If you've been waiting for your Nexus application to be approved, you're definitely not the only one.

In an email to Daily Hive on Monday, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says that as of June 1, there is a backlog of 271,479 Nexus applicants waiting for an interview.

That's a reduction of 5,246 since May 1.

Of the over 270,000 applications, 70,629 are children under the age of 12.

"All applications follow the same systems process flow, regardless of the age of the applicant," said the CBSA spokesperson.

Nexus centres finally reopened across Canada in March and April this year, after the offices were shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The reopening of NEXUS airport enrolment centres in Canada is making a major difference — reducing the backlog, expanding capacity, and helping more people get NEXUS cards," stated Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino in March.

Last year, the CBSA reported a backlog of 295,133 applications, so despite the reopening of enrolment centres, it seems little progress has been made.

The agency says that the closures have delayed the processing of Nexus applications by up to 24 months.

It added that average timelines for applicants to be approved and receive an invitation may also vary depending on availability, preferred location, and enrolment option.

Lastly, the length of the application process differs depending on the kind of applicant.

New applicants

According to the CBSA, application processing may take longer for new applicants due to thorough reviews like initial risk assessments.

"Processing timelines from one applicant to another may vary between the CBSA and US CBP," said the spokesperson. "It may take up to 12-14 months to complete for certain cases."

Renewing members

The CBSA says most renewing members will usually be processed quickly since they have already been risk assessed. They will receive an updated membership card without the need for an interview.

"For renewing members who require an interview, they will be notified within 30 days to schedule based on availability and location," said the agency.

Children

The application process for children may take longer because both the CBSA and the US CBP complete checks during the interview process to verify that there is nothing to prevent the child from moving between borders (e.g. birth certificate, custody agreements) as part of their due diligence.

"All children's applications require an interview as their biometrics need to be updated more frequently as well as to confirm the identity and legal guardianship of the child, ensuring that the parent applying has the lawful right to do so," said the spokesperson.

Multiple applications

If you're submitting multiple applications for your whole family, additional time will be needed, says the CBSA.