Question for Nexus card holders

[iamdisneyfreak]

I am a newbie here. Just received my nexus card and was wondering if I can carry 60watt/h power bank with me in carry on? I need for our trip to disney so that we don't lose our phone battery there.

Also, with food - my son is very specific with food and I have put in checked which is packaged food (instant noodles pack, chocolates, bear paw banana paw bread, chips, pediasure bottles) so that if we don't happen to go to store/unable to find it, atleast we have some for a day or two. Do I have to declare our food even if it is checked in luggages on the custom form?

Any help/tips will be really helpful. Flying this Saturday to Florida!

 

[tinkerone]

I will tell you that I was carrying a pre packaged breakfast bar with me on the morning of our flight. I wasn't sure what to do, it was one bar that would probably be consumed before we boarded our flight, so I marked no food on my declaration. When I got to the customs agent I explained to her that I had the one bar but had marked no because I wasn't sure what to do. She ripped me a new one. She made me feel stupid and raged at me for a good five minutes. I half expected my Nexus card to be taken from me then and there. This was just last year.
My suggestion is declare the smallest food every where you are questioned about it. That's at a kiosk or on a declaration form or in front of the agents.

 

[jcourtney]

I thought you only had to declare fruits and vegetables and stuff? Not pre-package foods

 

[tinkerone]

I thought you only had to declare fruits and vegetables and stuff? Not pre-package foods

According to our customs agent you need to declare ALL foods (read ALL as a yell) and they will decide what is important and what is not.
All I can say is I never want to go through that again!

 

[dis_guy]

If you put it in your mouth it needs to be declared. Technically this even includes things like chewing gum. I tell this to friends and family and they just jeer at me and tell me all about the food items they have brought through customs undeclared. They think it's no big deal but NEXUS members are held to a higher standard. We often take snack items through but it's always declared and they usually just ask what it is and don't need to see it.

My big screwup came on a very early morning departure at YEG. I was way short of sleep and thought I was ok, so after doing the kiosk and getting my receipt, I mindlessly headed straight to the departure gates without even thinking to stop at the CBP agent's desk. Needless to say I was called back and got the "NEXUS is expedited service not a free pass" lecture in rather harsh tones. I was so embarrassed, apologized, and mumbled out that I thought there was another checkpoint just ahead, as there is in some US airports. I thought my card was as good as gone, too, but not that time.

 

[Tinkershelly]

Yeah, a similar thing happened to me at the Halifax airport. I had only a small amount of packaged food with me and I was told not declaring it was a good way to lose my Nexus card. At least I wasn't yelled at but I did get the message loud and clear. I always check yes to food and give a detailed list to the agent, never had a problem since.

 

[iamdisneyfreak]

According to our customs agent you need to declare ALL foods (read ALL as a yell) and they will decide what is important and what is not.
All I can say is I never want to go through that again!

I will declare everything, but was wondering even if it's in checked luggage? Also, what about power bank?

 

[hdrolfe]

So the e-declaration says
"I am/we are bringing into Canada:
raw or cooked meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, seeds, nuts, flowers, insects, bulbs, plants, wood, live animals or other animal or plan parks or their derivatives" Yes or No.

what part of that applies to a nutrigrain bar or other packaged foods? Is there some other list I'm not aware of? that just lists "food"? I don't recall seeing that listed on the Nexus kiosks.

 

[iamdisneyfreak]

So the e-declaration says
"I am/we are bringing into Canada:
raw or cooked meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, seeds, nuts, flowers, insects, bulbs, plants, wood, live animals or other animal or plan parks or their derivatives" Yes or No.

what part of that applies to a nutrigrain bar or other packaged foods? Is there some other list I'm not aware of? that just lists "food"? I don't recall seeing that listed on the Nexus kiosks.

Good question. I am trying so hard to find an answer...

 

[Donald - my hero]

not a nexus card holder but I can answer one of your questions! As for the whole food issue, we always go with the thought that the person we end up talking to is standing between us and the ability to go on the expensive holiday! Based on some of your comments I'd be saying yes to food and letting them decide!

 

[tinkerone]

So the e-declaration says
"I am/we are bringing into Canada:
raw or cooked meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, seeds, nuts, flowers, insects, bulbs, plants, wood, live animals or other animal or plan parks or their derivatives" Yes or No.

what part of that applies to a nutrigrain bar or other packaged foods? Is there some other list I'm not aware of? that just lists "food"? I don't recall seeing that listed on the Nexus kiosks.

Op is talking about going out of country, I assumed USA. That can be different from what you can bring into Canada. However, as to what your asking, a breakfast bars and other packaged foods can contain seeds and nuts. From now on I will let them decide what is okay and what is not.
I have only had one problem bringing food items back from the US (we drive to a close city). That time I was bringing two turkeys back but apparently you can only bring one per person and I was alone. They took one and said it would be given to the local food bank. No big deal.

 

[bardays]

At the Calgary Airport, I told them I had cookies and they didn't care, but my mom who does not have Nexus had to dump her food. It seems there is no pattern and like Donald says they could take away your expensive holiday!

 

[iamdisneyfreak]

Thank you all. I will prepare a list and give it to the officer when he will ask what food I have, so that I dnt forget anything.

This is my first time so really nervous.... I hope they r not too difficult despite me paid for being a nexus member... I hope the benefits of being a nexus member overrides my fear..

 

[Donald - my hero]

Thank you all. I will prepare a list and give it to the officer when he will ask what food I have, so that I dnt forget anything.

This is my first time so really nervous.... I hope they r not too difficult despite me paid for being a nexus member... I hope the benefits of being a nexus member overrides my fear..

If it's at all possible, get to the airport much earlier than you need to so that you'll have time to get yourself set. Take time to hit the bathroom first -- nerves can make that become urgent, just saying , step back and read all the signs, look at the pictures and only go forward when YOU are ready. Maybe even let someone else go ahead of you so you can watch what they do. Just state upfront that you're not sure what to do and don't hesitate to ask for them to repeat themselves if you're unsure. Answer their questions with no extra information, just basic clear answers. Be sure you have the exact address of where you will be staying (had an agent once who insisted on the name, street address & zipcode of the resort, Disney World didn't cut it!)

Have a BLAST! Once you get to the other side of security get yourself a treat and celebrate the first hurdle!

 

[starvenger]

I am a newbie here. Just received my nexus card and was wondering if I can carry 60watt/h power bank with me in carry on? I need for our trip to disney so that we don't lose our phone battery there.

So I think this is covered. Keep your tech in your carry on, and just make sure it can be easily taken out if they ask you to.

Also, with food - my son is very specific with food and I have put in checked which is packaged food (instant noodles pack, chocolates, bear paw banana paw bread, chips, pediasure bottles) so that if we don't happen to go to store/unable to find it, atleast we have some for a day or two. Do I have to declare our food even if it is checked in luggages on the custom form?

If you have food in your checked bags I'd declare it. Most of your stuff is benign, but the banana bread might be a bit suspect. If we have food, it's usually in our carry on, so again, easy to inspect and determine if it's ok or not.

 

[AngelDisney]

On the custom card for returning to Canada, it lists examples of food items to declare. So I thought if I didn’t have what’s listed, I didn’t need to declare. However, the Nexus machine asks you if you are bringing in any food. So I replied yes in the machine but marked no on the custom card. Of course I had to pass through the agent and I questioned about the discrepancy. He told me that the card only lists some examples, we must declare all food items. Regarding OP’s situation, I actually asked that question during my NEXUS interview. The answer was we needed to declare all food items or risk losing the Nexus card. So I always declare. Sometimes, I packed all food in my luggage so DD can declare no to speed up the process of passing through customs. So declare or don’t bring any food including candies and chocolates.

 

[Starwind]

So the e-declaration says
"I am/we are bringing into Canada:
raw or cooked meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, seeds, nuts, flowers, insects, bulbs, plants, wood, live animals or other animal or plan parks or their derivatives" Yes or No.

what part of that applies to a nutrigrain bar or other packaged foods? Is there some other list I'm not aware of? that just lists "food"? I don't recall seeing that listed on the Nexus kiosks.

See bold above.

Partial ingredient list from strawberry nutrigrain bar:

CRUST: WHOLE GRAIN OATS, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN B1 [THIAMIN MONONITRATE], VITAMIN B2 [RIBOFLAVIN], FOLIC ACID), WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, VEGETABLE OIL (HIGH OLEIC SOYBEAN, SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA OIL), SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, SUGAR, DEXTROSE, FRUCTOSE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, WHEY, WHEAT BRAN, SALT,

The oats, flour, vegetable oil, soybean, corn fibre, sugar, fructose, etc are DERIVATES of plants and/or vegetables.

The whey is a dairy product derivative.

Just as a start.

US CBP has a nice "travel tip" about travelers bringing food into the US for personal use, at https://help.cbp.gov/s/sidebar-top-5-travel?language=en_US :

"You must declare all food products. Failure to declare food products can result in up to $10,000 in fines and penalties."

It goes on to list a bunch of foods that are generally admissible, including "- Bread, cookies, crackers, cakes, granola bars, cereal and other baked and processed products ".

 

[Starwind]

I am a newbie here. Just received my nexus card and was wondering if I can carry 60watt/h power bank with me in carry on? I need for our trip to disney so that we don't lose our phone battery there.

Also, with food - my son is very specific with food and I have put in checked which is packaged food (instant noodles pack, chocolates, bear paw banana paw bread, chips, pediasure bottles) so that if we don't happen to go to store/unable to find it, atleast we have some for a day or two. Do I have to declare our food even if it is checked in luggages on the custom form?

Any help/tips will be really helpful. Flying this Saturday to Florida!

You must declare ALL food whether it is in your carry on or checked baggage. If caught, there are significant fines for failure to declare, plus they are likely to confiscate any undeclared foods. And you are likely to have your Nexus revoked.

The US CBP website has excellent information on what types of food can be imported into the US for personal use, including Canadian-specific information.

Your 60 Watt hour power bank should be fine.

The guidance documents on external power banks are below. It appears the intital limit is 100 watt hours. They have to be in your CARRY-ON bag.

https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/more_info/?hazmat=7
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security...thium-batteries-100-watt-hours-or-less-device
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security...g/items/lithium-batteries-more-100-watt-hours
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/power-banks
https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/guidelines-batteries

 

[Madame]

Glad we use Nexus at a land crossing and to get pre-check when flying out of Detroit . No food questions at all.

 

[tinkerone]

Glad we use Nexus at a land crossing and to get pre-check when flying out of Detroit . No food questions at all.

I don't think that's a given. We have had food questions when crossing over. Not often but we have had them. BUT I agree it's so much easier.