U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) unveiled a revised Form I-9 today, which employers will be able to begin using immediately. The previous version of the form will be acceptable through September 17, after which employers must use the new version.

Background

Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, is the requisite documentation U.S. employers must file for every employee they hire, provided these employees earn remuneration for their work. The form serves to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of workers, whether U.S. citizens or noncitizens, each of whom must provide proof of such via documentation such as passports, driver’s licenses, and employment authorization. Both employers and employees attest to the veracity of employees’ identity and employment eligibility, and employers are required to retain all employees’ I-9s, even for a certain period of time after their employees no longer work for them.

What’s new?

Changes to Form I-9 include an update to the list of acceptable documentation: The new version allows employees to submit Form FS-240, the consular document confirming a U.S. citizen’s birth abroad, for purposes of employment authorization. Additional updates are largely cosmetic, including a basic reformatting and renumbering of lists. Instructions for completing and retaining I-9s will also be revised in an updated Handbook for Employers: Guidance for Completing Form I-9. These edits similarly lack substantive departures from the previous edition.

Our Thoughts

While the announced revisions to Form I-9 are by and large inconsequential, employers and their human resource personnel should nonetheless take note of the mandatory use of the new form beginning September 18.

------
Former U.S. Consular officer, Attorney Sechyi Laiu joined Zhang & Associates, P.C. on June 26, 2017

At Zhang & Associates, P.C., Attorney Laiu specializes on Consular Processing cases and business development. Attorney Laiu also focuses on TN visas, E visas, CBP administrative proceedings (monetary confiscation, deferred inspection), and overseas financial compliance.

Prior to joining Zhang & Associates, P.C., Attorney Laiu worked for the U.S. Department of State as a Chinese and Portuguese speaking diplomat. As a consular-coned officer who served in Vancouver (Canada), Shenyang (P.R. China), and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Attorney Laiu processed over 30,000 visa cases and worked in every section of Consular Affairs overseas (Fraud Prevention Unit, Immigrant Visas, Non-Immigrant Visas, and American Citizen Services).

He will use his experience and expertise to deliver the highest quality of service to our clients.

---

Founded in 1996, Zhang & Associates, P.C. offers legal services to clients worldwide in all aspects of U.S immigration law. We have successfully handled over ten thousand immigration cases.

At Zhang & Associates, P.C., our attorneys and supporting professionals are committed to providing high-quality immigration and non-immigration visa services. We specialize in NIW, EB-1, EB-5, PERM, I-485 I-130, H-1B, O, L and J cases. In the past twenty-one years, we have successfully helped over ten thousand clients get green cards. If you plan to apply for a green card, please send your CV to Attorney Jerry Zhang (info@hooyou.com) for a free evaluation.

Zhang & Associates, P.C.

Silicon Valley • New York • Los Angeles • Chicago • Houston • Austin • Seattle • Palo Alto • Madison • Honolulu

Tel:	1-800-230-7040, 713-771-8433
Email:	info@hooyou.com
website:	http://www.hooyou.com

 

(07/17/2017)