On August 1, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published the revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, with an edition date of 8-1-23. USCIS encourages employers to begin using the new version as soon as possible, but the previous Form I-9 (edition date of 10-21-19) may be used through October 31. Starting November 1, all employers must use the 8-1-23 edition of Form I-9.
Employers do not need to complete a new Form I-9 for current employees who already have a properly completed Form I-9 on file unless reverification applies to them after October 31, 2023.
Revisions to Form I-9
The following are some of the revisions to the Form I-9:
- Sections 1 and 2 are now a single-sided sheet.
- The Section 1 Preparer/Translator Certification area is now standalone Supplement A that employers can provide to employees when necessary.
- Section 3, Reverification and Rehire, is now standalone Supplement B that employers can print for rehires or reverification.
- The form has been redesigned to be fillable on tablets and mobile devices.
- The notice at the top of Form I-9 was updated to explain how to avoid discrimination in the Form I-9 process.
- The Lists of Acceptable Documents page has been redesigned.
- The instructions have been reduced from 15 to eight pages.
- The abbreviations charts were moved to the M-274, Handbook for Employers: Guidance for Completing Form I-9.
- A new checkbox was added to allow certain employers to indicate they examined Form I-9 documentation remotely under a new alternative procedure rather than via physical examination.
To learn more about federal and state laws, regulations, and information to keep your company's payroll operations in compliance, check out Payroll Source Plus!
Jyme Mariani, Esq., is Managing Editor of Payroll Currently and Senior Manager of Payroll Information Resources for PayrollOrg.
