New I-9 Employment Eligibility Form

Friday, October 9, 2007
Contributed by: Charles A. Mallard

On November 7, 2007, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form (commonly known as the I-9) is now available for use. (USCIS Update) The primary revision is the removal of five documents that could formerly be used as Category A documents proving both identity and employment eligibility. Additionally, the new form adds an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) to the list of Category A documents. Although the new form will not become official until the required notice is published in the Federal Register, USCIS has released the form (new Form I-9) and is encouraging employers to start using the revised Form I-9 immediately. Employers who continue to use the old Form I-9 will be subject to fines and penalties, so don't wait, print the Form I-9 that I have linked in this article, start using it and throw away all the old forms. If you are interested in additional information, USCIS has also posted a Fact Sheet which has a list of common questions and answers.

This column is published for informational purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice and is not intended to create an attorney client relationship. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author's law firm or its individual partners.