Last updated: January 2026

Form I-9

PDF Form USCIS
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Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) is used by employers to verify the identity and work authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. Required for every new employee.

DocuQueue is not affiliated with USCIS or ICE. This page provides a free tool to fill out official Form I-9. Always verify completed forms against uscis.gov requirements.

Form I-9 Preview
2026
Overview

What is Form I-9?

Form I-9, officially titled Employment Eligibility Verification, is a U.S. government form used by employers to verify the identity and employment authorization of every individual hired for employment in the United States. It was introduced under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) and is mandated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for every employee hired after November 6, 1986, regardless of the employee's citizenship or national origin. The form is divided into three sections: Section 1 is completed by the employee on or before their first day of employment, Section 2 is completed by the employer or authorized representative after physically examining the employee's documents, and Supplement B is used for reverification or rehires.

The employer must examine documents the employee presents to establish both identity and employment authorization. The employee must present either one document from List A, or one document from List B combined with one document from List C. The employer must complete Section 2 within three business days of the employee's first day of work and must retain the form for the required retention period.

Use Cases

When do you need Form I-9?

Form I-9 is required in specific employment situations. Here are the most common scenarios.

  • New hire onboarding
    Every time an employer hires a new employee, a Form I-9 must be completed. Section 1 must be filled out by the employee on or before their first day of work. Section 2 must be completed by the employer within three business days of the hire date.
  • Reverification of expiring work authorization
    When an employee's work authorization document is set to expire, the employer must reverify their employment authorization using Supplement B (Reverification and Rehires) before the expiration date. The employee must present a valid document showing continued work authorization.
  • Correcting errors on previously completed forms
    If a mistake is found on a previously completed Form I-9, the employer should correct it following USCIS guidelines. Draw a single line through the error, write the correct information nearby, and initial and date the change. Do not use white-out or delete the original entry.
Document Lists

Acceptable documents for Form I-9

The employee chooses which documents to present. Employers cannot require specific documents. The employee must present either one List A document, or one List B document plus one List C document.

List A

Identity & Employment Authorization

One document from this list establishes both identity and employment authorization.

  • U.S. Passport or Passport Card
  • Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
  • Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
  • Foreign passport with I-94
  • Federal/state government ID with photo
List B

Identity Only

One document from this list establishes identity only. Must be combined with one List C document.

  • Driver's license
  • State-issued ID card
  • School ID with photo
  • Voter registration card
  • U.S. military card
List C

Employment Authorization Only

One document from this list establishes employment authorization only. Must be combined with one List B document.

  • Social Security card
  • U.S. birth certificate
  • Certification of Report of Birth Abroad
  • Native American tribal document
  • U.S. Citizen ID Card
Related Forms

Related USCIS forms

These USCIS forms are commonly used alongside Form I-9 for employment authorization and immigration purposes.

  • Form I-765 — Application for Employment Authorization
    Used by certain noncitizens to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The EAD serves as a List A document for I-9 purposes, establishing both identity and employment authorization.
  • Form I-94 — Arrival/Departure Record
    Automatically generated when noncitizens enter or leave the United States. The I-94 record is often required alongside a foreign passport to establish employment authorization for I-9 purposes.
  • Form I-766 — Employment Authorization Document
    The physical Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card issued to eligible noncitizens. This is a List A document for I-9 purposes, establishing both identity and employment authorization in a single document.
Testimonials

Trusted by HR teams and employers

“Onboarding used to mean stacks of paper and manual data entry. DocuQueue lets new hires fill their I-9 online before day one. Our HR team saves hours every week.”
— Rachel Kim, HR Director at NovaTech Solutions
“We process 500+ I-9 forms a quarter through the API. The batch upload from CSV saved our compliance team from drowning in paperwork during peak hiring season.”
— David Chen, Operations Manager at StaffBridge Agency
Requirements

What you need to fill a Form I-9

These fields come from the official USCIS Form I-9 (Edition 01/20/2025). Check off each item as you gather the information.

Employee full legal name First name, middle initial, and last name as the employee is known
Address (street, apt/suite, city, state, ZIP) Employee's current residential address
Date of birth In MM/DD/YYYY format
Social Security Number (SSN) Optional unless employer participates in E-Verify
Citizenship or immigration status Check one box: U.S. citizen, noncitizen national, lawful permanent resident, or alien authorized to work
Employee signature and date Employee must sign and date under penalty of perjury. Form is invalid without a signature.
Preparer/translator name and address Required if someone other than the employee completed Section 1
Preparer/translator signature and date Must sign and date under penalty of perjury
Document examination (List A OR List B + List C) Employee presents one List A document, or one List B plus one List C document
Document details recorded Title, issuing authority, document number, and expiration date (if any)
Employer signature and date Employer or authorized representative must sign and date within 3 business days of hire
0 of 13 items ready
How It Works

Fill Form I-9 in 4 steps

Our AI completes the form accurately in under a minute. No manual data entry required.

STEP 01

Upload your data

Enter employee information manually, or upload from a spreadsheet, HRIS, or previous form.

STEP 02

AI fills the form

Our AI maps each value to the correct field, including conditional ones. Done in seconds.

STEP 03

Review & download

Check the filled form in our visual editor. Make corrections if needed, then download the PDF.

STEP 04

Send to employer for signature

Email the form to your employee for Section 1 completion, then finalize Section 2 after document review.

Why DocuQueue

Why teams choose DocuQueue for I-9 forms

No Account Required

New hires can fill Section 1 immediately. No signup, no credit card, no waiting. Just enter information and download the PDF.

Official USCIS Form

Fill the actual Form I-9 (Edition 01/20/2025), not a generic template. Compliant with USCIS requirements.

Enterprise Security

256-bit SSL encryption. We never store employee data or completed forms after processing. Your information stays yours.

Batch Processing

Onboard 100 employees at once. Upload a CSV and generate all I-9 forms in minutes via our API.

Use Cases

Who fills Form I-9?

HR Departments

Streamline new hire onboarding. Complete I-9s before the employee's first day and maintain a compliant I-9 file. Try our online form filler.

Small Business Owners

Stay compliant without a dedicated HR team. Fill I-9s quickly for each new hire and store them properly. Use our PDF filling API for automation.

Staffing Agencies

Process high volumes of I-9 forms for temporary and contract placements. Batch process new hire paperwork with AI form filling.

Gig Economy Platforms

Automate I-9 collection during worker onboarding. Generate I-9s programmatically via API and integrate with your existing HRIS or onboarding system.

Available via API

Automate I-9 filling

Need to process employee I-9s at scale? The DocuQueue API lets businesses fill Form I-9 programmatically. Send employee data as JSON, receive the filled PDF. Or use our AI form filler for a no-code experience.

Accuracy Checks

Validation checks

Our AI performs these checks on every I-9 form to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Section 1 Completeness

Verifies the employee has filled out name, address, SSN, citizenship status, and signed and dated the form. Flags missing or incomplete fields.

Document Verification

Confirms the documents presented appear genuine and relate to the employee. Checks that documents are on the correct list (A, B, or C).

Section 2 Completion

Ensures the employer has recorded document details correctly (title, issuing authority, number, expiration) and signed and dated Section 2.

Timeliness Check

Verifies Section 2 was completed within 3 business days of the employee's first day of work. Flags late submissions.

Retention Compliance

Confirms the form is stored properly for the required period: 3 years after hire date or 1 year after termination, whichever is later.

Common Mistakes

Errors to avoid

These are the most common mistakes when filling out Form I-9.

Employee not signing Section 1

Section 1 must be completed and signed by the employee on or before their first day of work. An unsigned form is invalid and may result in penalties.

Employer not completing Section 2

Forgetting to examine documents and record their details in Section 2 is one of the most common I-9 errors. This must be done within 3 business days of hire.

Accepting expired documents

Documents must be unexpired on the date of examination. An expired driver's license or work permit is not acceptable for I-9 purposes.

Not reverifying expired work authorization

When an employee's work authorization document expires, the employer must reverify using Supplement B before the expiration date.

Requiring specific documents

Employers cannot dictate which documents an employee presents. The employee chooses from the acceptable lists. Requiring a specific document violates anti-discrimination provisions.

Missing the 3-day deadline

Section 2 must be completed within 3 business days of the employee's first day of work. Late completion can result in fines even if the form is otherwise correct.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Form I-9?
Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) is used by employers to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. Every employer must complete an I-9 for each new employee, regardless of citizenship or national origin.
Can I fill out Form I-9 online?
Yes. You can fill out Form I-9 online with DocuQueue. Enter employee information, review the filled form, and download the completed PDF in seconds. No software installation required. You can also use our AI form filler to auto-populate fields from a photo or document scan.
Is DocuQueue free to use?
Yes. DocuQueue offers a free tier with 25 credits per month. You can fill out I-9 forms, download the completed PDF, and use our visual editor at no cost. No credit card required to sign up. Paid plans are available for higher volume needs and API access.
How do I fill out Form I-9?
Section 1 requires the employee's name, address, date of birth, SSN (optional), and work authorization status. Section 2 requires the employer to examine documents and record their details (title, issuing authority, number, expiration). DocuQueue guides you through each section and validates entries before download.
How secure is my information on DocuQueue?
DocuQueue uses 256-bit SSL encryption to protect your data in transit and at rest. We never store employee data or completed forms after processing. Your I-9 information is handled according to industry-standard security practices and is never shared with third parties.
Can I use DocuQueue on my phone?
Yes. DocuQueue works on any device with a web browser, including smartphones and tablets. Fill out I-9 forms on the go, review the completed form, and download the PDF directly to your mobile device. No app installation required.
When must Form I-9 be completed?
Section 1 must be completed by the employee no later than the first day of employment. Section 2 must be completed by the employer within three business days of the employee's first day of work. The employer must physically examine the documents the employee presents.
Can I fill I-9 forms via API?
Yes. DocuQueue provides a REST API to fill I-9 forms programmatically. Send employee data as JSON and receive a filled PDF. Perfect for HR systems, onboarding automation, and batch processing. Docs at docuqueue.com/pdf-filling-api.
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