Guide · Tax forms
How to fill out Form I-9
Reviewed
Short answer
On Form I-9, the employee completes and signs Section 1 no later than the first day of employment, and the employer examines the employee's identity and work-authorization documents and completes Section 2 within three business days of the first day of work. The employee chooses which acceptable documents to present: one from List A, or one from List B plus one from List C. The employer keeps the form; it is not sent to USCIS.
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Use the current edition
The current edition of Form I-9 is dated 01/20/25, with an expiration date of 05/31/2027. USCIS lists which editions employers may use on its Form I-9 page; check it before using a saved copy, because older editions expire.
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Section 1: the employee
- 1
Personal details
Legal name, other last names used, address, date of birth. Providing a Social Security number is voluntary unless the employer participates in E-Verify. Email and phone are optional.
- 2
Citizenship or immigration status
Check one box: U.S. citizen, noncitizen national, lawful permanent resident, or noncitizen authorized to work, and give the related number and expiration date where asked.
- 3
Sign and date
Sign by the first day of employment. If someone helped you prepare or translate Section 1, they complete Supplement A.
Section 2: the employer
Within three business days of the employee's first day of work for pay, the employer physically examines the original documents the employee chooses to present, records the document title, issuing authority, number and expiration date, and signs the certification. Employers can't specify which acceptable documents an employee must present.
Employers enrolled in E-Verify for all hiring sites using it may use the DHS-authorized alternative procedure: examine copies of the documents, hold a live video interaction with the employee, keep copies, and check the box on the form indicating the alternative procedure was used.
Supplement B is used for reverification when temporary work authorization expires, and for rehires.
Can Form I-9 be signed electronically?
Only through an electronic I-9 system that meets federal regulations at 8 CFR 274a.2, which require, among other things, that the system create and preserve a record verifying the identity of the person signing and provide a printed confirmation. USCIS notes that its fillable PDF can be completed on a computer, but it doesn't meet those standards for electronic signing, so it must be printed and signed by hand.
PDFBetter is not an electronic Form I-9 system. You can use it to type the entries into the USCIS PDF, but print the form and have the employee and employer sign it by hand, or use your payroll provider's compliant electronic I-9 process. Don't send an I-9 out for signature as an ordinary e-signature request.
Keep it on file
Employers keep completed I-9s and make them available for inspection by authorized government officers. They are retained for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later. Store them securely: they contain identity and immigration information.
Tools used in this guide
- Fill PDFOpen the form, move through every field with Tab, fill it in, and download a completed PDF that keeps or locks your answers.
- Print PDFSend your filled, signed or annotated PDF to a printer with everything positioned as it appears on screen.
- Protect PDFSet a password to open the file, optionally restrict printing, editing and copying, and download an encrypted PDF.
Questions people ask
Is Form I-9 sent to USCIS?
No. The employer completes and keeps it, and produces it if the government requests an inspection.
Can I e-sign the USCIS fillable I-9 PDF?
Not with a general e-signature tool. Electronic signatures on I-9s must be captured by a system meeting 8 CFR 274a.2; otherwise print the form and sign it by hand.
Can my employer tell me which documents to bring?
No. The employee chooses which acceptable documents to present from the Lists of Acceptable Documents.
When must Section 1 be completed?
No later than the first day of employment. The employee may complete it after accepting the job offer.
What if the job lasts less than three business days?
USCIS says Section 2 must then be completed by the first day of work for pay.
Which edition should I use?
The 01/20/25 edition is current. USCIS's Form I-9 page states which editions are acceptable on any given date.