July 20, 2017
New I-9 Form Available as of 7/17/17, Becomes Mandatory on 9/18/2017
On July 17, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security released a new version of the I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification form. The I-9 form is used to verify identity and employment authorization of all employees hired by U.S. employers. The new version may be downloaded from the USCIS website here. Employers may continue to use the previous version of the I-9 until September 17, 2017, but we strongly advise our clients to begin using the new form right away for new hires and to purge any unused prior versions. The form’s edition date may be found in the bottom, left-hand corner of each page of the form. Employers must continue to follow existing storage and retention rules for any previously completed Form I-9.
What’s new?
Revisions to the Form I-9 Instructions:
- The name of the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices was updated to its new name: Immigrant and Employee Rights Section.
- The instructions removed “the end of” from the phrase, “the first day of employment.” So that it now reads, “Newly hired employees must complete and sign Section 1 no later than the first day of employment.”
Revisions to the List of Acceptable Documents:
- The Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) was added to List C.
- All certifications of report of birth issued by the Department of State (Forms FS-545, DS-1350 and FS-240) are now combined into Selection C #2 in List C.
- All List C documents were renumbered, except for the Social Security Card.
For further guidance, employers may consult these USCIS resources: Handbook for Employers: Guidance for Completing Form I-9, the I-9 Instructions, or the USCIS website, I-9 Central. As always, if you require further information or guidance, our office is happy to assist.