During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) introduced a temporary policy allowing employers to inspect and verify the Employee Eligibility Verification Form I-9 remotely. If employees were hired on or after April 1, 2021, and worked exclusively in a remote setting due to COVID-19-related precautions, they were temporarily exempt from the physical inspection of the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. This temporary policy ended on July 31, 2023. A new policy has been enacted beginning on August 1, 2023.
What do I need to do if I remotely verified an I-9 Form before July 31, 2023?
Employers that remotely inspected a Form I-9 must now review the document in person and update the Form I-9 as follows:
- Add "document physically examined" to the additional information area in Section 2 of the form by August 30.
- Make sure to include the date the document was physically examined.
- After updating Form I-9, you can scan and upload the updated document into QuickBooks by following the steps in our help article. Learn how
After July 31, Form I-9 can no longer be verified remotely using this process. If your business previously verified any Form I-9s remotely utilizing this temporary policy, stay compliant and physically examine and update them by August 30. For additional information on this policy change, please visit the ICE website.
How can I remotely verify an I-9 form starting August 1, 2023?
On August 1, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will publish a revised version of Form I-9. Employers that would like to remotely verify I-9 forms starting August 1, 2023, and after must follow the new policy enacted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and use the latest version of form I-9. To remotely verify an I-9 starting August 1, 2023, complete the following steps:
- Enroll in E-verify
- Remotely inspect your employee's I-9 via live video conference
- Use the newest version of the form I-9. View Form I-9
- Check the box for "Additional Information" on the form I-9
- Create a case in E-verify
After remotely verifying Form I-9, you can scan and upload the updated document into QuickBooks by following the steps in our help article. Learn how
QuickBooks Payroll will have the updated I-9 form available in the product before the October 31, 2023, deadline. For additional information and detailed instructions on the new remote verification process, visit the ICE website.
