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Updated: 07/IV/04
U.S. Immigration Service Agency Transformed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
On March 1, 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) was transformed into the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), now the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The transition was one component of the formation of the new Department of Homeland Security. BCIS issued the following fact sheet to explain the transition. On March 1st, services formerly provided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transitioned into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the USCIS. In support of the DHS overall mission, the immediate priorities of the new USCIS are to promote national security, continue to eliminate immigration adjudications backlogs, and implement solutions for improving immigration customer services. The USCIS will continue efforts to fundamentally transform and improve the delivery of immigration and citizenship services.
Created as a separate bureau by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, USCIS allows the DHS to improve the administration of benefits and immigration services for applicants by exclusively focusing on immigration and citizenship services. This new bureau includes approximately 15,000 employees and contractors, and is headed by the Director of USCIS, who reports directly to the Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security. Through a network of local offices, Application Support Centers, Service Centers, local area immigration services field offices, National Customer Service Call (NCSC) Centers, Forms Centers, and the Internet, USCIS processes all immigrant and non-immigrant benefits provided to visitors of the United States, including:
Long-term strategies for improving immigration and citizenship service delivery will enhance USCIS's ability to annually (based on FY 2002 data):
All USCIS field offices are engaged in proactive public information efforts to reassure and remind former INS customers and stakeholders of the following important customer services issues:
Over the last several years, INS has worked to improve immigration services in a variety of areas. Several major successes include:
The new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will continue the commitment to service set forth by the INS, modernizing the business of immigration to improve processing times and preserving national security.
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