On July 17, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an updated version of Form I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9).  This form replaces all previous versions.  As of September 18, 2017, this new form is mandatory under Federal Law, for every employer that recruits, refers for a fee, or hires an individual for employment in the United States.  You can download the new form here.  Please note, clients utilizing our web-based HR Software, the new form is available in your account.  

 

The latest version brings very subtle changes to the form's instructions and adds to the list of acceptable documents.  Although the changes to the Form I-9 are minimal, failure to use the new form can result in significant fines.  Employers should not complete new forms for current employees as this applies to new hires only. Current storage and retention rules have not changed. 

 

Revisions to the Form I-9 instructions: 

  • Changed the name of the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices to its new name, Immigrant and Employee Rights Section. 

  • Removed “the end of” from the phrase “the first day of employment.” 

 

Revisions related to the List of Acceptable Documents on Form I-9: 

  • Added the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) to List C. Employers completing Form I-9 on a computer will be able to select Form FS-240 from the drop-down menus available in List C of Sections 2 and 3. E-Verify users will also be able to select Form FS-240 when creating a case for an employee who has presented this document for Form I-9. 

  • Combined all the certifications of report of birth issued by the Department of State (Form FS-545, Form DS-1350, and Form FS-240) into selection C #2 in List C. 

  • Renumbered all List C documents except the Social Security card. For example, the employment authorization document issued by the Department of Homeland Security on List C changed from List C #8 to List C #7. 

 

If you need assistance or have questions regarding Form I-9 compliance, please contact HR Solutions Group at 616.719.5372.  To sign up for a free demo of BambooHR Software, customized by HR Solutions Group, click here.