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I am a US citizen with a Global Entry Card. I'll be driving back from a family vacation this summer in Canada. I'm wondering what it is like to use the NEXUS lanes with this Global Entry Card. I have heard from several people that in the NEXUS lanes you aren't supposed to have anything in your car and you will be searched if you do (i.e. it is for commuters). Is this true? I will have kids, dogs, etc and not sure if I should try the NEXUS lane.

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  • Um, do your kids have global entry or nexus cards?
    – phoog
    May 3, 2017 at 18:43
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    You must not have "anything to declare" in order to use Nexus lanes. If you have (allowed) food or whatever, you must use the regular lanes. Messing up doesn't just mean being searched, it means losing your card. I don't know if this applies as strongly to Global Entry people but I do know I wouldn't experiment to find out.
    – Kate Gregory
    May 3, 2017 at 18:54
  • Sounds like this is not feasible for vacationers- thanks so much for the information! Super helpful.
    – Nancy
    May 5, 2017 at 9:06
  • @KateGregoryYou can have things to declare. Certainly northbound can, and you can even be over your exemption entering Canada - the officer will have you go to secondary inspection to pay, or waive the fees and allow you to enter Canada.
    – Jim MacKenzie
    Jun 27, 2019 at 17:10

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So says the official page:

Global Entry Members at NEXUS/SENTRI Lanes

There are no additional requirements for a member to use the NEXUS lanes coming into the U.S. However, Global Entry cards are not valid for entry into Canada via the NEXUS lanes and kiosks; travelers must apply separately for NEXUS.

Another page:

Travelling with non-NEXUS members: If you are travelling into Canada or the United States (U.S.) with non-NEXUS members, you must use the regular lanes. The driver is responsible for ensuring that all travellers in the vehicle are NEXUS members. If there is a non-NEXUS member in the vehicle, regardless of his/her age, it will result in the loss of the driver's NEXUS membership

So if you attempt this with kids without GE cards, you will be in deep trouble.

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  • Thanks - yes I was waiting to go through the hassle of GE cards for them until I figured out whether or not we should do the lanes w/ a car full of stuff.
    – Nancy
    May 5, 2017 at 9:03
  • Personal experience now: we crossed the border in both directions with two adults and a kid, each of having a NEXUS card in an SUV chock full of random stuff because one of the adults were moving the time and didn't have anywhere to put all that.
    – user4188
    Sep 8, 2017 at 21:24
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Coming from Vancouver into Washington state, there was nothing to indicate Global Entry would suffice for the Nexus lane. Not knowing, we didn't mention GE, and were directed to "inspection", even though we had nothing to declare. We were made to wait, wait, wait, while BP agents did absolutely nothing, and finally were called and threatened with $5K fines per person for using Nexus lanes. Just a little indication that GE was sufficient for re-entering the US, would have saved a lot of frustration.

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