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All employers are required to verify their employees' identity and right to work in the United States by completing an I-9 Form for each employee hired.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services changed the list of acceptable documents some time ago but the I-9 Form that was available for use was not changed to reflect the new requirements. Thus, employers may have been unknowingly accepting documents that no longer acceptable to the USCIS.
On Nov. 7, the long-awaited new I-9 Employment Verification Form was issued by the USCIS. The new form contains changes, including the following documents from List A that are no longer acceptable as verification of identity and employment eligibility:
Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (INS Form N-560 or N-561)
Certificate of Naturalization (INS Form N-550 or N-570)
Permanent Resident Card (INS Form I-151)
Unexpired Re-entry Permit (INS Form I-327)
Unexpired Refugee Travel Document (INS Form I-571)
The employment authorization documents that now appear on the I-9 Form (INS Forms I-688, I-688A, I-688B) have been consolidated into one item on List A and INS Form I-766 (also an employment authorization document) has been added to that item.
Employees are no longer required to provide their Social Security number in Section 1 unless their employer participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a free Internet-based system operated by USCIS in partnership with the Social Security Administration. The system provides an automated link to federal databases to help employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
Employers may sign and retain I-9 Forms electronically.
The updated I-9 form can be found on the Internet at www.uscis.gov/i-9. Even though a Spanish-language version of the form is available, it may only be used by employers in Puerto Rico. All other U.S. employers must complete the English version.
Employers only need to complete the new form for employees hired on or after Nov. 7. There is no requirement to complete new forms for existing employees; however, employers must use the new form when employees require re-verification.
The updated form doesn't become officially effective until notice is published in the Federal Register, and the USCIS will not begin to impose penalties until after 30 days from that date.
All employers are required to verify their employees' identity and right to work in the United States by completing an I-9 Form for each employee hired.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services changed the list of acceptable documents some time ago but the I-9 Form that was available for use was not changed to reflect the new requirements. Thus, employers may have been unknowingly accepting documents that no longer acceptable to the USCIS.
On Nov. 7, the long-awaited new I-9 Employment Verification Form was issued by the USCIS. The new form contains changes, including the following documents from List A that are no longer acceptable as verification of identity and employment eligibility:
Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (INS Form N-560 or N-561)
Certificate of Naturalization (INS Form N-550 or N-570)
Permanent Resident Card (INS Form I-151)
Unexpired Re-entry Permit (INS Form I-327)
Unexpired Refugee Travel Document (INS Form I-571)
The employment authorization documents that now appear on the I-9 Form (INS Forms I-688, I-688A, I-688B) have been consolidated into one item on List A and INS Form I-766 (also an employment authorization document) has been added to that item.
Employees are no longer required to provide their Social Security number in Section 1 unless their employer participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a free Internet-based system operated by USCIS in partnership with the Social Security Administration. The system provides an automated link to federal databases to help employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
Employers may sign and retain I-9 Forms electronically.
The updated I-9 form can be found on the Internet at www.uscis.gov/i-9. Even though a Spanish-language version of the form is available, it may only be used by employers in Puerto Rico. All other U.S. employers must complete the English version.
Employers only need to complete the new form for employees hired on or after Nov. 7. There is no requirement to complete new forms for existing employees; however, employers must use the new form when employees require re-verification.
The updated form doesn't become officially effective until notice is published in the Federal Register, and the USCIS will not begin to impose penalties until after 30 days from that date.