US Government cut backs kick in for travellers.

[chrisb]

Customs & Border Protection are starting cutbacks.
Furloughs bite for customs workers - CNN.com

 

[defurax]

According to the article the reduction in staffing will start April 7. I'm really happy that my next two arrivals in the US are schedule March 28 and April 6!!! I might rethink my port of entry for May and go through DFW instead of LAX.

 

[Timtammi]

My son just flew syd-dfw on qf. He told me that immigration was really slow, several planes had arrived around the same time and although there were plenty of immigration stations only 4 were manned.
Does not bode well for what lax might be like for my trip in July.

 

[Kef]

DFW is getting busier as people have discovered going through DFW is a lesser evil than LAX. Unfortunately we are there in September again so not looking forward to the waiting.

 

[ts911993]

My son just flew syd-dfw on qf. He told me that immigration was really slow, several planes had arrived around the same time and although there were plenty of immigration stations only 4 were manned.
Does not bode well for what lax might be like for my trip in July.

I went in through DFW in January and it was the same scenario. The QF plane, and one from Europe and the Middle East all arrived around the same time. Maybe 50 stations available but only 4 open! Took 50 minutes to get through. Luckily I had a 2.5 hour lay over.

 

[Simsy85]

In my experience for getting through customs at LAX fast - request a wheelchair for someone in your party!

My mother legitimately needed a wheelchair due to back problems (can't stand for longer than 5 minutes).

From the time we got off the plane, to getting in a taxi would have been all of 20 minutes at LAX.

 

[Hvr]

In my experience for getting through customs at LAX fast - request a wheelchair for someone in your party!

My mother legitimately needed a wheelchair due to back problems (can't stand for longer than 5 minutes).

From the time we got off the plane, to getting in a taxi would have been all of 20 minutes at LAX.

And I've never understood why needing a wheelchair gets you to the front of the line. Yes a wheelchair is required but wait in line with the rest of us. And as has been known to happen fraud occurs with people claiming they need a wheelchair because of the reward of getting to the front of the line.

And if the person really must be moved to the front of the line then only one companion gets to go with them, the rest of the party can wait.

 

[defurax]

Maybe this has been discussed elsewhere, but I just realised that the eligibility criteria for the NEXUS program have changed starting June 30, 2012. The residency criteria has been removed. So anyone (including AFFers of course!) who is a Canadian or US citizen and live abroad may now apply for the NEXUS card (which allows entry in both Canada and US by land, air or sea at any port where Global Entry or NEXUS machine are available).
Cross often? Make it simple, use NEXUS
You still need to schedule an interview in a Canadian airport or at a US/Canada border crossing, but for frequent traveller to US and Canada this should be no problem.
I might have just solved my LAX/JFK/YVR/YYZ/YUL/MIA immigration nightmare forever!!! Apparently they are also considering removing the "renewal" interview every 5 years.

 

[totd]

You still need to schedule an interview in a Canadian airport or at a US/Canada border crossing, but for frequent traveller to US and Canada this should be no problem.

If you don't need the iris scan, I believe you can get a Nexus card sorted at a number of US airports as well/instead (NEXUS Enrolment Centres). Also don't forget to look into TSA Pre for expedited TSA Screening..