If you are an immigrant into the US, the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) will likely play a large role in your life for some time to come. The USCIS was created when the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2003. The USCIS is responsible for many of the US immigration functions which before were handled by the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service).
The USCIS has, in fact, many functions which are relevant for immigrants. The USCIS is responsible for the administration of US immigration services, for example. USCIS also works to provide good customer service to immigrants, to maintain US security, and to reduce immigration case backlogs. When dealing with the USCIS, it is important to remember that it is a huge agency, with more than 18,000 workers and 250 offices. When dealing with the USCIS, therefore, it pays to have forms and documentation to back up your claims or to ask questions.
There are many things that you may need to turn to the USCIS for if you are an immigrant in the US. If you are applying for benefits or immigration services, you will need to apply to the USCIS and the USCIS will administer these as well as determine whether you qualify. The USCIS also processes asylum applications, refugee applications, citizenship petitions, and visa applications. If you are filing for any of these statuses, you will need to file documents and immigration forms with the USCIS
Generally, most immigrants today communicate with the USCIS online. The USCIS has a very comprehensive website, where you can download most of the forms you will need for most immigration petitions. The USCIS website also contains updates about new forms and processes and the website has useful resources and instructions for completing immigration forms. If you want to determine how to file an immigration form, the USCIS website is a good resource and can be your first stop for information. The information on the USCIS website is free and the website also allows immigrants to track status and applications online, which is another handy feature of the site. The USCIS has worked hard over the past few years to make the website easier to use and to include more information online, which means that much USCIS information and several services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from any Internet-connected computer. In addition to the website, the USCIS has offices where you can meet USCIS authorities in person if you need to do so as part of your immigration application.
