USCIS

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a United States federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for administering the country’s lawful immigration system. It adjudicates most immigration benefits for individuals and employers, including naturalization and citizenship, permanent residency (green cards), and various nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions. The agency also conducts asylum screening and related processes in coordination with other agencies. USCIS does not enforce immigration laws at the border or in the interior; that enforcement role belongs to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

USCIS was created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and began operating in 2003, following the dissolution of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the reorganization of immigration functions under DHS. It is one of three primary DHS components handling immigration matters, alongside CBP and ICE.

The agency is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and operates through a network of field offices, service centers, lockbox facilities, asylum offices, and a National Customer Service Center. It maintains online tools for case management and public interaction, including an online account system for case status, filing, and updates. Forms commonly processed include I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative), I-485 (Adjustment of Status), and N-400 (Application for Naturalization).

USCIS is funded primarily by fees paid by applicants and petitioners for immigration benefits, with oversight from Congress. Its operations focus on eligibility determinations, customer service, and policy guidance related to immigration benefits, while other agencies handle enforcement and border control.