Canada Announces 5 Categories of People Eligible for Faster Border Clearance by Land, Sea or Air
- The Canadian government announced who qualifies for NEXUS membership, a programme that allows faster clearance by land, sea, or air
- US and Canadian citizens and permanent residents are among those who can apply, but permanent residents must meet a 3-year residency rule
- The Canadian government listed specific groups who are exempt from the 3-year residency requirement under the NEXUS programme
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Canada's government has announced the five categories of people who are eligible to apply for NEXUS membership, a trusted traveller programme that grants faster border clearance across land, sea, and air entry points between Canada and the United States.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) published the eligibility criteria, confirming that the programme is open to a defined group of applicants who meet specific nationality and residency requirements.
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Who Can Apply for NEXUS?
According to the CBSA, the following five categories of people may apply for NEXUS membership:
1. United States citizens.
2. Canadian citizens.
3. United States permanent residents.
4. Canadian permanent residents.
5. Mexican nationals who are members of the Viajero Confiable programme.
The agency also noted that minors can be enrolled in the NEXUS programme even if their parents or legal guardians are not members.
The 3-year residency rule and who is exempt
Permanent residents face an additional condition before they can apply. The CBSA requires permanent residents to have been legally resident in Canada or the US for at least three years before submitting an application.
This means they must have been physically present in either country for at least 183 days out of every 365 days for each of those three years. The calculation runs backwards from the date of application and does not follow a standard calendar year.
However, certain individuals are exempt from this three-year rule. These include people currently serving in the American armed forces in a foreign country, as well as family members of those serving in the Canadian or American armed forces in a foreign country.
Family members of personnel posted to a Canadian or American diplomatic mission or consular post abroad are also exempt.
The NEXUS programme is designed to speed up border processing for pre-approved, low-risk travellers moving between Canada and the United States, reducing wait times at major entry points.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Canada had published the age limit for citizens of 36 countries to qualify for its work and travel scheme.
Canada announces new processing time for visa applicants
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Canada had updated its processing time for visa applicants.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released updated figures on September 16, 2026, reflecting increases across key application categories for Nigerian applicants compared with the previous week.
The most notable changes affected study permits and super visas.
Source: Legit.ng
