OtterFillHow to fill in Form I-9
Form I-9, “Employment Eligibility Verification”, is the form every new U.S. employee completes with their employer to show who they are and that they may work in the United States. You fill in Section 1 yourself, then show your employer original documents, and the employer completes Section 2.
Last checked against the official form:
- Form
- I-9
- Edition
- Edition 01/20/25
- Issued by
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- Form language
- English
- Who receives it
- Your employer, who keeps it; it is not sent to USCIS or ICE
- Who fills it in
- You, for Section 1; your employer, for Section 2 and Supplement B
- When
- Section 1 by your first day of employment, but not before you accept a job offer; documents within 3 business days after your first day
- Documents
- One document from List A, or one from List B plus one from List C; originals, not expired
- Cost
- Free; nothing is filed with USCIS. This guide follows the edition dated 01/20/25
What this form is
Form I-9 documents that your employer checked your identity and your permission to work in the United States. It applies to every new employee, whether a U.S. citizen or not. You do not prove your citizenship or immigration status on the form itself: you choose one box in Section 1 and then show documents of your choice.
The form has four pages. Page 1 holds Section 1 (you) and Section 2 (your employer). Page 2 is the list of acceptable documents. Page 3 is Supplement A, only used if someone helps you with Section 1. Page 4 is Supplement B, which your employer uses for reverification or rehire. The instructions are a separate document your employer must make available to you.
Your employer may not ask for documents to check what you wrote in Section 1, and may not tell you which acceptable documents to show. Employers in the United States complete the English version; only employers in Puerto Rico may use the Spanish one instead, and anyone may use the Spanish version as a translation aid.
Who has to fill it in
You fill in Section 1 if:
- You are starting work for an employer in the United States and receive wages or other pay, whether you are a U.S. citizen or not.
- You are rehired by an employer more than 3 years after your first Form I-9 was completed: the employer then needs a new form.
Different rules apply if:
- You are an independent contractor or a volunteer who receives no pay: the instructions do not count them as employees. Contractors usually give a client a Form W-9 instead.
- You have not yet accepted a job offer: you cannot complete the form before that.
- You are an employer: you complete Section 2 and the supplements, not Section 1.
Field-by-field instructions
Section 1: Employee information
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1Last Name (Family Name) | Your current legal last name. | Write it as it is on your legal documents, including any hyphen or apostrophe. If you have only one name, write it here and write “Unknown” in the First Name box. |
| Section 1First Name (Given Name) / Middle Initial (if any) | Your current legal first name, and a middle initial if you have one. | Write your first name. The middle initial is optional; leave it blank if you have none. |
| Section 1Other Last Names Used (if any) | Any other last names you have used, such as a maiden name. | List them if they apply to you. If you have never used another last name, leave the box blank. |
| Section 1Address (Street Number and Name) / Apt. Number (if any) | The place where you live now. | Write the street number and name, and the apartment number if there is one. |
| Section 1City or Town / State / ZIP Code | The city, state and ZIP code of your address. | Fill in all three. If you do not live in a city or town, USCIS says to enter your village, county, township or reservation in the city or town box. |
| Section 1Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) | The day you were born. | Write month, day and year in this order: mm/dd/yyyy. For example, January 8, 1980 becomes 01/08/1980. |
| Section 1U.S. Social Security Number | Your 9-digit Social Security number. | It is voluntary unless your employer uses E-Verify, in which case you must give it. Never enter an ITIN here. If you applied for a number but do not have it yet, leave the box blank, and add the number later with your initials and the date. |
| Section 1Employee's Email Address / Employee's Telephone Number | Your email address and phone number. | Both are optional. If your employer uses E-Verify, giving them lets you receive notices about your case. |
Section 1: Citizenship or immigration status and signature
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Box 11. A citizen of the United States | You are a citizen of the United States. | Check box 1 only if this is true. The form is signed under penalty of perjury, so do not check it by guess. |
| Box 22. A noncitizen national of the United States (See Instructions.) | A status for people who owe allegiance to the United States but are not citizens, such as people born in American Samoa. | Check box 2 only if this describes you; the instructions list who qualifies. |
| Box 33. A lawful permanent resident (Enter USCIS or A-Number.) | You live in the United States as an immigrant with permanent residence (a “green card” holder). | Check box 3 and write your 7- to 9-digit USCIS Number (A-Number). Conditional residents choose this box. Refugees and asylees do not: they choose box 4. |
| Box 44. An alien authorized to work until (exp. date, if any) | You may work in the United States but are not a citizen, noncitizen national or permanent resident, for example on a student visa with work permission, with a work permit, or as a refugee or asylee. | Check box 4 and write the date your work authorization ends, which is usually printed on your document. If it was extended automatically, use the new date. Write N/A only if it has no end date, as can be the case for refugees and asylees. |
| Box 4USCIS A-Number | Your USCIS Number, also called the A-Number, if you have one. | Under box 4 you must give one of the three: this, an I-94 number, or a passport number. The number has 7 to 9 digits and is the A-Number without the letter A. |
| Box 4Form I-94 Admission Number | The number on your Form I-94 arrival and departure record. | Under box 4, write the 11-digit admission number from your most recent I-94 if you do not give an A-Number. You can look it up on the official I-94 website. |
| Box 4Foreign Passport Number and Country of Issuance | The number of your foreign passport and the country that issued it. | Under box 4, write both if you use this instead of an A-Number or I-94 number. |
| Section 1Signature of Employee | Your signature declaring under penalty of perjury that what you wrote is true, including the box you checked. | Sign it yourself, no later than your first day of employment. A preparer or translator may not sign for you. |
| Section 1Today's Date (mm/dd/yyyy) | The day you sign Section 1. | Write the real date in mm/dd/yyyy. USCIS says not to back-date it. |
Lists of acceptable documents (page 2)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| List ADocuments that Establish Both Identity and Employment Authorization | Documents that prove both who you are and that you may work, such as a U.S. passport or a Permanent Resident Card. | Show one List A document and nothing else. Some List A choices need two documents together, such as a foreign passport with a Form I-94 for certain temporary workers. |
| List BDocuments that Establish Identity | Documents that prove who you are only, such as a driver’s license or a state ID card. | If you do not use List A, show one List B document together with one List C document. For E-Verify employers a List B document must have a photograph. |
| List CDocuments that Establish Employment Authorization | Documents that prove you may work only, such as a Social Security card without a work restriction or a birth certificate. | Show one List C document together with one List B document. An Employment Authorization Document is a List A document, not List C. |
| Page 2Acceptable Receipts | A receipt for a replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged document, shown for a short time in place of the document. | Ask your employer to check the Handbook for Employers (M-274) for how long the receipt counts. When it runs out, you must show the real document. |
Section 2: Employer review and verification
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Section 2Document Title / Issuing Authority / Document Number (if any) / Expiration Date (if any) | Your employer copies the title, issuing authority, number and expiration date from the documents you show. | You do not write here. Bring original, unexpired documents; photocopies are not accepted, except a certified copy of a birth certificate. |
| Section 2Check here if you used an alternative procedure authorized by DHS to examine documents. | A box for employers who examined documents by live video instead of in person. | This is your employer’s box. Employers in E-Verify may offer a remote check, where you first send copies and then show the same documents on a video call. |
| Section 2First Day of Employment (mm/dd/yyyy) / Signature of Employer or Authorized Representative | Your employer states the date you began work and signs that the documents appear genuine and relate to you. | Leave this to your employer or its authorized representative. It is due within 3 business days after your first day of employment. |
Supplement A: Preparer and/or translator
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Supplement ASignature of Preparer or Translator | The signature of anyone who helped you complete Section 1. | If a person helped you or translated, that person fills in this Supplement A for you. You still sign Section 1 yourself. If you did not use a helper, no Supplement A is needed. |
| Supplement ALast Name (Family Name) / First Name (Given Name) / Address (Street Number and Name) | The name and address of the preparer or translator. | The helper writes their own name and street address. Each helper completes a separate area. |
Supplement B: Reverification and rehire
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Supplement BDate of Rehire (if applicable) | The date you came back to work for the same employer. | Your employer fills this in on Supplement B if you are rehired within 3 years of the date your first Form I-9 was completed. Otherwise a new form may be needed. |
| Supplement BNew Name (if applicable) | A new legal name you report to your employer. | Tell your employer if your name changed. The employer records it on Supplement B. |
| Supplement BReverification: Document Title / Document Number (if any) / Expiration Date (if any) (mm/dd/yyyy) | A second check of your permission to work when your earlier document or authorization date has run out. | Your employer asks you to show new proof. You may choose any acceptable List A or List C document, not only the type you showed before. |
Key terms
| Term on the form | What it means |
|---|---|
| USCIS Number (A-Number) | A 7- to 9-digit number USCIS gives to many noncitizens; on a Permanent Resident Card it is printed on the front. |
| Form I-94 Admission Number | The 11-digit number on your Form I-94 arrival and departure record. |
| Lawful permanent resident | A person who is not a U.S. citizen but is lawfully allowed to live in the United States permanently. |
| Noncitizen national | A person who owes permanent allegiance to the United States without being a citizen, such as someone born in American Samoa. |
| Alien authorized to work | Form I-9’s name for a non-citizen who may work but is not a noncitizen national or permanent resident, including many students, workers, refugees and asylees. |
| Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) | A work permit card issued by USCIS. On Form I-9 it is a List A document. |
| Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) | The card that shows lawful permanent residence, also called a green card. It is a List A document. |
| Acceptable receipt | Proof that you applied to replace a lost, stolen or damaged document, accepted for a limited time. |
| E-Verify | A U.S. government online system that some employers use to confirm, from Form I-9 data, that new hires may work. |
| Preparer and/or Translator | Anyone who helps you fill in Section 1 or translates it for you, and who must sign Supplement A. |
| Authorized Representative | A person the employer chooses to complete and sign Section 2 on its behalf. |
| Reverification | A new check of your permission to work, when your first proof of it expires. |
| Alternative procedure | A way, approved by DHS, for certain employers to check your documents by video instead of in person. |
| Handbook for Employers (M-274) | The USCIS guide for employers on how to complete Form I-9, including examples of documents and receipts. |
Common mistakes
- 1
Choosing “lawful permanent resident” as a refugee or asylee
Refugees and asylees check box 4, “An alien authorized to work”, not box 3.
- 2
Leaving out the number under box 4
If you check box 4 you must also write an A-Number, an I-94 number, or a foreign passport number with its country.
- 3
Leaving the work expiration date blank or guessing it
Copy the date from your work authorization document. Write N/A only if the authorization truly has no end date.
- 4
Entering an ITIN as a Social Security number
An ITIN is not a Social Security number. If you have no Social Security number yet, leave the box blank.
- 5
Back-dating the signature
Write the day you actually sign. Back-dating is not allowed.
- 6
Dropping part of your name
Keep hyphens and apostrophes. If you have one name only, write it as the last name and “Unknown” as the first name.
- 7
Bringing copies or expired documents
Bring originals that have not expired. Only a certified copy of a birth certificate may be a copy.
- 8
Offering the wrong mix of documents
Show one List A document, or one List B and one List C. A List B document alone is not enough.
- 9
Checking a box that is not true
You sign under penalty of perjury. Check only the box that matches your real status.
- 10
Letting a helper sign for you
A preparer or translator completes Supplement A, but you still sign Section 1 yourself.
Questions and answers
What do I need to bring for Form I-9?
Bring original, unexpired documents: one from List A, or one from List B and one from List C. A common pairing is a driver’s license from List B with a Social Security card from List C. You decide which to show.
Can my employer tell me which documents to show?
No. The form says employers cannot specify which acceptable documents you present. They also cannot ask for documents to check what you wrote in Section 1.
When do I have to fill in Section 1?
No later than your first day of employment. You may do it earlier, but not before you accept a job offer. You then show your documents within 3 business days after your first day.
Do I have to give my Social Security number?
It is voluntary unless your employer uses E-Verify. If you have applied but not received a number, you may work after showing acceptable documents, and add the number later.
Do I send Form I-9 to USCIS?
No. Your employer keeps the completed form. The instructions say not to mail it to USCIS or ICE.
What if I make a mistake in Section 1?
Your employer reviews Section 1 before completing Section 2. If there is an error, you correct it and write your initials and the date next to the correction.
I am an international student. What do I write in Section 1?
Students whose visa allows work usually check box 4, “An alien authorized to work”, and write the date their permission ends, plus an I-94 number or a foreign passport number with its country. Universities often point to the program end date on Form I-20 for this date; ask your school’s international student office, because the right date depends on the kind of work permission you have.
What if my document is lost, stolen or damaged?
In some cases a receipt for a replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged document can be shown for a short time. See the Handbook for Employers (M-274) for how long, and ask your employer.
Can my employer do the document check by video?
Only if it is enrolled in E-Verify and offers the DHS alternative procedure. You send copies first, then show the same originals on a live video call.
Fill in this form in your language
Upload the form to OtterFill. It explains every question in your language, prefills answers from your documents and checks the form before you submit it.
This guide explains a form. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice, and forms change: check the official instructions before you submit.