The new I-9 form that was released in November, is now in effect. As we talked about in an earlier article, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), released a newly redesigned I-9 form in the middle of gin season. The Service said the old form could be used until January 22, 2017. That date passed over the weekend and the new I-9 is now the form you should use in any new hiring. Fortunately, not a lot has changed with the form so transition should be fairly easy.

The new form is either in a paper form or in a fillable PDF format that can be completed on the computer. If you choose to fill it out on the computer, it has many new helpful features to help you catch common mistakes. Mistakes such as if you check certain boxes, it will remind you to fill in corresponding section of the form. Or, it will will question why the employee used a resident alien card when he/she checked the US Citizen box in an earlier section.

In addition, once printed, it will generate a QR code that will be machine readable by USCIS if you ever get audited. The form and its instructions are now separate files so make sure you download both. Also the “Manual” has not been updated. The information is correct but the references to the form may be off until a new M-274 is able to be developed.

Please go to www.uscis.gov/i-9 to get the new form and make sure you are using the current most recent form for your new hires this Spring. The new form has an expiration date of 8/31/2019. The Previous form with an expiration in 2013 should no longer be used.

As always give us a call if you have questions.

DSF