A Border Crossing Card (BCC) is an

identity document An identity document (abbreviated as ID) is a documentation, document proving a person's Identity (social science), identity. If the identity document is a plastic card it is called an ''identity card'' (abbreviated as ''IC'' or ''ID card''). ...

used by nationals of

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

to travel to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. As a standalone document, the BCC allows its holder to travel directly from Mexico to the United States by land, pleasure vessel or

ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...

. When presented with a valid

Mexican passport The Mexican passport () is the passport issued to Mexico, Mexican citizens for the purpose of travelling abroad. The Mexican passport is also an official ID and proof of Mexican citizenship. According to the January 2025 Henley Passport Index, ho ...

, the BCC also functions as a B-1/B-2 visa and is accepted for travel from any country to any part of the United States by any means of transportation.8 CFR §212.1, Documentary requirements for nonimmigrants
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.

History

Since 1953, Mexico and the United States have agreed to make special accommodations for Mexican nationals who cross the

Mexico–United States border The international border separating Mexico and the United States extends from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from urban areas to deserts. It is the List of ...

into the immediate area to promote the economic stability of the region. On November 12, 1953, the two countries entered into an agreement concerning the border area, which included a provision allowing Mexican nationals who resided near the border to be issued border-crossing identification cards. These cards could be used for multiple applications for admission during the validity of the card. In 1982, the border zone that may be visited with a BCC without Form I-94, which is normally issued for visitors, was defined as the area within from the border. In 1999, the portion of the zone in

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

was expanded to from the border. In 2004, the allowed period of stay in the border zone with a BCC without Form I-94 was expanded from 72 hours to 30 days. In 2013, the portion of the zone in

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

was expanded to from the border or up to

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the origina ...

Eligibility

The BCC is issued only to Mexican nationals residing in Mexico and by the U.S. diplomatic missions in Mexico. Applicants must satisfy the same requirements as for a

B visa A B visa is one of a category of non-immigrant United States visas, visas issued by the United States government to foreign nationals seeking entry for a temporary period. The two types of B visa are the B-1 visa, issued to those seeking entry for ...

, including demonstrating their ties to Mexico that would compel them to return after a temporary stay in the United States.

Description

The first generation of

machine-readable In communications and computing, a machine-readable medium (or computer-readable medium) is a medium capable of storing data in a format easily readable by a digital computer or a sensor. It contrasts with ''human-readable'' medium and data. T ...

BCCs, known as "laser visas", was produced from April 1, 1998, until September 30, 2008. The

laminate Simulated flight (using image stack created by μCT scanning) through the length of a knitting needle that consists of laminated wooden layers: the layers can be differentiated by the change of direction of the wood's vessels Shattered windshi ...

d, credit card-size document is both a BCC and a B1/B2 visitor visa. The cards are valid for travel until the expiration date on the front of the card, usually ten years after issuance. They are nearly identical to the previous generation U.S. permanent resident card. October 1, 2008, marked the beginning of production of a second generation B-1/B-2 visa/BCC. The new card is similar in size to the old BCC, but contains enhanced

graphics Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of the data, as in design and manufa ...

and

technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...

. The original BCC was produced by the now defunct

Immigration and Naturalization Service The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was a United States federal government agency under the United States Department of Labor from 1933 to 1940 and under the United States Department of Justice from 1940 to 2003. Refe ...

but the current card is produced by the

Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs ...

. It is virtually identical to the U.S. passport card, which is issued to nationals of the United States for the purposes of land and sea border crossings, in its general design layout. The card includes an

RFID Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. An RFID system consists of a tiny radio transponder called a tag, a radio receiver, and a transmitter. When tri ...

chip and integrated contactless circuit and is part of the same PASS system as the passport card.

Use

As a standalone document, the BCC allows its holder to travel directly from Mexico to the United States by land, pleasure vessel or

. At the port of entry, BCC holders may apply for form Form I-94, which is normally issued for visitors, and continue their visit to any part of the United States for the period specified on the form, usually six months. If they do not apply for Form I-94, they may remain in the following border areas for up to 30 days:8 CFR §235.1, Scope of examination
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. *

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

within of the border *

within of the border or up to

, whichever is further north *

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

within of the border When presented with a

, the BCC functions as a

and is accepted for travel from any country to any part of the United States by any means of transportation.

References

{{reflist

External links

Border Crossing Card

International travel documents

History

Eligibility

Description

Use

See also

References

External links