The long awaited new I-9 form was released by USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) on November 14, 2016. Effective January 22, 2017, employers must use only the new form. Employers may continue using the current Form I-9 (with a revision date of March 8, 2013) through January 21, 2017. Employers should also continue to follow existing storage and retention rules for all of their previously completed I-9’s.
There are many changes and enhancements to the I-9 form. The form will now be easier to complete on the computer. There is a separate form without all of the new computer friendly enhancements if one should ever need to print and complete the I-9 form by hand. Among the changes in the new version of Form I-9 are the following:
- Section 1 of the form asks for “other last names used” rather than “other names used;”
- streamlines certification for certain foreign nationals;
- drop-down lists and calendars for filling in dates;
- on-screen instructions for each field;
- an option to clear the form and start over; and
- the instructions have been separated from the form (in line with other USCIS forms) and include specific instructions for completing each field.
To view the new form and instructions please click on this link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9.