Business Immigration Insights

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) released the new version of Form I-9 today, a week earlier than previously announced. As a reminder, all U.S. employers are required to use the new version by January 22, 2017, to verify the employment eligibility of new hires and to reverify continued employment eligibility of employees, when necessary.  Employers may continue to use the version dated 03/08/2013, through January 21, 2017.

Updates to the revised Form-I-9 include interactive fields designed to ensure that information is entered correctly, on-screen instructions for completing each required field, drop-down lists, calendars when dates must be completed, and the addition of a separate section dedicated to information employers would otherwise have to add in the margins of the form.  The revised form also includes the ability to access the instructions and to print or clear the form while remaining in the same screen.  Once printed, the completed form will display a barcode readable by most QA readers.

A Spanish version of the form, which does not include the drop-down feature and field instructions, is available to U.S. employers in Puerto Rico.  Employers in the 50 states and other U.S. territories may refer to the Spanish version, but must complete and retain the English version of Form I-9.

Clients requiring assistance completing Form I-9 should contact one of our attorneys.

USCIS announcement regarding revised Form I-9.

Read our previous post.