance location as a global entry or Nexus program member you must present either a Nexus card (the physical piece of plastic) OR a passport/green card (Physical document). Only one of those two documents must be physically presented/be in your immediate possession.
  • In order to use the kiosk at an entry point Kiosk outside of Canada as a Nexus or global entry member, you must physically present your passport/green card.
Jacob Horbulyk
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There is a difference when arriving from Canada: NEXUS lets you enter the US without a passport, whilst the Global Entry card does not.

NEXUS members also get Global Entry benefits, so you can use the Global Entry kiosk with your passport to enter the US at any airport.

Crazydre
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  • The current top voted answer seems to contradict your statement that nexus card holders can use global entry kiosks at non-Canadian locations. That said, I had thought the same as you. – RoboKaren Oct 16 '18 at 19:04
  • @RoboKaren The current top voted answer is saying that Nexus card holders can use Global Entry kiosks at non-Canadian locations, but they can't use their Nexus cards there. The Nexus card can be used instead of a passport when crossing the US-Canada border, but it's not a universal passport replacement. – Zach Lipton Oct 16 '18 at 20:51
  • Much of the misunderstandings in these Nexus (&Global Entry) debates is between Nexus membership privileges and the Nexus card alone usage.. Some of were asking about Nexus membership privileges along with a US passport (for example, entering US from other than Canada, yes!): others were discussing the usage of the Nexus card by itself without an accompanying passport (mostly US pre-clearance at certain Canadian airports, and Canadian land and sea entry). – Walter Groth Oct 19 '18 at 14:37
  • @WalterGroth A NEXUS card on its own is valid when arriving from anywhere in Canada, but at non-preclearance locations, GE kiosks supposedly cannot be used without a passport – Crazydre Oct 19 '18 at 15:08