Basic I-9 Instructions

Download an I-9 form

General Information

  • The 1-9 form may be photocopied as long as both sides are copied.
  • The set of instructions (may be obtained from HRS) must be "available" during completion of the form.
  • Section 1 of the 1-9 must be completed either before or on the day the employee begins work. Section 2 of the 1-9 must be completed within 3 days of employment or within 1 day if only working 1 day.
  • Departments complete the 1-9 for student, GTA, hourly, and adjunct employees and forward it to HRS along with the W-4 and/or the PAF, PEF, MAF (after appropriate signatures are obtained).
  • HRS completes the form for classified, faculty, and administrative employees during the sign-up process.

Section 1: Employee Information and Verification

  • Must be completed by the employee, however, it is the employer's responsibility to ensure Section 1 is complete.
  • The employer is not permitted to require employees to produce documents that verify Section 1 information. If an employee cannot or will not provide Section 1 information, the employee should be considered ineligible to work.

    NOTE: Sometimes, an employee may not understand which documents they need to complete Section 1 information if they checked Lawful Permanent Resident (Box 2) or if they checked an alien authorized to work until (Box 3). The following is meant to serve as a general guideline. Always call the HRS Office with any questions you may have.

    All Permanent Residents will have an "A" number and the employer should make certain that the number is given if the employee checks Box 2. This number appears on Form 1-551. This form is known as a PERMANENT RESIDENTCARD ("Green Card") or the older version of the card known as an ALIEN REGISTRATION RECEIPT CARD.

    Work authorized aliens (Box 3) may not always have an "A" number or an admission number. If this number is not provided by the employee, the employer should inquire whether the employee has such a number; if the employee does not have such a number, he or she should be instructed to enter "none" on the appropriate line. An employee who checks Box 3 must state the expiration date of his or her employment authorization. Work authorized aliens should have employment authorization cards (form 1-688 A or B) or official notation stamps in their passports or on their 1-94 forms. Students who check Box 3 may obtain their Admission Number from their 1-20 and their authorized to work date from their 1-94 which usually will be marked DIS for Duration of Study.

Section 2: Employer Review and Verification

  • Must be completed by the employer, however, it is the employee's choice of which documents to present.
  • The employer must personally review original documents. All identifying information, including the document title, the issuing authority, the document number, and/or the expiration date (if applicable) must be provided in full.
  • Receipt showing application for document may be accepted, but the original document must be presented within ninety days.
  • A social security card marked "Valid for employment only when accompanied by INS authorization" must be accompanied by a current INS document to be acceptable. In the case of student workers, the employment authorization letter from the International Office is considered a current INS document. Therefore, if a student presents a social security card as described above, along with the letter from the International Office, that student is eligible to work.
  • A social security card marked "Not valid for employment purposes" may not be used as a List C document at all.
  • If an employee uses List A and presents an unexpired passport with an unexpired 1