Employers Can Now Remotely Examine Employees’ Form I-9 Documents

In a welcome development, employers who participate in E-Verify (a free web-based system operated by DHS in partnership with the Social Security Administration) can now remotely examine employees’ Form I-9 documents. To facilitate the remote examination, on August 1, 2023, USCIS published a revised Form I-9. With this revised Form I-9, employers have the option to conduct employee verification electronically and with a live video call interaction. This remote examination option allows employers to decide whether to apply this alternative procedure to just remote hires or all employees. Note that all employers, even those not participating in E-Verify, will be required to use the revised Form I-9, starting November 1, 2023.