U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

On March 1, 2003, service and benefit functions of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transitioned into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS is responsible for the administration of immigration and naturalization adjudication functions and establishing immigration services policies and priorities. These functions include:

  • adjudication of immigrant visa petitions;
  • adjudication of naturalization petitions;
  • adjudication of asylum and refugee applications;
  • adjudications performed at the service centers, and
  • all other adjudications performed by the INS.

Fifteen thousand (15,000) federal employees and contractors working in approximately 250 Headquarters and field offices around the world comprise the BCIS. For additional information on the new Bureau, see USCIS website

See also…

Immigration Law