THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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SWEET GRASS, Mont. - Starting this week, citizens of the United States and Canada can be pre-screened for easy movement through the Port of Sweet Grass, a 24-hour international border crossing north of Shelby, Montana.

Newly installed equipment electronically reads the NEXUS identification card, which you can be applied for online and which requires undergoing a law enforcement check.

The NEXUS cards are valid for five years and cost $50 for adults and are free for children.

The cards also meet the passport requirement, once the law changes requiring a government ID to cross the Canadian border by land in June 2009.

The cards are less expensive and take about half the time of getting a passport.

At Sweet Grass, a special lane will be dedicated to NEXUS travellers between 6:30 and 9 a.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m. daily.