Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigrations Services (BCIS) is a part of the Department of Homeland Security. As of November 1, 2003 the name has been changed to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Bureau has been dropped from the Official Name of the Agency. Most of the functions it performed were formerly in the jurisdiction of the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) which was part of the Department of Justice. The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) which review decisions made by the USCIS remain under jursidiction of the Department of Justice.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is, as is implyed by the name, the Legacy INS Agency that administers Immigration Services and Benefits; such as Adjudicating claims for Asylum, issuing Employment Authorization Documents, granting Lawfull Permanent Resident Status (getting your "Green Card"), and granting Citizenship.
