What You Need To Know About The New Form I-9 Released July 2017

On July 17, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) department released an updated version of the Form I-9. The new version of the form has several subtle changes, includes a rewording and renumbering of the list of acceptable documents.

Employers will have until September 18, 2017, to begin using the form. After this date, all previous versions will no longer be considered valid.

What’s New?

The new version of the Form I-9 will include several new updates, including:

• Changes to the form’s instructions and numbering to the List of Acceptable Documents
• Removing the ‘the end of’ from the phrase “the first day of employment” in reference to completing Section 1
• Adds the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) to acceptable documents included in List C
• Combines all the certifications of report of birth issued by the Department of State (Form FS-545, Form DS-1350, and Form FS-240) into one option of acceptable documents under List C
• Changes the name of the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices to the new name of Immigrant and Employee Rights Section

Deadline For Compliance

Employers will have until September 17, 2017, to begin using the new version. After September 17, 2017, no previous versions of the Form I-9 will be considered valid, including the one released in November 2016 with a revision date of 11/14/16 N.

For more instructions on how employers can remain in compliance with the new Form I-9, download a copy of the updated Handbook for Employers: Guidance for Completing Form I-9 (M-274) from USCIS’s website.

Previous Updates

The new Form I-9 to be released in July 2017 is the second updated version of the work eligibility document to be implemented this year. In November 2016, the Department of Homeland Security released two new versions of the Form I-9: an electronic and print copy. This version was the first version of the document to include an electronic copy with built-in instructions and guides to help both employers and employees properly fill out the Form I-9.

It is important for employers to comply with the compliance deadline for the new Form I-9 as the risk for an audit is much higher than it was in previous years. If your company needs help managing its employment eligibility compliance, we have several tools to help our clients track and manage their employee information, including the Form I-9.