USCIS Publishes Revised Form I-9 to Use for All New Hires in United States

BREAKING NEWS!

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn

On November 14, 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification with changes designed to reduce errors and enhance form completion using a computer. The new Form I-9 is available on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/system/files_force/files/form/i-9.pdf.

Employers must use only the new version of the Form I-9 dated 11/14/2016 N by January 22, 2017. Until then, employers may continue to use the version of the Form I-9 dated 03/08/2013 N or the new version. Among the changes in the new Form I-9, Section 1 asks for “other last names used” rather than “other names used.” Other changes in the new Form I-9 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.
• A supplemental page for the preparer/translator.
• Streamlining the certification for certain foreign nationals.

The instructions for using the new Form I-9 have been separated from the actual Form I-9, in line with other USCIS forms, and include specific instructions for completing each field on the form. The instructions for employers on how to use the new Form I-9 are available on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/system/files_force/files/form/i-9instr.pdf.

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 fields, easy access to the instructions, and an option to clear the form and start over. When employers print completed forms, a quick response (QR) code is automatically generated that can be read by most QR readers.

Form I-9 requirements were established in November of 1986 when Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). The IRCA prohibits employers from hiring people, including U.S. citizens, for employment in the United States without verifying their identity and employment authorization on a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

For more information about USCIS – the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States – please visit the USCIS at USCIS.gov or follow the USCIS on Twitter (@Everify), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and the USCIS blog The Beacon. The Form I-9 information page on the USCIS website is at www.uscis.gov/i-9.

Source: www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-revises-form-i-9-used-all-new-hires-us

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