For business and visitor travel to the United States, both citizens and permanent residents of Mexico must have nonimmigrant Border Crossing Cards (BCC), also known as laser visas, which are machine-readable, biometric visas typically issued to Mexican visitors to the U.S. BCCs are issued to both business and pleasure travelers.What Is The Border Biometrics Program?The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security jointly launched the border biometrics program to increase homeland security while fostering international travel to the U.S. Under this program, a BCC must be machine-readable and must include a biometric identifier, such as a fingerprint. BCCs are laminated, credit-card size documents that are valid for 10 years.

Who Is Eligible For A Border Crossing Card/Laser Visa?

Eligibility for BCCs is the same as those for business and pleasure visas, known as B-1 and B-2 visas. Applicants must show that they have strong ties to their home country, such as family, business, and social ties, to prove that their stay in the U.S. will be temporary.

How Do I Obtain A Laser Visa?

The process differs depending upon whether the alien had an older BCC or not. Those who hold older BCCs that are not machine-readable or do not include biometric data must present their old cards, along with recent photo identification, such as a passport or voter registration card. Aliens who have not previously been issued BCCs must provide valid Mexican passports to obtain BCCs.

The fee for the adult BCC is $ 100.00. A child visa is available for children under the age of 15 for only $13.00, but this visa expires when the child turns 15. If the fee for an adult visa is paid, however, the child visa is good for the normal 10-year period.

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