U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
Background
Federal law requires employers to hire only individuals who may legally work in the United States-either U.S. citizens or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. To comply with the law, employers must verify the identity and employment authorization of each person they hire by completing and retaining Form I-9.
New Form I-9 Dates
The new Form I-9 is dated November 14, 2016 and has an expiration date of August 31, 2019. Employers may continue using a Form I-9 with a revision date of March 8, 2013 (or may use the new version) through January 21, 2017. By January 22, 2017, employers must use only the new version. Employers should also continue to follow existing storage and retention rules for all of their previously completed Forms I-9.
New Changes
Among the changes in the new version of Form I-9, Section 1 of the form asks for “other last names used” rather than “other names used,” and streamlines certification for certain foreign nationals. Other changes include:
- The addition of prompts to ensure information is entered correctly;
- The ability to enter multiple preparers and translators;
- A dedicated area for including additional information rather than having to add it in the margins; and
- A supplemental page for the preparer/translator.
Additionally, the instructions have been separated from the form (in line with other USCIS forms) and include specific instructions for completing each field.
According to USCIS, the new Form I-9 is easier to complete on a computer. Enhancements include drop-down lists and calendars for filling in dates, on-screen instructions for each field, easy access to the full instructions, and an option to clear the form and start over. When an employer prints the completed form, a quick response (QR) code is automatically generated, which can be read by most QR readers.
Click here to download the new Form I-9 and instructions.
For more information on complying with the employment eligibility verification requirements, please visit our section on Form I-9.
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