I-9 Update: USCIS Broadens Its Policy on Use of Receipts in the Employment Eligibility Verification Process

Summary

USCIS recently clarified its policy that, if an employee presents a receipt for a lost, stolen or damaged document to complete Form I-9 verification, the employee must return in 90 days to present either the replacement document for which the receipt was issued, or another acceptable document or documents, to complete Section 2 of the Form I-9. If the employee presents a different document or documents than the one for which the receipt was issued, the employer should complete a new Section 2 of the Form I-9 and append it to the previously completed form. 

A closer look

In guidance announced on July 7, 2021, USCIS clarifies that the employee may present, within 90 days of the initial verification with the receipt, the document for which the receipt was issued or another acceptable I-9 document or documents. Also according to the new guidance, if a new employee presents a different document or documents than the one for which the receipt was issued, then the employer should complete a new Section 2 of the Form I-9 and append it to the previously completed form. The new policy should also apply to receipts offered for Section 3 during the reverification process, though USCIS’s new guidance does not directly address that section.

The new guidance is being put in place in recognition of the long delays that many employees face in obtaining replacements for lost, stolen, or damaged identity and employment authorization documents. It also introduces some welcome flexibility concerning the receipt rule, but employers must ensure that those responsible for I-9 compliance are aware of this new guidance.