What is a visa ?

Updated Mar. 24, 2026Refreshed annually
The BBBCV visa is a nonimmigrant visa issued for tourism and business. Nonimmigrant visas are admitted for people who intend to stay in the US temporarily. BBBCV visas accounted for 0.36% of all issued visas in FY 2024.
In FY 2024,

40K

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

0.36%

of visas issued were BBBCV 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 BBBCV visa, also known as a Border Crossing Card, is a passport stamp or sticker 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 stamp is one of two versions of this visa; some come in the form of a card (BBBCC).

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 BBBCV visa?

Visas are issued for one of five reasons: work, tourism/business, education, family, and safety. The BBBCV 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 BBBCV visas are issued?

The State Department issued 39,987 BBBCV visas in 2024. That was down 36.4% from the 62,896 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 BBBCV visas.

The US issued 40,000 BBBCV visas in 2024, down 36.4% from 2013.

Total BBBCV visas issued, 2013–2024

Of all applications processed for BBBCV visas in 2024, 84.4% were accepted. That acceptance rate was down from a peak of 91.7% in 2017.

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

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

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

Who comes to the US on a BBBCV visa?

For the 3rd straight year, more BBBCV visa recipients came from Mexico than any other country in 2024 — the country’s 40,000 recipients made up 100% of total visas issued. The next-highest populations came from Algeria, Angola, and Benin, each with 0 recipients or 0% of the total.

The countries with the most BBBCV visa recipients overall were:

  1. Mexico (39,987)
  2. Algeria (0)
  3. Angola (0)
  4. Benin (0)
  5. Botswana (0)

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

BBBCV visas issued by recipient’s home country, 2024

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

  1. Mexico (0.3 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 BBBCV 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.