U.S. employers use Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization for individuals hired in the United States. Every U.S. employer must obtain a completed and signed Form I-9 from new hires within three days of their hire date.
The employee generally must provide the following information:
- Full name, address, date of birth, email address, and telephone number
- Valid social security number (SSN)
- Indicate the current citizenship or immigration status
Individuals authorized to work in the United States include:
- United States citizens
- Noncitizen national of the United States
- Lawful permanent residents
- Noncitizen authorized to work in the U.S. till a specific date
The employer is required to examine the supporting documentation provided and verify that the employee is, in fact, eligible to work in the United States.
A U.S. person can verify their identity and employment authorization by providing one of the following documents:
- U.S. passport or U.S. passport card
- Permanent resident card or alien registration receipt card (Form I-551)
- Foreign passport that contains temporary I-551 stamp
- Employment authorization document which contains a photograph (Form I-766)
- Foreign passport with Form I-94 or Form I-94A
- Passport from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) or the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) with Form I-94 or Form I-94A
The Form I-9 Instructions provide a complete list of all acceptable documents to verify identity and employment authorization.
The employer retains Form I-9 for their records, and does not file it with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the IRS, or any other government agency.