USCIS is charged with processing immigrant visa petitions, naturalization applications, asylum applications, applications for adjustment of status, and refugee applications. It also makes adjudicative decisions performed at the service centers, and manages all other immigration benefits functions performed by the former INS. Other responsibilities of the USCIS include:
Administration of immigration services and benefits
While core immigration benefits functions remain the same as under the INS, a new goal is to process immigrants' applications more efficiently. Improvement efforts have included attempts to reduce the applicant backlog, as well as providing customer service through different channels, including the USCIS Contact Center with information in English and Spanish, Application Support Centers, the Internet and other channels. The enforcement of immigration laws remains under Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. USCIS focuses on two key points on the immigrant's journey towards civic integration: when they first become permanent residents and when they are ready to begin the formal naturalization process. A lawful permanent resident is eligible to become a citizen of the United States after holding the Permanent Resident Card for at least five continuous years, with no trips out of the United States lasting 180 days or more. If, however, the lawful permanent resident marries a U.S. citizen, eligibility for U.S. citizenship is shortened to three years so long as the resident has been living with the spouse continuously for at least three years and the spouse has been a resident for at least three years.
Forms
USCIS handles all forms and processing materials related to immigration and naturalization. This is evident from USCIS' predecessor, the INS, which is defunct as of March 1, 2003. USCIS currently handles two kinds of forms: those relating to immigration, and those related to naturalization. Forms are designated by a specific name, and an alphanumeric sequence consisting of one letter, followed by two or three digits. Forms related to immigration are designated with an I and forms related to naturalization are designated by an N.
USCIS' official website is USCIS.gov. The site was redesigned in 2009 and unveiled on September 22, 2009. The redesign made the web page interface more like the Department of Homeland Security's official website. The last major redesign before 2009 took place in October 2006. Also, USCIS runs an online appointment scheduling service known as INFOPASS. This system allows people with questions about immigration to come into their local USCIS office and speak directly with a government employee about their cases. As of early 2019, however, many USCIS field offices are doing away with on-demand INFOPASS appointments.
Funding
Unlike most other federal agencies, USCIS is funded almost entirely by user fees. USCIS is authorized to collect fees for its immigration case adjudication and naturalization services by the Immigration and Nationality Act. In fiscal year 2020, USCIS had a budget of ; of the budget was funded through fees and through congressional appropriations.
Staffing
USCIS consists of approximately 19,000 federal employees and contractors working at 223 offices around the world.
Mission statement
USCIS's mission statement was changed on February 23, 2018. Among other changes, the phrase "America's promise as a nation of immigrants" was eliminated, a move that drew criticism from immigration rights advocates and praise from those in favor of tighter restrictions on immigration.
