Employment Eligibility Verification for New Hires
(Form I-9)
Office of Human Resources
Texas Woman’s University
Objectives of I-9 Training
 Be able to complete a Form I-9
 Be aware of common mistakes when completing Form I-9
 Be aware of acceptable and unacceptable documentation
An I-9 Overview
 Since November 7, 1986, employers are required to verify the
identity and employment authorization of each person they hire
to perform labor or services in the United States in return for
wages or other remuneration
 Employers participating in the Everify system to verify an
employee’s authorization to work in the U.S. must complete new
I-9’s upon an employee’s hire or rehire
 Employers must retain the Form I-9 and make it available to the
government for inspection upon request
Who Must Complete a Form I-9?
 ALL employees paid through TWU’s payroll.
 This includes:
 Regular staff employees
 Regular faculty members
 Adjunct faculty members
 Temporary staff employees
 Student employees
 Graduate Assistants
Employers Must Verify Employment
Authorization and Identity of New Employees
 Employers must:
 verify the identity and employment authorization of each person
hired,
 complete and retain a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification,
for each employee,
 and refrain from discriminating against individuals on the basis of
national origin or citizenship,
 have a Form I-9 for every employee hired after November 6, 1986.
Completing Form I-9
When a Form I-9 Must Be Completed?
Section 1
Have the employee complete
Section 1 anytime after accepting
the job offer and his or her first day
of work for pay by filling in the
correct information and signing and
dating the form.
We are responsible for reviewing
and ensuring that our employee
fully and properly completes
Section 1.
Section 2
The employee must present an
original* document or documents
that show his or her identity and
employment authorization within
three business days of the date
employment begins.
*one exception to original document
is a certified birth certificate
Section 2 Must be fully completed
within 3 business days of the hire.
Note: if the employee is hired for
less than three days, then the
verification must take place on day 1.
Failure to Complete the Form I-9
We cannot continue to employ an
employee who fails to produce the
required document or documents, or an
acceptable receipt for a document,
within three business days of the date
employment begins.
Reminder: if the employee is hired for less than three days, then the
verification must take place on day 1.
When Completing the I-9…
 Use typewriter or print
in ink
 Do not use white-out
 Cross out any errors,
insert the correct
information, and initial
and date the correction
Who Must Complete a Form I-9?
Section 1
Section 2
Employee Information
Employer Review
and Verification
Completed by the
employee, but HR or a
designated University
representative must
verify that information
is accurate and
correct.
Completed by the
employer (or notary).
Section 1: Employee Information and Verification
•
Employee enters full name and maiden or other name, if applicable.
•
Employee enters current physical address and date of birth.
•
Employee enters his/her city, state, zip code, and social security number. Entering the social
security number is not optional as TWU participates in EVerify.
•
E-mail address and telephone number are optional.
•
Employee reads warning and attests to his/her citizenship or immigration status by checking
the appropriate box. If alien box is marked, include alien or admission number and expiration
date, as applicable.
•
Employee signs and dates the form.
Common Errors Seen in Section 1:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Employee used PO Box, rather than a physical address.
Employee address on incorrect line.
Employee failed to include date of birth.
Employee wrote social security number incorrectly, or failed to
include.
Employee failed to mark status, or marked status incorrectly.
Employee not including alien number or expiration date.
Employer retaining copy of Permanent Resident Card, Social
Security card, etc. when not used as documentation in Section 2.
Employee did not sign / date on correct line.
Employee used date of birth for signature date.
Preparer/Translator Certification Section 1
• Only complete if Section 1 is prepared by a person other than the employee.
A preparer/translator may be used only when the employee is unable to
complete Section 1 on his or her own.
• The translator must complete section with personal information (no PO Box).
• The employee must still sign Section 1 personally.
Who Should Complete the Form I-9?
Section 2
Section 2: Only designated University representatives
should complete Section 2 on behalf the University.
Section 2: Employer Review and Verification
1. Records document title(s), issuing authority, document number, and the expiration date from
original documents supplied by employee. See the List of Acceptable Documents. NOTE: You
may use abbreviations for commonly used documents, e.g., DL for driver’s license and SS for
Social Security.
2. Employer enters date employment began.
3. Employer attests to examining the documents provided by completing the signature block. If a
designated agent or notary public completes this section, he or she must provide TWU’s
name and address under his or her signature.
Common Errors When Completing Section 2:
• Correct documentation not entered in correct column (list A document listed in
List B area, etc.)
• Correct info not listed on correct line.
• Issuing authority not listed correctly. (For example, the social security card may
be listed by three different agencies: SSA, Dept. of Health and Human
Services, and Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare). A Passport may be
issued by different authorities, such as Houston Passport Agency, US
Department of State, etc.).
• Correct documentation not provided. (For example, a VISA recorded as a
foreign passport, or a social security card that states “not valid without DHS
authorization.”)
• The Employer did not print name, or include TWU’s name or street address.
Employees Working Remotely
 Occasionally, an employee will work from a remote location.
Please remember that all employees who will be working
from out-of-state must have Payroll approval to be hired.
 If the employee is unable to come to HR to complete the I-9,
an Authorized Agent may assist the employee in completing
the form.
 An approved agent may be a Notary, Accountant, HR
personnel, Attorney, Foreman, Etc.
Instructions for Authorized Agent Completing Form I-9
Employee completes Section 1.
Employee provides Agent with documentation from either List A or List B and C.
Agent makes a copy of front and back of documentation provided.
Agent completes Section 2.
Agent completes Authorized Representative section. The Agent should sign the
area, print name, and list title. TWU’s information should be included in company
name and address section, then agent should date the form.
• Agent completes Agent Authorization form below, and attaches to I-9, along with
copies of documentation.
• Employee returns ORIGINAL I-9 to HR Department.
•
•
•
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AGENT AUTHORIZATION
Texas Woman’s University hereby appoints ______________________________ ("Agent") solely for the purpose of
examining the original documentation required on the Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 Form, accurately recording
such information thereon and executing such I-9 Form on behalf of TWU for the benefit of
________________________________.
(TWU Employee-Print Name)
Agent hereby accepts such appointment:
______________________________ _____________________
Agent’s signature
Date
This form must accompany the I‐9 with the Agent’s signature and date.
Acceptable Documents for Form I-9
The employee must present an ORIGINAL document to establish both his/her identity
and employment eligibility. Some documents establish both identity and
employment eligibility. Do not accept a photocopy of a document other than a
certified copy of a birth certificate.
These are found in List A on the back of the Form I-9. Any ONE document from List A
will satisfy both requirements.
However, if the employee does not produce one of the documents from List A, he or
she must produce two documents: one from List B and one from List C. List B
establishes identify and List C establishes an employee’s employment eligibility (List
C).
Acceptable Documentation
The following slides show the most recent versions and representative images
of some of the various acceptable documents. These images can assist in the
review of the acceptable documents. These examples are not comprehensive
of all acceptable documentation. For any questions regarding documents,
contact Susan Ferbend or Lisa Taylor in Human Resources at 940-898-3555.
Keep in mind that USCIS does not expect us to be document experts. We are
expected to accept documents that reasonably appear to be genuine and to
relate to the person presenting them. If the document does not appear
genuine, it can be rejected and the employee may be asked to provide
another document.
Deciding If Documents are Real
 Employers are not required to be
document experts
 Employers should accept a
document if it appears to be:
 Genuine
 If it relates to the person who
presented it
 Copies are unacceptable, with the
single exception of a certified
photocopy of a birth certificate
Documentation: Things to Remember
 Our policy is to photocopy the front and back of the documents presented and
attach them to the Form I-9.
 ALL DOCUMENTS must be UNEXPIRED. This includes U.S. Passports and List B
documents with an expiration date.
 Do not specify which documents an employee must produce.
 You may suggest what others have presented in the past, but it is important that you
refer the employee to the Form I-9 to review which documents are acceptable. You
must make them aware that any document or combination of documents that meets
the minimum requirement will suffice.
 Do not accept additional documentation. For example, if an employee presents a
social security card and a U.S. passport- we will accept only the U.S. passport
because this meets the requirement for the I-9. However, we will require the social
security number for E-Verify.
 Collecting additional documentation from some employees and not others could be
viewed as a discriminatory practice and should be avoided.
LIST A





U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card
Permanent Resident Card or Alien
Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)
Foreign passport that contains a
temporary I-551 stamp or temporary I551 printed notation on a machinereadable immigrant visa
Employment Authorization Document
that contains a photograph (Form I-766)
Passport from the Federated States of
Micronesia (FSM) or the Rep0ublic of
the Marshall Islands (RMI) with Form I94 or Form I-94A indicating
nonimmigrant admission under the
Compact of Free Association Between
the United States and the FSM or RMI

For a nonimmigrant alien authorized
to work for a specific employer
because of his or her status:
Foreign passport; and
 Form I-94 or Form I-94A that has the
following:

 1 The same name as the passport;
and
 2 An endorsement of the alien’s
nonimmigrant status as long as that
period of endorsement has not yet
expired and the proposed
employment is not in conflict with
any restrictions or limitation
identified on the form
U.S. Passport
U.S. Passport Card
The U.S. Department of
State issues the U.S.
passport to U.S. citizens
and noncitizen nationals.
There are a small number
of
versions
still
in
circulation that may differ
from the main versions
shown here.
The U.S. Department of State began
producing the passport card in July
2008. It is a wallet sized card that
can only be used for land and sea
travel between the United States and
Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and
Bermuda.
LIST A
Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551)
On May 11, 2010, USCIS
began issuing the newly
redesigned
Permanent
Resident Card, also known
as the Green Card, which
is now green in keeping
with its long-standing
nickname. The card is
personalized with the
bearer’s photo, name,
USCIS
number,
alien
registration number, date
of birth, and laserengraved fingerprint, as
well as the card expiration
date.
*Current Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) front and back
Other examples of the card.
* Note that on the new card, shown above, the lawful permanent resident’s alien
registration number, commonly known as the A number, is found under the USCIS #
heading. The A number is also located on the back of the card.
LIST A
Permanent Resident Card
Older version Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) front and back
This most recent older version of the Permanent Resident Card shows the DHS seal
and contains a detailed hologram on the front of the card. Each card is personalized
with an etching showing the bearer’s photo, name, fingerprint, date of birth, alien
registration number, card expiration date, and card number.
Also in circulation are older Resident Alien cards, issued by the U.S. Department of
Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, which do not have expiration dates
and are valid indefinitely. These cards are peach in color and contain the bearer’s
fingerprint and photograph.
LIST A
Alternate List A Documents
 The preceding are the most commonly presented of the List
A documents. However, other Lisa A documents are
acceptable. Please contact HR for instructions on viewing
and documenting List A documents such as foreign passport,
I-94 and I-20 for F1 Visa student employees.
LIST B
State-issued Driver’s License
A driver’s license can be issued by any state or
territory of the United States (including the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands) or by a Canadian government
authority, and is acceptable if it contains a
photograph or other identifying information
such as name, date of birth, gender, height,
eye color, and address.
Some states may place notations on their
drivers’ licenses that state the card does not
confirm employment authorization. For Form I9 purposes, these drivers’ licenses, along with
every other state’s, establish the identity of an
employee.
LIST B
When presenting any driver’s license, the
employee must also present a List C document
that establishes employment authorization.
State-issued ID Card
An ID card can be issued by any state
(including the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands) or by a local
government, and is acceptable if it contains a
photograph or other identifying information
such as name, date of birth, gender, height,
eye color, and address.
Some states may place notations on their ID
cards that state the card does not confirm
employment authorization. For Form I-9
purposes, these cards, along with every other
state’s, establish the identity of an employee.
When presenting any state-issued ID card,
the employee must also present a List C
document that establishes employment
authorization.
LIST B
Alternate List B Documents
 The preceding are the most commonly presented of the List
B documents. However, other Lisa B documents are
acceptable. Please contact HR for instructions on viewing
and documenting other List B documents.
LIST C

A Social Security Account Number
card, unless the card include one of
the following restrictions:
1 NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT
2 VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS
AUTHORIZATION
3 VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS
AUTHORIZATION

Certification of Birth Abroad issued by
the Department of State (Form FS545)

Certification of Report of Birth issued
by the Department of State (Form DS1350)

Native American tribal document

Original or certified copy of birth
certificate issued by a State, county,
municipal authority, or territory of the
United States bearing an official seal

U. S. Citizen ID Card (Form I-197)

Identification Card for Use of Resident
Citizen in the United States (Form (179)

Employment authorization document
issued by the Department of
Homeland Security
U.S. Social Security Account Number Card
The U.S. Social Security account number card is issued by the Social Security Administration
(older versions were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or the
Department of Health, Education and Welfare), and can be presented as a List C document
unless the card specifies that it does not authorize employment in the United States. Metal or
plastic reproductions are not acceptable.
Example 1: UNRESTRICTED social security cards are valid for Work Authorization. These are
issued to U.S. citizens and people lawfully admitted to the Unites States on a permanent basis.
Example 2: RESTRICTED social security cards are NOT valid for Work Authorization. “Valid for
Work Only with INS Authorization” OR “Valid for Work Only with DHS Authorization” show
restrictions.
LIST C
Certifications of Birth Issued
by the U.S. Department of State
These documents may vary in color
and paper used.
All will include a raised seal of the
office that issued the document,
and may contain a watermark and
raised printing.
Certification of Birth Abroad Issued by the
U.S. Department of State (FS-545)
LIST C
Birth Certificate
Only an original or certified copy of
a birth certificate issued by a state,
county, municipal authority, or
outlying possession of the United
States that bears an official seal is
acceptable. Versions will vary by
state and year of birth.
Samples of
Birth Certificates
Note: Beginning October 31, 2010,
only Puerto Rico birth certificates
issued on or after July 1, 2010 are
valid. Refer to www.uscis.gov
for guidance on the validity of
Puerto Rico birth certificates for
Form I-9 purposes.
LIST C
Alternate List C Documents
 The preceding are the most commonly presented of the List
C documents. However, other Lisa C documents are
acceptable. Please contact HR for instructions on viewing
and documenting other List C documents.
Unacceptable Documentation
Remember: Do not accept documents that are not on the
List of Acceptable Documents.
Examples of Unacceptable Documentation
Document cannot be altered.
Outdated green card:
no longer resembles person so is not acceptable
Unacceptable document
Not Acceptable
Acceptable Receipts for Documentation
If the employee provides an acceptable receipt for documentation, record the
document title in Section 2 of Form I-9 and write the word “receipt” and its document
number in the “Document #” space.
Receipts That Are Not Acceptable
 A receipt indicating that an individual has applied for an
initial Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) or
for an extension of an expiring Employment Authorization
Document (Form I-766) is NOT acceptable proof of
employment authorization on Form I-9.
 Receipts are never acceptable if employment lasts fewer than
three business days.
Don’t Ask!
 Don’t Ask for More Documents Than Required
 Don’t Ask for “Immigration” Documents
 Don’t Ask for Documents Before Hiring Decision
 Don’t Ask, “Are You A Citizen?”
Important!
If the new employee cannot produce ALL the
proper documents, DO NOT sign the I-9 form.
Ask the person to return with the correct
documents promptly because . . .
an employer is NOT to authorize a person to
begin work if the person started more than 3
days prior to the date you are viewing the
documents.
For Further Information Or Questions
Susan Ferbend, Sr. HR Generalist, Records
940-898-3551
Lisa Taylor, HR Assistant to the Associate VP
Human Resources
940-898-3555