I9 verification is a process that employers must go through to ensure that their employees are authorized to work in the United States. This process is required by law and is used to prevent illegal immigration. In order to complete I9 verification, employers must collect certain forms of identification from their employees, including a valid passport or driver’s license. They must also verify that this information is correct. Completing i-9 documentation requirements is an important step in ensuring compliance with federal employment laws.
What documents are required for i9 verification – Documentation For i9
Following list of documents are required –
List A – Documents that Establish both Identity and Employment Eligibility
- U.S. passport or U.S. passport card
- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (this is commonly called a Green Card.) See Section 6.1, Lawful Permanent Residents for when a Permanent Resident Card is considered unexpired past the “Card Expires” date.
- Foreign passport that contains a temporary I-551 stamp or temporary I-551 printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV)
- Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD) that contains a photograph. However, in certain circumstances, an EAD past its “Card Expires” date qualifies as an unexpired EAD. See Section 4.4, Automatic Extensions of Employment Authorization Documents in Certain Circumstances, for more information.
- For nonimmigrant aliens authorized to work for a specific employer incident to status, which means they are authorized to be employed based on their nonimmigrant status, a foreign passport with Form I-94 bearing the same name as the passport and an endorsement of their nonimmigrant status, as long as the period of endorsement has not yet expired and the proposed employment is not in conflict with any restrictions or limitations identified on the form
- Passport from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) or the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) with Form I-94 indicating nonimmigrant admission under the Compact of Free Association Between the United States and the FSM or RMI
List B – Documents that establish identity :
The list below includes documents that can verify both an individual’s name and either age or alien admission number (A-number). The A-number is the unique identifying number assigned to each admitted noncitizen. Note: You may not accept a foreign passport as proof of identity without also presenting Form i 9 documentation requirements , even if it contains a visa.
- Driver’s license issued by State Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
- ID card issued by employer
- School ID card with photo
- Voter registration card
- U.S. military card or draft record
- Identification card issued by federal, state, or local government agency or office
- Military dependent’s identification Card
For persons under age 18 who are unable to present a document listed above: School record or report card Clinic, doctor, or hospital record Day care or nursery school record
List C – Documents that Establish Employment Eligibility only
- Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration (other than a card stating it is not valid for employment)
- Certification of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State
- Original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority or outlying possession of the United States bearing an official seal
- Native American tribal document
5- Unexpired foreign passport ’’ AND accompanied by an unexpired Arrival/Departure Record (I-94) or I-94W form for nonimmigrant aliens authorized to work for a specific employer incident to status ’’ AND which contains a photograph and was issued initially for a full period
How long does it take to get I-9 verification?
The time varies depending on the speed of your employer’s I-9 process. You should be able to find out their expected time by checking with the HR department. The average according to a survey was “less than 3 business days” which is pretty good turnaround for this kind of thing. There are three steps that need to be taken, one after another:
1) Employer reviews documents to determine if they look genuine and match what is listed in Section 1 of the I-9 form You might want to double check with your HR department here to make sure they got them and looked at them, or you can ask for direct confirmation from whomever actually takes care of your personnel paperwork.
2) The documents are then retained by the employer in case of an audit (or should be—don’t let your company throw documents away). Employers are required to keep them for you, but there is no time period after which they “have to” give them back to you. If you need the originals back quickly because of the birth of a child or another emergency situation, you can ask HR how long it would take for them make copies and do their best to speed up the process.
3) A copy is provided to your agent if requested. If that’s what it says on Section 2 of your I-9 form, then that’s what needs to happen. In order for this one to work though, someone has to have filled out Section 2 correctly!
If you are an employer looking to verify the eligibility of your employees, or if you are an employee who needs documentation to prove your eligibility to work in the United States, i9 verification is a process that can provide you with the peace of mind and security you need. The team at our company is here to help make this process as easy and stress-free for you as possible. Contact us today or visit our website to learn more about our services and how we can help streamline the i9 verification process for you.
