Instructions for Form 1-9
 
     
 
Employment Eligibility Verification    USCIS
Form 1-9       
Department of Homeland Security    OMB No. 1615-0047       
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services    Expires     2019     
     

 
Anti-Discrimination Notice. It is illegal to discriminate against work-authorized Individuals in hiring, firing, recruitment or referral for a fee, or m the employment eligibility verification (Form 1-9 and E-Verify) process based on that individual's citizenship status, Immigration status or national origin. Employers CANNOT specify which document(s) the employee may present to establish employment authorization and identity. The employer must allow the employee to choose the documents to be presented from the Lists of Acceptable Documents, found on the last page of Form 1-9. The refusal to hire or continue to employ an individual because the documentation presented has a future expiration date may also constitute illegal discrimination. For more information, call the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) in the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-255-7688 (employees), 1-800-255-8155 (employers), or 1-800-237-2515 (TTY), or visit
What is the Purpose of This Form?
Employers must complete Form 1-9 to document verification of the identity and employment authorization of each new employee (both citizen and noncitizen) hired after November 6, 1986, to work in the United States. In the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (    ), employers must complete Form 1-9 to document verification of the identity and employment authorization of each new employee (both citizen and noncitizen) hired after November 27, 2011.
General Instructions
Both employers and employees are responsible for completing their respective sections of Form 1-9. For the purpose of completing this form, the term "employer" means all employers, including those recruiters and referrers for a fee who are agricultural associations, agricultural employers, or farm labor contractors, as defined in section 3 of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, Public Law 97-470 (29 U.S.C. 1802). An "employee" is a person who performs labor or services111 the United States for an employer in return for wages or other remuneration. The term "Employee" does not include those do not receive any form of remuneration (volunteers), independent contractors or those engaged in certain casual domestic employment. Form 1-9 has three sections. Employees complete Section 1. Employers complete Section 2 and, when applicable, Section 3. Employers may be fined if the form is not properly completed. See S USC § 1324a and S CFR § 274a.10. Individuals may be prosecuted for knowingly and willfully entering false information on the form. Employers are responsible for retaining completed forms. Do not mail completed forms to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
These instructions will assist you in properly completing Form 1-9. The employer must ensure that all pages of the instructions and Lists of Acceptable Documents are available, either in print or electronically, to all employees completing this form. I Then completing the form on a computer, the English version of the form includes specific instructions for each field and drop-down lists for universally used abbreviations and acceptable documents. To access these instructions, move the cursor over each field or click on the question mark symbol (Q,)) within the field. Employers and employees can also access this full set of instructions at any time by clicking the Instructions button at the top of each page when completing the form on a computer that is connected to the Internet.
Employers and employees may choose to complete any or all sections of the form on paper or using a computer, or a combination of both. Forms 1-9 obtained from the USCIS website are not considered electronic Forms 1-9 under DHS regulations and, therefore, cannot be electronically signed. Therefore, regardless of the method you used to enter information into each field, you must print a copy of the form, then sign and date the copy by hand where required.
Employers can obtain a blank copy of Fonn 1-9 from the USCIS website at 
 Thisfotm is in portable document format (.pdf) that is fillable and savable. That means that you may download it, or simply print out a blank copy to enter information by hand. You may also request paper Forms 1-9 from USCIS.
Certain features of Form 1-9 that allow for data entry on personal computers may make the form appear to be more than two pages.iThen using a computer, Form 1-9 has been designed to print as two pages. Using more than one preparer and or translator will add an additional page to the form, regardless of your method of completion. You are not required to print, retain or store the page containing the Lists of Acceptable Documents.
The form will also populate certain fields with N A when certain user choices ensure thatpatticular fields will not be completed. The Print button located at the top of each page that will print any number of pages the user selects. Also, the Start Over button located at the top of each page will clear all the fields on the form.
The Spanish version ofFotm 1-9 does not include the additional instructions and drop-dovvn lists described above. Employers in Puerto Rico may use either the Spanish or English version of the form. Employers outside of Puerto Rico must retain the English version of the form for their records, but may use the Spanish form as a translation tool. Additional guidance to complete the form may be found in the    and on USCIS' Form 1-9 website, 
Completing Section I: Employee Information and Attestation
You, the employee, must complete each field in Section 1 as described below. Newly hired employees must complete and sign Section 1 no later than the first day of employment. Section 1 should never be completed before you have accepted a job offer.
Entering Your Employee Information
Last Name (Family Name): Enter your fullleval last name. Your last name is your family name or sumame. If you have two last names or a hyphenated last name, include both names in the Last Name field. Examples ofcorrectly entered last names include De La Cruz, O 'Neill, Garcia Lopez, Smith-Johnson, Nguyen. If you only have one name, enter it in this field, then enter  in the First Name field. You may not enter  in both the Last Name field and the First Name field.
First Name (Given Name): Enter your fullleval first name. Your first name is your given name. Some examples of correctly enteredfirst names include Jessica, John-Paul, Tae Young, D 'Shaun, Mai. If you only have one name, enter it in the Last Name field, then enter ''Unknovvn" in this field. You may not enter "Unknoim" in both the First Name field and the Last Name field.
Middle Initial: Your middle initial is the first letter of your second given name, or the first letter of your middlename, if any. If you have more than one middle name, enter the first letter of your first middle name. If you do not have a middle name, enter N A in this field.
Other Last Names Used: Provide all other last names used, if any (e.g., maiden name). Enter N A if you have not used other last names. For example, if you legally changed your last name from Smith to Jones, you should enter the name Smith in this field.
Address (Street Name and Number): Enter the street name and number of the current address of your residence. If you are a border commuter from Canada or Mexico, you may enter your Canada or Mexico address in this field.Ifyour residence does not have a physical address, enter a description of the location ofyour residence, such as "3 miles southwest of Anyt01,m post office near water tower."
Apartment: Enter the number(s) or letter(s) that identify(ies) your apartment. If you do not live in an apartment, enter N A.
City or Town: Enter your city, town or village in this field. If your residence is not located m a city, town or village, enter your county, township, reservation, etc., m this field. If you are a border commuter from Canada, enter your city and province m this field.Ifyou are a border commuter from Mexico, enter your city and state m this field.
State: Enter the abbreviationofyour state or territory in this field. If you are a border commuter from Canada or Mexico, enter your country abbreviation in this field.
ZIP Code: Enter your 5-digit ZIP code.Ifyou are a border commuter from Canada or Mexico, enter your 5- or 6-digit postal code in this field.
Date of Birth: Enter your date of birth as a 2-digit month, 2-digit day, and 4-digit year (mm/dd/yyyy). For example, enter January 8, 1980 as 01 08 1980.
U.S. Social Security Number: Providing your 9-digit Social Security number is voluntary on Form 1-9 unless your employer participates in E-Verify. If your employer participates in E-Verify and:
You have been issued a Social Security number, you must provide it in this field; or
You have applied for, but have not yet received a Social Security number, leave this field blank until you receive a Social Security number.
Employee's E-mail Address (Optional): ProŸiding your e-mail address is optional on Form 1-9, but the field cannot be left blank. To enter your e-mail address, use this format: nameâsite domain. One reason Depa:tment of Homeland Seculity (DHS) may e-mail you is ifyour employer uses E-Verify and DHS learns of a potential mismatch between the information provided and the information m govemment records. This e-mail contain information on how to begin to resolve the potential mismatch. You may use either your personal or work e-mail address in this field. Enter N A ifyou do not enter your e-mail address.
Employee's Telephone Number (Optional):Providmg your telephone number is optional on Form 1-9, but the field cannot be left blank. If you enter your area code and telephone number, use this format: 000-000-0000. Enter N A ifyou do not enter your telephone number.
Attesting to Your Citizenship or Immigration Status
You must select one box to attest to your citizenship or immigration status.
A citizen of the United States.
A noncitizen national of the United States: An individualbom in American Samoa, cettain former citizens ofthe former Tnast Territory of the Pacific Islands, and certain children of noncitizen nationals born abroad.
A lawful permanent resident: An individual who is not a U.S. citizen and who resides m the United States under legally recognized and lawfully recorded permanent residence as an immigrant. This term includes conditional residents. Asylees and refugees should not select this status, but should instead select "An Alien authorized to work" below.
Ifyou select "lail.ful permanent resident," enter your 7- to 9-digit Alien Registration Number (A-Number), including the "A," or USCIS Number in the space provided. i%en completing this field using a computer, use the dropdown provided to indicate whether you have entered an Alien Number or a USCIS Number. At this time, the USCIS Number is the same as the A-Number without the "A" prefix.
An alien authorized to work: An individual who is not a citizen or national of the United States, or a lawful permanent resident, but is authorized to work in the United States.
If you select this box, enter the date that your employment authorizationexpres, if any, in the space provided. In most cases, your employment authorization expiration date is found on the document(s) evidencmg your employment authonzation.
Refugees, asylees and certain citizensofthe Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or Palau, and other aliens whose employment authorization does not have an expiration date should enter N A in the Expiration Date field. In some cases, such as if you have Temporary Protected Status, your employment authorization may have been automatically extended; m these cases, you should enter the expiration date of the automatic extension m this space.
Aliens authorized to work must enter one of the following to completeSectionl :
Alien Registration Number (A-Number)LTSCIS Number; or
Fotm 1-94 Admission Number; or
ForeignPasspott Number and the Country of Issuance
Your employer may not ask you to present the document from which you supplied this information.
Alien Registration Number/USCIS Number: Enter your 7- to 9-digit Alien Registration Number (A-Number), including the or your USCIS Number in this field. At this time, the USCIS Number is the same as your
A-Number without the "A" prefix.iThen completing this field using a computer, use the dropd01vm provided to indicate whether you have entered an Alien Number or a USCIS Number. If you do not provide an A-Number or USCIS Number, enter N/A in this field then enter either a Fotm 1-94 Admission Number, or a Foreign Passport and Country of Issuance in the fields provided.
Form 1-94 Admission Number: Enter your 11-digit 1-94 Admission Number in this field. If you do not providean 1-94 Admission Number, enter N A in this field, then enter either an Alien Registration NumberÃJSCIS Number or a Foreign Passport Number and Country of Issuance in the fields provided.
Foreign Passport Number: Enter your Foreign Passport Number in this field. If you do not provide a Foreign Passport Number, enter N/A in this field, then enter either an Alien NumberUSCIS Number or a 1-94 Admission Number in the fields provided.
Country of Issuance: If you entered your Foreign Passport Number, enter your Foreign Passport's Country of Issuance. If you did not enter your Foreign Passport Number, enter N A.
Signature of Employee: After completing Section 1, sign your name in this field. If you used a form obtained from the USCIS website, you must print the form to sign your name in this field. By signing this form, you attest under penalty of perjury (28 U.S.C. § 1746) that the information you provided, along with the citizenship or immigration status you selected, and all information and documentation you provide to your employer, is complete,frue and correct, and you are aware that you may face severe penalties provided by law and may be subject to criminal prosecution for Imowingly and willfully making false statements or using false documentation when completing this form. Further, falsely attesting to U.S. citizenship may subject employees to penalties, removal proceedings and may adversely affect an employee's ability to seek future immigration benefits. If you cannot sign your name, you may place a mark in this field to indicate your signature. Employees who use a preparer or translator to help them complete the form must still sign or place a mark in the Signature of Employee field on the printed form.
If you used a preparer, translator, andother individual to assist you in completing Form 1-9:
Both you and your preparer(s) and or translator(s) must complete the appropriate areas of Section1, and then sign Section 1. If Section 1 was completed on a form obtained from the USCIS lö.ebsite, the form must be printed to sign these fields. You and your preparer(s) and/or translator(s) also should review the instructions for Completing the Preparer and/or Translator Certification below.
If the employee is a minor (individual under 18) who cannot present an identity document, the employee's parent or legal guardian can complete Section 1 for the employee and enter "minor under age 18" in the signature field. If Section 1 was completed on a form obtained from the USCIS website, the form must be printed to enter this information. The minor's parent or legal guardian should review the instructions for Completing the Preparer and or Translator Certification below. Refer tothe    for more guidance on completion of Form 1-9 for minors. If the minor's employer participates in E-Verify, the employee must present a list B identity document with a photograph to complete Form 1-9.
If the employee is a person with a disability (who is placed in employment by a nonprofit organization. association or as part of a rehabilitation program) who cannot present an identity document, the employee's parent, legal guardian or a representative of the nonprofit organization, association or rehabilitation program can complete Section 1 for the employee and enter "Special Placement" in this field. If Section 1 was completed on a form obtained from the USCIS website, the form must be printed to enter this information. The parent, legal guardian or representative of the nonprofit organization, association or rehabilitation program completing Section 1 for the employee should review the instructions for Completing the Preparer and or Translator Certification below. Refer tothe  for more guidance on completion of Fotm 1-9 for cettain employees with disabilities.
Today's Date: Enter the date you signed Section 1 in this field. Do not backdate this field. Enter the date as a 2-digit month, 2-digit day and 4-digit year (mm/dd/yyyy). For example, enter January 8, 2014 as 01 08 2014. A preparer or translator  assists the employee in completing Section 1 may enter the date the employee signed or made a mark to sign Section 1 in this field. Parents or legal guardians assisting minors (individuals under age 18) and parents, legal guardians or representatives of a nonprofit organization, association or rehabilitation program assisting certain employees with disabilities must enter the date they completed Section 1 for the employee.
Completing the Preparer and/or Translator Certification
Ifyou did not use a preparer or translator to assist you in completing Section 1, you, the employee, must check the box marked I did not use a Preparer or Translator. If you check this box, leave the rest of the fields in this area blank.
If one or more preparers and or translators assist the employee in completing the form using a computer, the preparer and or translator must check the box marked "A preparer(s) and/or translator(s) assisted the employee in completing Section 1"  then select the number ofCettification areas needed from the dropdown provided. Any additional Certification areas generated will result in an additional page.    Section 1 Preparer and or Translator Cettification can be separately downloaded from the USCIS Form 1-9 webpage, which provides additional Certification areas for those completing Form 1-9 using a computer who need more Certification areas than the 5 provided or those who are completing Form 1-9 on paper. The first preparer and or translator must complete all the fields in the Certification area on the same page the employee has signed. There is no limit to the number of preparers and or translators an employee can use, but each additional preparer and or translator must complete and sign a separate Certification area. Ensure the employee's last name, first name and middle initial are entered at the top of any additional pages. The employer must ensure that any additional pages are retained with the employee's completed Form 1-9.

List C - Employment Authorization: Ifthe employee presented an acceptable document from List C, or an acceptable receipt for the application to replace a lost, stolen, or destroyed List C document, enter the document information in this column. If you enter document information in the List C column, you must also enter document information in the List B column. If an employee presents acceptable List B and List C documents, do not ask the employee to present a list A document. No entries should be made in the List A column.
Document Title: If the employee presented a document from List C, enter the title of the List C document or receipt in this field. The abbreviations provided are available in thedropdovvn when the form is completed on a computer. iThen completing the form on paper, you may choose to use these abbreviations or any other common abbreviations to document the document title or issuing authority. If you are completing the form on a computer, and you select an Employment authorization document issued by DHS, the field will populate with List C and provide a space for you to enter a description of the documentation the employee presented. Refer to the M-274 for guidance on entering List C #7 documentation.
 
Full name of List C Document    Abbreviations       
Social Security Account Number card without restrictions    (Unrestricted) Social Security Card       
Certification of Birth Abroad (Form FS-545)    Form FS-545       
Certification of Report of Birth (Form DS-1350)    Form DS-1350       
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240)    Form FS-240       
Original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate bearing an official seal    Birth Certificate       
Native American tribal document    Native American tribal document       
US. Citizen ID Card (Form 1-197)    Form 1-197       
Identification Card for use of Resident Citizen in the United States (Form 1-179)    Form 1-179       
    Employment Auth. document (DHS) List C #7       
Receipt for the application to replace a lost, stolen or damaged Social Security Account Number Card without restrictions    Receipt: Replacement Unrestricted SS Card       
Receipt for the application to replace a lost, stolen or damaged Original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate bearing an official seal    Receipt: Replacement Birth Certificate       
Receipt for the application to replace a lost, stolen or damaged Native American Tribal Document    Receipt: Replacement Native American Tribal Doc.       
Receipt for the application to replace a lost, stolen or damaged Employment Authorization Document issued by DHS    Receipt: Replacement Employment Auth. Doc. (DHS)     
Issuing Authority: Enter the issuing authority of the List C document or receipt. The issuing authority is the entity that issued the document.
Document Number: Enter the document number, if any, of the List C document or receipt exactly as it appears on the document. If the document does notcontam a number, enter N A in this field.
Expiration Date (if any) (mm/dd/»-yy): Enter the expiration date, if any, of the List C document. The document is not acceptable if it has alreadyexpired, unless USCIS has extended the expiration date on the document. For instance, if a conditional resident presents a Form 1-797 extending his or her conditional resident status with the employee's expired Form 1-551, enter the future expiration date as indicated on the Form 1-797. If the document has no expiration date, enter N A in this field. For a receipt, enter the expiration date of the receipt validity per10d as described in the Receipt section above. Additional Information: Use this space to notate any additional information required for Fonn 1-9 such as:
Employment authorization extensions for Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries, F-1 OPT STEM students,CAPGAP, H-IB and H-2A employees continuing employment with the same employer or changing employers, and other nonimmigrant categories that may receive extensions of stay
Additional document(s) that certain nonimmigrant employees may present
Discrepancies that E-Verify employers must notate 81,hen participating in the IMAGE program
Employeetetmination dates and form retention dates
E-Verify case number, which may also be entered in the margin or attached as a separate sheet per E-Verify requirements and your chosenbusmess process.
Any other comments or notations necessary for the employer's business process
You may leave this field blank if the employee's circumstances do not require additional notations.
Entering Information in the Employer Certification
Employee's First Day of Employment: Enter the employee's first day of employment as a 2-digit month, 2-digit day and 4-digit year (mm/dd/yyyy).
Signature of Employer or Authorized Representative: Review the form for accuracy and completeness. The person who physically examines the employee's original document(s) and completes Section 2 must sign his or her name in this field. If you used a form obtained from the USCIS website, you must print the form to sign your name in this field. By signing Section 2, you attest under penalty of perjury (28 U.S.C. § 1746) that you have physically examined the documents presented by the employee, the document(s) reasonably appear to be genuine and to relate to the employee named, that to the best of your Imowledge the employee is authorized to work in the United States, that the information you entered in Section 2 is complete,tftle and correct to the best of your knowledge, and that you are aware that you may face severe penalties provided by law and may be subject to criminal prosecution for knowingly and willfully making false statements or knowingly accepting false documentation IAhen completing this form.
Today's Date: Theperson     signs Section 2 must enter the date he or she signed Section 2 in this field. Do not backdate this field. If you used a fotm obtained from the USCIS     you must print the form to vvTite the date in this field. Enter the date as a 2-digit month, 2-digit day and 4-digit year (mm/dd/yyyy). For example, enter January 8, 2014 as 01 08 2014.
Title of Employer or Authorized Representative: Enter the title, position or role of the person who physically examines the employee's original document(s), completes and signs Section 2.
Last Name of the Employer or Authorized Representative: Enter the full legal last name of the person who physically examines the employee's original documents, completes and signs Section 2.Last name refers to family name or sumame. If the person has two last names or a hyphenated last name, include both names in this field.
First Name of the Employer or Authorized Representative: Enter the full legal first name of the person who physically examines the employee's original documents, completes, and signs Section 2.First name refers to the given name.
Employer's Business or Organization Name: Enter the name of the employer's business or organization In this field.
Employer's Business or Organization Address (Street Name and Number): Enter an actual, physical address of the employer. If your company has multiple locations, use the most appropriate address that identifies the location of the employer. Do not provide a P.O. Box address.
City or T0"m: Enter the city or town for the employer's business or organization address.Ifthe location is not a city or t0im, you may enter the name of the village, county, township, reservation, etc. that applies.
State: Enter the two-character abbreviation of the state for the employer's business or organization address.
ZIP Code: Enter the 5-digit ZIP code for the employer's business or organization address.
Completing Section 3: Reverification and Rehires
Section 3 applies to bothreverification and rehires. completing this section, you must also complete the Last Name, First Name and Middle Initial fields in the Employee Info from Section 1 area at the top of Section 2, leaving the Citizenship 
Immigration Status field blank. completing Section 3 in either areverification or rehire situation, if the employee's name has changed, record the new name in Block A.
Reverification
Reverification in Section 3 must be completed prior to the earlier of:
The expiration date, if any, of the employmentauthorization stated in Section 1, or
The expiration date, if any,ofthe List A or List C employment authorization document recorded in Section 2 (with some exceptions listed below).
Some employees may have entered 'N/A" in the expiration date field in Section 1 if they are aliens whose employment authorization does not expire, e.g. asylees, refugees, certain citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or Palau. Reverification does not apply for such employees unless they choose to present evidence of employment authorization in Section 2 that contains an expiration date and requiresreverification, such as Form 1-766, Employment Authorization Document.
You should not reverify U.S. citizens and noncitizen nationals,or     permanent residents (including conditional residents)  presented a Permanent Resident Card (Form 1-551). Reverification does not apply to List B documents.
Forreverification, an employee must present an unexpired document(s) (or a receipt) from either List A or List C showing he or she is still authorized to work. You CANNOT require the employee to present a particular document from List A or List C. The employee is also not required to show the same type of document that he or she presented previously. See specific instnactions on how to complete Section 3 below.
Rehires
Ifyou rehire an employee within t}ree years from the date that the Form 1-9 was previously executed, you may either rely on the employee's previously executed Form 1-9 or complete a new Form 1-9.
Ifyou choose to rely on a previously completed Form 1-9, follow these guidelines.
Ifthe employee remains employment authorized as indicated on the previously executed Form 1-9, the employee does not need to provide any additional documentation. Provide in Section 3 the employee's rehire date, any name changes if applicable, and sign and date the form.
If the previously executed Form 1-9 indicates that the employee's employment authorization from Section 1 or employment authorization documentation from Section 2 that is subject toreverification has expired, then reverification of employment authorization is required in Section 3 in addition to providing the rehire date. If the previously executed Fotm 1-9 is not the current version of the fotm, you must complete Section 3 on the current version of the form.
Ifyou already used Section 3 of the employee's previously executed Form 1-9, but are rehiring the employee within th•ee years of the original execution of Form 1-9, you may complete Section 3 on a new Form 1-9 and attach it to the previously executed form.
Employees rehired after three years of original execution of the Form 1-9 must complete a new Form 1-9.
Complete each block in Section 3 as follows:
Block A - New Name: If an employee who is being reverified or rehired has also changed his or her name since originally completing Section 1ofthis form, complete this block with the employee's new name. Enter only the part of the name that has changed, for example: if the employee changed only his or her last name, enter the last name in the Last Name field in this Block, then enter N A in the First Name and Middle Initial fields. If the employee has not changed his or her name, enter N A in each field of Block A.
Block B - Date of Rehire: Complete this block if you are rehiring an employee within three years of the date Form 1-9 was originally executed. Enter the dateofrehire in this field. Enter N A in this field if the employee is not being rehired.
Block C - Complete this block if you are reverifying expiring or expired employment authorization or employment authorization documentation of a cun•ent or rehired employee. Enter the information from the List A or List C document(s) (or receipt) that the employee presented to reverify his or her employment authorization. All documents must be unexpired.
Document Title: Enter the title of the List A or C document (or receipt) the employee has presented to show continuing employment authorization in this field.
Document Number: Enter the document number, if any, of the document you entered in the Document Title field exactly as it appears on the document. Enter N/A if the document does not have a number.
Expiration Date (if any) (mm/dd/ywy): Enter the expiration date, if any, of the document you entered in the
Document Title field as a 2-digit month, 2-digit day, and 4-digit year (mm/dd/yyyy). If the document does not contain an expiration date, enter N A in this field.
Signature of Employer or Authorized Representative: The person who completes Section 3 must sign in this field. If you used a form obtained from the USCIS website, you must print Section 3 of the form to sign your name in this field. Bysignmg Section 3, you attest under penalty of perjury (28 U.S.C. § 1746) that you have examined the documents presented by the employee, that the document(s) reasonably appear to be genuine and to relate to the employee named, that to the best of your knowledge the employee is authorized to work in the United States, that the information you entered in Section 3 is complete, tille and correct to the best of your knowledge, and that you are aware that you may face severe penalties provided by law and may be subject to criminal prosecution for knowingly and willfully making false statements or knowingly accepting false documentation 88hen completing this form.
Today's Date: The person who completes Section 3 must enter the date Section 3 was completed and signed in this field. Do not backdate this field. If you used a form obtained from the USCIS website, you must print Section 3 of the form to enter the date in this field. Enter the date as a 2-digit month, 2-digit day, and 4-digit year (mm/ddyyyy). For example, enter January 8, 2014 as 01 08 2014.
Name of Employer or Authorized Representative: The person who completed, signed and dated Section 3 must enter his or her name in this field.
SVhat is the Filing Fee?
There is no fee for completing Form 1-9. This form is not filed with USCIS or any government agency. Form 1-9 must be retained by the employer and made available for inspection by U.S.Govemment officials as specified in the "USCIS Privacy Act Statement" below.
USCIS Forms and Information
For additional guidance about Form 1-9, employers and employees should refer to theHandbookfor Employers: Guidancefor Completing Form 1-9 (M-274) or USCIS' Form 1-9 website at
You can also obtaininfonnation about Form 1-9 by e-mailing USCIS at  , or by calling 1-888-464-4218 or 1-877-875-6028 (TTY).
You mayclos,mload and obtain the English and Spanish versions of Form 1-9, the Handbookfor Employers, or the instructions to Form 1-9 from the USCIS website at . To complete Form 1-9 on a computer, you will need the latest version ofAdobe Reader, which can be c10imloaded for free at . You may order USCIS forms by calling our toll-free number at 1-800-870-3676. You may also obtain forms and information by contacting the USCIS National Customer Center at 1-800-375-5283 or 1-800-767-1833 (TTY).
Information about E-Verify, a fast, free, Internet-based system that allowsbusmesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States, can be obtained from the USCIS website at by e-mailing USCIS at  or by calling 1-888-464-4218 or 1-877-875-6028 (TTY).
Employees with questions about Form 1-9 and or E-VeriFy can reach the USCIS employee hotline by calling 1-888-897-7781 or 1-877-875-6028 (TTY).
Photocopying Blank and Completed Forms 1-9 and Retaining Completed Forms 1-9
Employers may photocopy or print blank Forms 1-9 for future use. All pages of the instructions and Lists of Acceptable Documents must be available, either in print or electronically, to all employees completing this form. Employers must retain each employee's completed Form 1-9 for as long as the individual works for the employer and for a specified period after employment has ended. Employers are required to retain the pagesofthe form on which the employee and employer entered data. If copies of documentation presented by the employee are made, those copies must also be retained. Once the individual's employment ends, the employer must retain this form and attachments for either 3 years after the date of hire (i.e., first day of work for pay) or 1 year after the date employment ended, whichever is later. In the case of rectuiters or referrers for a fee (only applicable to those that are agricultural associations, agricultural employers, or farm labor contractors), the retention period is 3 years after the date of hire (i.e., first day ofwork for pay).
Forms 1-9 obtained from the USCIS website that are not printed and signed manually (by hand) are not considered complete. In the event of an inspection,retaming incomplete forms may make you subject to fines and penalties associated with incomplete forms.
Employers should ensure thatinfonnation employees provide on Form 1-9 is used only for Form 1-9 putposes. Completed Forms 1-9 and all accompanying documents should be stored in a safe, secure location.
Form 1-9 may be generated, signed, and retained electronically, in compliance with Department of Homeland Security regulations at 8 CFR 274a.2.
USCIS Privacy Act Statement
AUTHORITIES: The authority for collecting this information is the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, Public Law 99-603 (8 USC § 1324a).
PURPOSE: This information is collected by employers to comply with the requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. This law requires that employers verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals they hire for employment to preclude the unlawfulhiring, or recruiting or refen•ing for a fee, of aliens are not authorized to work in the United States.
DISCLOSURE: Providing the information collected by this form is voluntary.However an employer should not continue to employ an individual without a completed form. Failure ofthe employer to prepare and or ensure proper completion of this form for each employee hired in the United States after November 6, 1986 or in the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands after November 27, 2011, may subject the employer to civil andor criminal penalties. In addition, employing individuals knowing that they are unauthorized to work in the United States may subject the employer to civil and/or criminal penalties.
ROUTINE USES: This information will be used by employers as a record of their basis for determiningeligibility of an employee to work in the United States. The employer must retain this form for the required period and make it available for inspection by authorized officials of the Department of Homeland Security, Depaftment of Labor and the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Immigrant and Employee Rights Section.
Paperwork Reduction Act
An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection and a person is not required to respond to a collection ofinformation     it displays a cun•ently valid OMB control number. The public repotting burden for this collection of information is estimated at 35 minutes per response, when completing the form manually, and 26 minutes per response when using a computer to aid in completion of the form, including the time for reviewing instructions and completing and retaining the form. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, includino suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140; OMB No. 1615-0047. Do not mail your completed Form 1-9 to this address.