DS-260 Visa field only 8 digits long. Not sure which BCC Visa number to enter

[tm81663 10]

My wife is filling out the DS-260 form online currently, and we are stumped on only one question.

"Have you ever been issued a U.S. Visa?"

The answer is yes, as she has a "USA B1/B2 VISA/BCC" or what I think is also called a Laser Visa, AKA Border Crossing Card.

The pulldown selection gives us an option of a B1/B2 or BCC. We chose BCC, as that's what it is.

When we want to enter the Visa # on the DS-260 form, there is only room for 8 digits. We've searched a LOT for the right # to get from this card, as basically at the bottom of it it has a lot of characters (numbers and letters) with no indication what the real # is. We've read that it would be the number on the first row, at the right, that would be after the initials of the issuing office, for our case NGL for Nogales. But that number is 9 digits with the three zeros at the beginning, and only 6 digits without.

The field in the DS-260 only allows a 8 digit number.

We entered all but one zero in this field with the assumed Visa # from the BCC card, but not sure if that was right.

Any advice before I hit submit on the DS-260?

Thanks ahead of time.

tom

[tm81663 10]

UPDATE:

So I called NVC today and got nowhere fast, or should I say slow. Operator wasn't helpful. I told her the issue, that the field in the DS-260 form only allows 8 characters. and that the BCC (border crossing card) I have doesn't show any number that would fit that. She didn't know what a BCC was, and put on hold. After she came back, she said that my wife does not have a Visa and I should answer accordingly. Well, no, the title of my wife's valid card is "USA B1/B2 VISA/BCC"

It says Visa in the title, and either B1/B2 or BCC are valid pull down options in the DS-260 form. She said she was not familiar with the card, and that I need to answer accordingly. (she was just trying to basically hang up at that point). She told me to contact my border crossing office for more info. I'm surprised that the national visa center, the department issuing Visas, is not aware of the visas they issue. she had no clue on the B1/B2 or BCC card.

Anyways, I think my next steps is again call tomorrow, talk to a supervisor if they don't know, and if I get no where, to just answer teh question on the DS-260 with the checkbox "I don't know"

grrrrr...... frustrating, but that's the way this goes....

[Ryan H 3,812]

I'm surprised that the national visa center, the department issuing Visas, is not aware of the visas they issue.

The actual issuing of a visa is not done by the NVC, visas are only issued by and at Embassies and Consulates overseas.

The purpose of the NVC is to assign case numbers and to function as an intake center for documentation for petition based cases prior to a visa interview taking place.

[adinutzyc21 2]

The visa number is the number that is in red on your visa I think. There is no specific name on it, just a random number in red in the middle of the visa page. Do you have anything like that? Mine started with an E, but it's an F1 visa.