What is a visa ?

Updated Mar. 24, 2026Refreshed annually
The BBBCC visa is a nonimmigrant visa issued for tourism and business. Nonimmigrant visas are admitted for people who intend to stay in the US temporarily. BBBCC visas accounted for 17.1% of all issued visas in FY 2024.
In FY 2024,

1.87M

visas issued by the US were BBBCC visas
In FY 2024,

17.1%

of visas issued were BBBCC visas
A visa is an official document the federal government issues to allow a foreign national to travel to a port of entry and request permission to enter for a specific purpose. While a visa does not guarantee entry, it indicates that the person has met the requirements for the type of visit they are requesting.
Visas don’t include permanent residency cards or applications for asylee or refugee status.

The BBBCC visa, also known as a Border Crossing Card, is an entry card for citizens of Mexico traveling to the United States. It allows its holder to enter the US for vacation, visiting family and friends, or conducting business activities similar to those covered by the B1/B2 visa. The card is one of two versions of this visa; some come in the form of a visa foil (BBBCV).

A Border Crossing Card is typically valid for 10 years after it is issued. Visa holders can stay in the US for up to six months at a time.

What type of visa is a BBBCC visa?

Visas are issued for one of five reasons: work, tourism/business, education, family, and safety. The BBBCC visa is a tourism/business visa, which are for short-term visits such as travel, medical care, or business meetings.
Tourism/business visas make up 80.2% of all visas.

In 2024, 80.2% of all visas issued were for tourism and business.

Visas issued by type, 2024

How many BBBCC visas are issued?

The State Department issued 1.87 million BBBCC visas in 2024. That was up 53.3% from the 1.22 million issued in 2013, the earliest year of available data.
Overall issued visas fell 68% during the pandemic, from 8.7 million in 2019 to 2.8 million in 2021. By 2023, totals had returned to above pre-pandemic levels.

The State Department does not maintain a cap on BBBCC visas.

The US issued 1.87 million BBBCC visas in 2024, up 53.3% from 2013.

Total BBBCC visas issued, 2013–2024

Of all applications processed for BBBCC visas in 2024, 85.8% were accepted. That acceptance rate was down from a peak of 96.2% in 2021.

Across the whole State Department, visas are accepted at a rate of 77%. Visas might be denied for a variety of reasons, including if the applicant:

  • Is deemed ineligible for the category
  • Has a communicable disease or any illness that could pose a threat to safety
  • Has been convicted of certain crimes
  • Has been previously removed from the US
  • Is a practicing polygamist
  • Submitted an incomplete application

BBBCC visa applications were more likely to be accepted compared to all visas in 2024.

Visa acceptance rate, BBBCC visas and all visas, 2013–2024

Who comes to the US on a BBBCC visa?

For the 3rd straight year, more BBBCC visa recipients came from Mexico than any other country in 2024 — the country’s 1.87 million recipients made up 100% of total visas issued. The next-highest populations came from Algeria, Angola, and Benin, each with 0.0 or 0%.

The countries with the most BBBCC visa recipients overall were:

  1. Mexico (1,871,765)
  2. Algeria (0)
  3. Angola (0)
  4. Benin (0)
  5. Botswana (0)

In 2024, the most BBBCC visa recipients were from Mexico.

BBBCC visas issued by recipient’s home country, 2024

The countries with the highest number of BBBCC visa recipients compared to their overall population were:

  1. Mexico (14 per 1,000 people)
  2. Algeria (0)
  3. Angola (0)
  4. Benin (0)
  5. Botswana (0)
Overall, people from 1 different country and territory received BBBCC visas.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.