On November 14, 2016, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a new version of the Form I-9. Employers can begin using the form now, but employers must be using only the new form by January 1, 2017.

You will know you are using the correct form if the date at the bottom left-hand corner of each page bears the date 11/14/2016. If it does not, you are using an outdated form.

Also, the new version has the instructions on a completely separate form, also bearing the date 11/14/2016 on the lower left-hand corner. USCIS’s news release briefly describing the changes can be found here.

Interestingly, USCIS has not (yet) updated its Handbook for Employers which was last updated in 2013.

You can find all of these documents on the USCIS’s website.

By Kristen L. Brightmire, kbrightmire@dsda.com