Can’t get a NEXUS appointment? Border patrol is holding a 3-day interview sprint in Blaine

For a program designed to decrease wait times at the border, NEXUS is notorious for long waits of its own. The Department of Homeland Security currently estimates that it takes 12-14 months for applications to be processed. But if you’re having trouble setting up an appointment for an interview, you could be in luck.

Customs and Border Protection, along with the Canadian Border Services Agency, announced a three-day NEXUS enrollment event in Blaine, at the Trusted Traveler Enrollment Center. Applicants who have been conditionally approved for the program will be able to schedule an interview during the event.

“We look forward to completing a significant number of enrollments over this jam-packed three-day event,” Brian Humphrey, the director of field operations at CBP’s Seattle site, said in a news release.

There’s currently has a backlog of NEXUS applications, Humphrey stated in the news release, but the event will help CBP chip away at them.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 4 through Thursday, June 6. Interviews are available by appointment only.

How to apply for NEXUS

NEXUS, a “Trusted Traveler Program” run by the U.S. and Canada, gives members access to an expedited crossing process at the border, including designated NEXUS lanes so you don’t have to wait in long lines. The program also gives you access to TSA PreCheck.

You can apply on the Department of Homeland Security website. The application costs $50.