If you are travelling to the United States from the
Ottawa International Airport
sometime in the near future, plan for some extra time in the pre-clearance line.
The Nexus and Global Entry programs for those travelling to the U.S. have been temporarily suspended since Sunday, and it was not clear Tuesday when they would be re-opened. That means Nexus cardholders will have to use the regular security lines at the Ottawa airport, at least for now.
Usually, the Nexus and Global Entry programs allow trusted pre-approved, low-risk travellers to use expedited kiosks and security lines at major Canadian airports if they are travelling to the United States.
A spokesperson for the airport told the Ottawa Citizen that the kiosks for trusted travellers were out of service and that airport staff were working with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to resolve the issue.
The spokesperson did not provide a timeline for when the kiosks would be fixed.
“Nexus and Global Entry programs are suspended until further notice. Passengers travelling to the U.S. will not have Nexus/Global Entry access and should plan extra time for U.S. CBP pre-clearance,” the Ottawa International Airport said in a tweet to the X social-media platform on Sunday.
“Travellers are encouraged to use the Mobile Passport Control app to help expedite processing.”
The Nexus and Global Entry shutdown at the Ottawa International Airport was just one of many across Canada. Airports in Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto also asked passengers travelling to the U.S. to allow for extra time for security checks on Sunday.
Most airports, including Ottawa’s, did not say whether the suspension was related to the Department of Homeland Security’s recent decision to temporarily halt the Global Entry program due to a partial U.S. government shutdown.
The partial shutdown began on Feb. 14 after Democrats and the White House were unable to reach a deal on legislation to fund the DHS, the Associated Press reported. Democrats have been demanding changes to immigration operations, which have been a key feature of President Donald Trump’s second term.
However,
the Vancouver International Airport said
in a social media post on Sunday that the programs were being suspended until further notice “due to the partial U.S. Government shutdown.”
The Ottawa Citizen reached out to the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol with requests for more information.
