SENTRI or NEXUS? Time Saved at Your Crossing
Which trusted traveler card your border crossing’s fast lane takes, the minutes it saved there on CBP’s average week, and what the card costs.
San Ysidro · San Ysidro, CA · Friday at 5 pm
SENTRI saves about 58 min at San Ysidro on Friday at 5 pm: 73 in the general lanes, 15 with SENTRIAt 8 crossings a month, about 93 hours a year. SENTRI costs $120 for 5 years. Across CBP’s average week here it saves 65 min a crossing, most on Saturday at 8 pm (127 min).
SENTRI, in CBP’s own words
- “Application Fee: $ 120 per application Minors Fee: Free if parent or legal guardian is enrolled”
- “There are no citizenship or age requirements for Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) membership.”
- “However, if you are under the age of 18, you must have your parent or legal guardian’s consent to participate in the program.”
- “Membership in the SENTRI program allows you to reduce your wait times at designated ports of entry by: using dedicated processing lanes at southern land border crossings, using NEXUS lane when entering the United States from Canada by land, and using Global Entry kiosks when entering the United States by air.”
- “Also, required are vehicle registration and evidence of United States automobile insurance by a company authorized to write automobile insurance in the United States.”
- “The renewal membership period will start on the day following the expiration of the previous membership, continue 5 years, and end on the member’s subsequent birthday.”
Crossing from Canada too? SENTRI already opens the NEXUS lanes into the U.S.; only NEXUS speeds you into Canada, and it is open to U.S. and Canadian citizens and permanent residents (and Mexico’s Viajero Confiable members). NEXUS is $120 too.
Minutes: CBP’s average week at San Ysidro, from its Border Wait Times (the previous year’s averages). Rules: about, fee, eligibility, benefits, apply, renew (CBP’s pages, read in dated Internet Archive copies). Check them before you apply.
Every crossing with a SENTRI or NEXUS lane in CBP’s averages: the minutes a crossing on its average week
| Crossing | Card | General lanes | SENTRI or NEXUS | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Ysidro (San Ysidro, CA) | SENTRI | 79 min | 14 min | 65 min |
| Otay Mesa (Otay Mesa, CA) | SENTRI | 60 min | 13 min | 47 min |
| Calexico West (Calexico, CA) | SENTRI | 55 min | 9 min | 46 min |
| Calexico East (Calexico, CA) | SENTRI | 45 min | 10 min | 35 min |
| San Luis (San Luis, AZ) | SENTRI | 42 min | 10 min | 32 min |
| Nogales DeConcini (Nogales, AZ) | SENTRI | 35 min | 8 min | 27 min |
| Douglas (Douglas, AZ) | SENTRI | 22 min | 2 min | 20 min |
| El Paso Paso del Norte (Santa Fe Bridge) (El Paso, TX) | SENTRI | 43 min | 2 min | 41 min |
| El Paso Ysleta (Zaragoza Bridge) (El Paso, TX) | SENTRI | 40 min | 4 min | 36 min |
| Del Rio (Del Rio, TX) | SENTRI | 19 min | 0 min | 19 min |
| Eagle Pass Bridge II (Eagle Pass, TX) | SENTRI | 33 min | 2 min | 31 min |
| Laredo Colombia Solidarity Bridge (Laredo, TX) | SENTRI | 11 min | 0 min | 11 min |
| Anzalduas Bridge (Mission) (Mission, TX) | SENTRI | 22 min | 0 min | 22 min |
| Hidalgo (McAllen) (Hidalgo, TX) | SENTRI | 29 min | 2 min | 27 min |
| Pharr (Pharr, TX) | SENTRI | 21 min | 0 min | 21 min |
| Brownsville Veterans Bridge (Brownsville, TX) | SENTRI | 39 min | 3 min | 36 min |
| Peace Arch (Blaine) (Blaine, WA) | NEXUS | 12 min | 3 min | 9 min |
| Pacific Highway (Blaine) (Blaine, WA) | NEXUS | 9 min | 2 min | 7 min |
| Lynden (Lynden, WA) | NEXUS | 6 min | 0 min | 6 min |
| Sumas (Sumas, WA) | NEXUS | 4 min | 1 min | 3 min |
| Point Roberts (Point Roberts, WA) | NEXUS | 2 min | 0 min | 2 min |
| Ambassador Bridge (Detroit, MI) | NEXUS | 5 min | 2 min | 3 min |
| Detroit–Windsor Tunnel (Detroit, MI) | NEXUS | 5 min | 2 min | 3 min |
| Blue Water Bridge (Port Huron, MI) | NEXUS | 6 min | 0 min | 6 min |
| Peace Bridge (Buffalo, NY) | NEXUS | 7 min | 1 min | 6 min |
| Thousand Islands Bridge (Alexandria Bay, NY) | NEXUS | 3 min | 0 min | 3 min |
| Champlain (I-87) (Champlain, NY) | NEXUS | 5 min | 0 min | 5 min |
| Highgate Springs (I-89) (Highgate Springs, VT) | NEXUS | 4 min | 0 min | 4 min |
Quick answer: SENTRI is for the Mexican border and NEXUS for the Canadian; both cost $120 for five years. On CBP’s average week the SENTRI lane saves 65 minutes a crossing at San Ysidro and 47 at Otay Mesa, while NEXUS saves 9 at Peace Arch. SENTRI has no citizenship requirement; NEXUS is for U.S. and Canadian citizens and residents.
How to use it
Pick the crossing you use, the day and hour you usually cross, and how many times a month you come back into the U.S. The answer is the card that crossing’s fast lane takes, the minutes the lane saved at that hour on CBP’s average week (the previous year’s averages, the same ones as the Border Wait Times tool), and the hours a year at your rate. Under it are the card’s fee, who may apply and the lanes it opens, in CBP’s own words.
SENTRI and NEXUS, side by side
CBP’s own pages, read in dated Internet Archive copies (cbp.gov refuses automated readers). SENTRI: Application Fee: $ 120 per application Minors Fee: Free if parent or legal guardian is enrolled
, and There are no citizenship or age requirements for Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) membership.
You also bring vehicle registration and evidence of United States automobile insurance
to the interview, and each extra vehicle is $42. NEXUS: The application-processing fee of $120 (USD) per adult applicant is non-refundable.
, Children under the age of 18 must also apply and, if eligible, are admitted to the program free of charge.
and Both the United States and Canada must approve your application.
NEXUS is open to U.S. and Canadian citizens and permanent residents and to members of Mexico’s Viajero Confiable.
The lanes: SENTRI opens dedicated processing lanes at southern land border crossings
, the NEXUS lanes when entering the U.S. from Canada by land, and Global Entry kiosks. NEXUS opens the NEXUS lanes, NEXUS kiosks when entering Canada and Global Entry kiosks. So SENTRI covers both borders into the U.S., and only NEXUS speeds you into Canada. CBP’s goal for both lanes, Infrastructure permitting
, is 15 minutes.
The minutes saved, crossing by crossing
CBP’s average week (every hour of every day) at the 28 crossings where it publishes averages for a SENTRI or NEXUS lane, in minutes a crossing. Pick yours above for your own day and hour.
| Crossing | Card | General lanes | SENTRI or NEXUS | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Ysidro | SENTRI | 79 | 14 | 65 |
| Otay Mesa | SENTRI | 60 | 13 | 47 |
| Calexico West | SENTRI | 55 | 9 | 46 |
| Calexico East | SENTRI | 45 | 10 | 35 |
| San Luis | SENTRI | 42 | 10 | 32 |
| Nogales DeConcini | SENTRI | 35 | 8 | 27 |
| Douglas | SENTRI | 22 | 2 | 20 |
| El Paso Paso del Norte (Santa Fe Bridge) | SENTRI | 43 | 2 | 41 |
| El Paso Ysleta (Zaragoza Bridge) | SENTRI | 40 | 4 | 36 |
| Del Rio | SENTRI | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| Eagle Pass Bridge II | SENTRI | 33 | 2 | 31 |
| Laredo Colombia Solidarity Bridge | SENTRI | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Anzalduas Bridge (Mission) | SENTRI | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| Hidalgo (McAllen) | SENTRI | 29 | 2 | 27 |
| Pharr | SENTRI | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Brownsville Veterans Bridge | SENTRI | 39 | 3 | 36 |
| Peace Arch (Blaine) | NEXUS | 12 | 3 | 9 |
| Pacific Highway (Blaine) | NEXUS | 9 | 2 | 7 |
| Lynden | NEXUS | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Sumas | NEXUS | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Point Roberts | NEXUS | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ambassador Bridge | NEXUS | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Detroit–Windsor Tunnel | NEXUS | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Blue Water Bridge | NEXUS | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Peace Bridge | NEXUS | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| Thousand Islands Bridge | NEXUS | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Champlain (I-87) | NEXUS | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Highgate Springs (I-89) | NEXUS | 4 | 0 | 4 |
CBP’s list of NEXUS crossings also names Calais and Houlton in Maine, the Lewiston and Whirlpool bridges at Niagara Falls, Pembina and Sault Ste. Marie, with no averages for their NEXUS lanes; its averages include a NEXUS lane at Lynden, which the list (last changed in March 2023) does not name.
Worked examples
Saturday night at San Ysidro. At 8 pm the general lanes average 143 minutes and SENTRI 16: 127 minutes saved, the most at any crossing in the table. Back twice a week, that is about 203 hours a year for $120 over five years.
A Monday commute at El Paso’s Paso del Norte bridge. At 7 am, 60 minutes against 4: 56 saved each morning, about 90 hours a year at 8 crossings a month.
Peace Arch on a Saturday at noon. 41 minutes against 4: NEXUS saves 37, though across the week the saving there is 9 minutes a crossing.
Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge, Friday at 5 pm. 9 minutes against 4: 5 saved. On the Canadian side the case for NEXUS is the kiosks and the trip into Canada more than the line.
Common mistakes
- Buying NEXUS for the Mexican border. CBP’s NEXUS pages name no SENTRI lanes; SENTRI is the card that opens both borders’ lanes into the U.S.
- Forgetting the car. SENTRI wants your vehicle’s registration and U.S. insurance at the interview, and each extra car is $42.
- Expecting the averages tonight. They are last year’s typical week; the Border Wait Times tool has CBP’s live reading.
- Flying, not driving? For airports, compare TSA PreCheck and Global Entry; both cards here also open Global Entry kiosks.
More for the crossing
Driving over? Read what you need to drive to Canada or Mexico first. Then plan the day: things to do in Tijuana, San Diego on the way back, the American or the Canadian Niagara Falls, and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
FAQ
What is SENTRI?
CBP’s trusted traveler program for the Mexican border: approved members use dedicated lanes into the U.S. at southern land crossings, the NEXUS lanes from Canada and Global Entry kiosks. It costs $120 for five years, with a background check and an interview.
How do I get a SENTRI application?
Online, in a Trusted Traveler Programs account: every applicant needs their own, whatever their age. Pay the $120 fee, and if CBP conditionally approves you, book an interview at a SENTRI enrollment center with your passport, another ID, the car’s registration and its U.S. insurance.
What is a NEXUS card?
The card of the U.S.–Canada NEXUS program: dedicated lanes at northern land crossings, NEXUS kiosks entering Canada and Global Entry kiosks entering the U.S. It costs $120 for five years, free under 18, and both countries must approve you.
How much does SENTRI cost compared with NEXUS?
The same: $120 each, for five years. SENTRI is free for a minor whose parent or guardian is enrolled, and charges $42 for each extra vehicle; NEXUS is free under 18.
SENTRI vs NEXUS: which should I get?
The one your crossing takes: SENTRI on the Mexican border, NEXUS on the Canadian. Crossing both into the U.S., SENTRI covers both; going into Canada too, only NEXUS helps there, and it is limited to U.S. and Canadian citizens and residents.
Does a SENTRI pass save time?
At the busy crossings, a lot: on CBP’s average week 65 minutes a crossing at San Ysidro and 41 at El Paso’s Paso del Norte bridge. At quiet ones, a few minutes. Pick your crossing and hour above.