USCIS Releases New Version of Form I-9
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a revised Form I-9, dated 01/20/25 and valid through May 31, 2027. While updates are minimal, they reflect statutory language changes and an updated Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Privacy Notice. Employers can begin using the new form now.
Specifically, the new Form I-9 changes include:
- The fourth checkbox in Section 1 has been renamed to “An alien authorized to work” (previously “A noncitizen authorized to work”).
- Two List B documents in the Lists of Acceptable Documents now have revised descriptions.
- Instructions now include clearer statutory language plus a revised privacy notice.
Prior editions of the Form I-9 remain valid until their respective expiration dates — as both versions have a revision date of 08/01/23:
- One has an expiration date of May 31, 2027.
- The second (typically used in electronic systems) expires on July 31, 2026. Employers using this version must update their form to the version with a 05/31/2027 expiration date by that time.
On April 3, 2025, these updates also went into effect in E-Verify and E-Verify+. The citizenship status selection now displays “An alien authorized to work,” aligning with the recently revised Form I-9. Depending on which Form I-9 version is being used, employers and employees may still see the previous wording — “A noncitizen authorized to work” — in some cases, but E-Verify will automatically apply the updated terminology.
Employers can use any of the three valid Forms I-9 until their respective expiration dates. Keep in mind, employers using E-Verify should train their HR staff on these updates. These small updates are a timely reminder to double-check I-9 compliance and prepare for potential audits.
Vanessa M. Greene, J.D., Employment Law Subject Matter Expert, CalChamber
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