The issuing authority for a permanent resident card is the government agency whose name is printed on the front of the card. For cards issued after March 2003, that agency is U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a branch of the Department of Homeland Security. Cards issued before March 2003 name the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) instead. When a form asks for the issuing authority, copy exactly what appears on your card.
Where to Find It on the Card
The agency name sits at the top of the front side of every permanent resident card, formally known as Form I-551. On current cards you’ll see “United States Department of Homeland Security” together with the USCIS name and seal. The card also shows your photo, name, USCIS number (A-Number), date of birth, fingerprint, and expiration date, but none of those are the issuing authority. The issuing authority is the agency name in the header.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization
Two mistakes come up often. The first is writing “I-551” in the issuing authority field. That’s the form number, which identifies the document type, not who issued it. The second is entering the A-Number or the card number instead of an agency name. The issuing authority is always a text name, never a numerical code.
USCIS or INS Depending on When the Card Was Issued
The Homeland Security Act of 2002 dissolved the old Immigration and Naturalization Service and split its work among three new agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. On March 1, 2003, USCIS took over immigration benefits processing, U.S. Customs and Border Protection assumed border responsibilities, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement handled enforcement.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 1.1 The Homeland Security Act
So the name printed on your card depends on when it was issued:
- Cards produced before March 2003 show “Immigration and Naturalization Service” or “INS.”
- Cards from roughly 2004 through 2010 may display the Department of Homeland Security seal without prominently featuring the USCIS name.
- Cards issued from 2010 onward clearly show “USCIS.”
If your card says INS, you write INS. If it says USCIS, you write USCIS. Don’t update the agency name to reflect the current structure. Match the card. Older INS-issued cards remain legally valid until their printed expiration date, and federal regulations treat Form I-551 as the document establishing lawful permanent resident status regardless of which agency version appears on it.3eCFR. 8 CFR 264.1 – Registration
What to Write on Form I-9
The place most people run into this field is Form I-9, the employment eligibility verification form. Section 2 of Form I-9 is filled out by the employer, not the employee. The employer examines the green card and records the document title, issuing authority, document number, and expiration date.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Completing Section 2, Employer Review and Attestation For a permanent resident card, the employer writes whatever agency name appears on the front of the card.
In practice, most employers enter “USCIS” for current cards or “INS” for older ones. Some write the full name “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services” or “Department of Homeland Security.” Any of these work as long as the entry matches what appears on the physical document. The principle is transcription, not interpretation. If the card header reads “Department of Homeland Security” and displays the USCIS seal, an employer could reasonably write either “USCIS” or “DHS.” What causes problems is inventing an agency name that doesn’t appear on the card at all.
A green card presented for Form I-9 qualifies as a List A document on its own, meaning it establishes both identity and employment authorization without any additional paperwork from the employee.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization
When You Don’t Have a Physical Card
Not every permanent resident holds a physical card at all times. USCIS sometimes stamps a foreign passport or a Form I-94 with an I-551 stamp (also called an ADIT stamp) as temporary proof of permanent resident status. When this stamp appears, the issuing authority is USCIS, because USCIS is the agency that placed the stamp.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization A foreign passport carrying this stamp also qualifies as a List A document for Form I-9.
New permanent residents waiting for their physical card to arrive in the mail often rely on this stamp, as do people whose card was lost, stolen, or damaged. The stamp has its own expiration date, typically one year, and that date controls regardless of when the actual card is expected.
Something similar applies to renewal receipt notices. When you file Form I-90 to replace an expiring card, or Form I-751 to remove conditions on residence, USCIS issues a Form I-797 receipt notice that extends the validity of your status. On any form asking for the issuing authority of that receipt, the answer is USCIS, since USCIS generated it.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Automatic Extensions Based on a Timely Filed Application to Renew Employment Authorization
Quick Reference by Document Type
- Green card issued after 2010: USCIS (or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
- Green card issued 2003 through 2010: look at the header and copy what’s printed, whether that’s DHS or USCIS
- Green card issued before March 2003: INS (or Immigration and Naturalization Service)
- I-551 (ADIT) stamp in a foreign passport: USCIS
- Form I-797 receipt notice for I-90 or I-751: USCIS
- U.S. passport, for comparison: U.S. Department of State
When in doubt, look at the document itself. The issuing authority is printed on it, and your only job is to copy it accurately.