The I-9 Form is used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services office aimed at having employers verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals they are hiring. To be considered for employment, individuals must show proof that they’re legally permitted to work in the U.S. by completing and returning employment documents to a potential employer within three days of their date of hire.

Acceptable forms of proof in List A include:

• A valid and unexpired U.S. passport

• Permanent Resident Card (also referred to as a Green Card) or Alien Receipt Card with Photograph

• A valid and unexpired foreign passport with I-551 Stamp or I-94 document

• Employment Authorization Document I-766 or card

If an individual doesn’t have the above documents, they may also provide two forms a proof from Lists B & C, as shown below:

Under no circumstances, is an employer permitted to instruct the employee which specific documents they need to provide for employment. Furthermore, an employer cannot discriminate against an individual based on the fact that a document has a future expiration date as this may be considered illegal discrimination. If any of the above documents expires during the individual’s employment, the employer should request a verification of the documents and complete the I-9 Form again. The I-9 Form is available in Spanish for employers and employees who reside in Puerto Rico. However, it may be used as a translation tool in the United States. The form must be completed in English in the United States. If a person requires assistance completing the form, there is a Preparer/Translator section to be completed and signed by the person offering assistance. This section is saved for minors under the age of 18, individuals who cannot speak or read English, or have a disability that impairs their ability to complete the form (i.e.: blindness).

The I-9 Form is available in both electronic and paper format. A person may fill-out the form online, but is unable to sign it electronically. To complete, a person should print the form and physically sign it to return to the employer with proof of identity and employment authorization.

Want more information about hiring new employees? Check out our hiring documents checklist.