BCC vs B2 tourist visa

[kels430 31]

My husband (LPR) and I would like his parents to come visit us this summer from Tijuana, Mexico. They will be paying for their own trips, but we are helping them fill out the applications. They both have well paying jobs, and own their homes- Mom has had a visa before but it got stolen and they denied her in 2016 when she re-applied and dad has never had a visa/been to the states.

 

I was wondering if there was any advantage to applying for the BCC vs the B2 tourist visa. It looks like if they want to go further than 25 miles with the BCC they can just get an I-94 right there at the border crossing. Does anybody know if the issuance rate is higher for one or the other or if their chances of getting approved are better with one than the other?

 

Thank you!

[Just Paul 4,591]

The information provided for a BCC is the same as a B2.   Apply for the B2, it is a lot less hassle unless you are flying into San Diego, Tucson or El Paso and /or visiting the border zone..

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

When you say her visa got stolen, do you mean her passport got stolen? Did they give her a reason for denial in 2016 (like 214b denial?)

[kels430 31]

2 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

The information provided for a BCC is the same as a B2.   Apply for the B2, it is a lot less hassle unless you are flying into San Diego, Tucson or El Paso and /or visiting the border zone..

 They'll be crossing by foot from TJ to San Diego and flying out of San Diego to Seattle.

[kels430 31]

Just now, SusieQQQ said:

When you say her visa got stolen, do you mean her passport got stolen? Did they give her a reason for denial in 2016 (like 214b denial?)

 

Her passport and visa both were stolen (by a family member). Both were reported. She didn't give us much detail of her interview just that they denied her and told her she could reapply. She didn't tell us she was reapplying and paid someone to help her with her application and I'm assuming it was incomplete or something of the sort.

[Just Paul 4,591]

8 minutes ago, kels430 said:

 They'll be crossing by foot from TJ to San Diego and flying out of San Diego to Seattle.

The B2 is really the best way to go.  Less hassle overall

[Juliet57 304]

I had my visa stolen in 2007 and applied again in 2012 with no issues, I helped my dad with his application in November 2018 and he didn't have issues either. 

We did have a report from the policy explaining that our visas had been stolen, and I mentioned it during my interview as well. 

 

Perhaps your mother-in-law didn't have a complete application? 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

18 minutes ago, kels430 said:

 

Her passport and visa both were stolen (by a family member). Both were reported. She didn't give us much detail of her interview just that they denied her and told her she could reapply. She didn't tell us she was reapplying and paid someone to help her with her application and I'm assuming it was incomplete or something of the sort.

Maybe the family member misused it.

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

A visa isn't stolen, only a passport can be stolen. 

 

With all the safeguards in place in recent years, nearly impossible to misuse a passport or US visa. 

[Allaboutwaiting 2,500]

All mexicans are issued a dual BCC/B-1,B-2. You don't need to choose or ask for one or the other. 

 

More info:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/border-crossing-card.html

Edited May 31, 2019 by Allaboutwaiting

[kels430 31]

25 minutes ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

All mexicans are issued a dual BCC/B-1,B-2. You don't need to choose or ask for one or the other. 

 

More info:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/border-crossing-card.html

Okay thank you! I was helping with the application and after selecting B1/B2 business visitor & tourist visa there was a drop down to select which B2 and it gave BCC as well as B2 tourist as options so I wasn't sure.

[kels430 31]

29 minutes ago, WeGuyGal said:

A visa isn't stolen, only a passport can be stolen. 

 

With all the safeguards in place in recent years, nearly impossible to misuse a passport or US visa. 

 This was probably 9 or 10 years ago, I don't think the family member ever tried to use it themselves but probably tried to sell it, knowing them.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1 hour ago, kels430 said:

 This was probably 9 or 10 years ago, I don't think the family member ever tried to use it themselves but probably tried to sell it, knowing them.

So it is quite possible there is a flag against her name from something weird happening that she doesn't know about. Legit people don't buy passports or visas. This kind of thing would have totally different implications from a routine 214b type denial. Is she sure she doesn't have a record somewhere of the section of the INA she was denied under?