NPZ Immigration Law Blog

On November 24th the USCIS announced, in the FEDERAL REGISTER, proposed changes to the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9.

Many of the proposed changes to Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 are intended to help reduce "technical errors" and to help customers complete the Form on their computer after they have downloaded it from the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov/. Here are some of the ways that the Form will be changing:

1. The Form will have a system in place that checks certain fields to ensure information is entered correctly;

2. The Form provides additional space to enter multiple preparers and translators;

3. The Form will include a drop-down lists and calendar;

4. The Form will provide instructions on the screen that users can access to complete each field;

5. The Form will include buttons that will allow users to access the instructions electronically, print the form and clear the form to start over;

6. The Form will provide a dedicated area to enter additional information that employers are currently required to notate in the margins of the form;

7. The Form will generate a quick-response matrix bar code, or QR code, once the form is printed which is to be used to streamline audit processes;

8. Requiring employees to provide only other "last names" used in Section 1, rather than all other names used;

9. Streamlining the certification in Section 1 for certain foreign nationals; and

10. Separating the instructions from the Form to bring the Form in-line with USCIS’ practices.

The public can provide comments on the proposed changes for 60 days, until January 25, 2015. For any assistance with Form I-9 compliance issues or to assist you or your HR staff with an audit, please feel free to contact the Immigration and Nationality Lawyers at the NPZ Law Group at 201-670-0006 (x107) or you can feel free to e-mail to us directly at info@visaserve.com.