WHAT'S NEW

E-Verify is currently unavailable due to a lapse in government appropriations. While E-Verify is unavailable, employers will not be able to access their E-Verify accounts. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to serving you once we resume operations. For more information, see E-Verify Unavailable.

The 45th edition of the E-Verify Connection newsletter is here and includes articles about our refreshed Employee Rights quiz, Interface Control Agreement 29 updates, and provides reminders on unrestricted Social Security Card use. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected.

E-Verify continues to implement enhancements to improve your experience and reduce burdensome processes by giving you more self-service options. For example, you’ll soon be able to reset your password automatically instead of contacting E-Verify.

The first time you log on or after Dec. 16, you must reset your password, security questions, and answers. From that point on, if you are unable to log in to E-Verify after three attempts, you will be redirected to the password reset page to answer the security questions before resetting your password.

You can also select the ‘Forgot your password?’ link located under the password field to reset your password.

For more details, visit the E-Verify Enhancements webpage.

President Trump has declared Wednesday, Dec. 5, a national day of mourning to remember the life and legacy of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States. Accordingly, all U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices will be closed Wednesday. The E-Verify and Form I-9 Contact Center phone lines will not be available on Wednesday.   

E-Verify will permit employees one additional day to resolve contested tentative nonconfirmations if the referral confirmation notice was issued between Nov. 20 and Dec. 5. 

Employers should be aware that all Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, requirements remain in place, as do the E-Verify-enrolled employer’s requirement to create a case for a new employee no later than three business days after the employee’s first day employment. 
 

On March 1, 2019, USCIS must dispose of E-Verify records that are over ten years old - those dated on or before December 31, 2008. E-Verify employers have until February 28, 2019, to download case information from the “Historic Records Report” if they want to retain information about each E-Verify case that will be purged. For more information and guidance on downloading the Historic Records Report, see the Fact Sheet and Instructions for Downloading.

On Oct. 3, 2018, in Ramos, et al v. Nielsen, et al., No. 18-cv-01554 (N.D. Cal. Oct. 3, 2018), the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California enjoined DHS from implementing and enforcing the decisions to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador, pending further resolution of the case (“Order” or “injunction”). To implement the Court’s Order, on Oct. 31, 2018, DHS published a Federal Register Notice (FRN) announcing that the TPS designations for Sudan, Haiti, El Salvador, and Nicaragua remain in effect so long as the Court’s Order continues.

The FRN further describes the steps DHS is taking to comply with the Court’s Order, including automatically extending through April 2, 2019, the validity of certain specified documents for beneficiaries under the TPS designations for Sudan and Nicaragua: Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, and Form I-797, Notice of Action, collectively TPS-Related Documentation. The extensions will allow beneficiaries to demonstrate continued lawful status and employment authorization.

Beneficiaries of TPS Haiti and TPS El Salvador who have been approved for re-registration currently have TPS-Related Documentation that will remain in effect for more than six months (until July 22, 2019, and Sept. 9, 2019, respectively). TPS Haiti and TPS El Salvador beneficiaries with pending re-registration applications, if approved, will also receive TPS-Related Documentation with those respective validity dates. In addition, beneficiaries of TPS Haiti and TPS El Salvador with pending re-registration applications and certain recently expired EADs have previously been issued notices of an existing automatic extension of those EADs. See TPS webpages for Haiti and El Salvador on www.uscis.gov.

Should the Court’s Order remain in effect beyond this initial extension of documentation for beneficiaries of TPS Sudan and TPS Nicaragua, DHS will issue a subsequent FRN approximately 30 days before April 2, 2019, that will automatically extend the appropriate TPS-Related Documentation for eligible beneficiaries granted under the designations of Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador through Jan. 2, 2020. DHS will issue similar FRNs in nine-month intervals, as necessary, to continue complying with the injunction.

If a superseding final, non-appealable judicial order should permit the terminations of TPS for some or all of these countries to take effect before the expiration of any announced extension of TPS-Related Documentation for eligible beneficiaries of TPS for these countries, DHS may invalidate such documentation before the end validity date stated in the current or subsequent Federal Register notices. Any such termination of TPS-Related Documentation would only be effective 120 days after the effective date of such a final, non-appealable order, or on the termination date of the TPS designation previously announced in the Federal Register for the relevant country before the preliminary injunction, whichever is later.

For additional information, please reference the FRN and specific TPS country pages available on the USCIS website.

If a new employee presents a document for their Form I-9 that triggers photo matching in E-Verify, employers must make a copy of that document to use when creating the E-Verify case, and must retain it with the employee’s Form I-9.

If an employee presents a U.S. passport card, Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), or Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), you must copy the front and back of these cards. If an employee presents a U.S. passport, you must copy both the front page and the back barcode page.

On Oct. 12, USCIS updated the E-Verify staging environment for Interface Control Agreement (ICA) 29 after we disabled it for the modernization release in April. The staging environment has been modernized with self-test to confirm functionality.

Web service customers are now able to test their code and bug fixes on their respective systems by leveraging the test document that comprises the E-Verify test scenarios.

We made these enhancements based on feedback and extensive testing from web service providers. This test environment is part of the effort to develop, test, and deploy ICA 30, which is scheduled to launch next spring.

For more details on E-Verify updates, visit the E-Verify Enhancements webpage.

You may not terminate or take any other adverse action against an employee because of the TNC until the Social Security Administration (SSA) and/or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reviewed the case and the TNC becomes a Final Nonconfirmation.

Review the E-Verify User Manual and Job Aid for E-Verify Users for guidance on TNCs; and visit our Common E-Verify Questions page for Frequently Asked Questions.

The 44th edition of the E-Verify Connection newsletter is here and includes articles about our E-Verify Employer Search Tool, our brand new text-to-subscribe service, and info for federal contractors and subcontractors. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected.

On October 3, 2018, in Ramos, et al v. Nielsen, et al., No. 18-cv-01554 (N.D. Cal. Oct. 3, 2018), the United States District Court for the Northern District of California enjoined DHS from implementing and enforcing the decisions to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan, Haiti, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, pending further resolution of the case. Additional guidance with respect to evidence regarding TPS status and employment authorization is forthcoming.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Somalia has been extended for 18 months, through March 17, 2020. Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status must re-register between Aug. 27, 2018, and Oct. 26, 2018.

Given the timeframes for processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued under the TPS designation of Somalia through March 16, 2019.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, follow the chart to determine which documents a current TPS beneficiary of Somalia may present, as well as the new expiration date of their automatically extended EADs.

Find more details on the extension of this TPS designation for Somalia on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the TPS page.

Stay up-to-date by subscribing to the E-Verify Connection e-newsletter for employers and employees. The August 2018 issue highlights E-Verify compliance tips for federal contractors and subcontractors, the benefits of myE-Verify, the latest E-Verify enhancements, new E-Verify job aids, and more.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Yemen has been extended for 18 months, through March 3, 2020. Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status must re-register between Aug. 14, 2018, and Oct. 15, 2018.

Given the timeframes involved for processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued under the TPS designation of Yemen through March 2, 2019.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, follow the chart below to determine which documents a current TPS beneficiary of Yemen may present, as well as the new expiration date of their automatically extended EADS:

Find more details on the extension of this TPS designation for Yemen on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the TPS page.

In June, USCIS added further updates and enhancements to the modernized E-Verify system to improve user experience, reduce errors, and increase the speed and accuracy of the employment eligibility verification process. These enhancements can be found on the E-Verify Enhancements June 2018 webpage. Log in or enroll to experience the new E-Verify today.

E-Verify is aware that some cases have been timing out for employers using software providers to access E-Verify. We have been tracking this issue since our release in April and are working with the software providers to resolve these errors. Please continue to check E-Verify.gov for updates.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced her decision to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Honduras, with a delayed effective date of 18 months, through Jan. 5, 2020.

Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status until the delayed effective date of the termination must re-register between June 5, 2018, and Aug. 6, 2018.

Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS recognizes that not all re-registrants will receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expire. Accordingly, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of Honduras through Jan. 1, 2019.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, follow the chart below to determine which documents a current TPS beneficiary of Honduras may present, as well as the new expiration date of their automatically extended EADS:

(Note: TPS beneficiaries who have an EAD with a Jan. 5, 2018, expiration date, but did not timely and properly apply for an EAD on or after Dec. 15, 2017, do not receive an automatic extension of their expired EAD.)

Find more details on the termination of this TPS designation for Honduras on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the TPS page.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced her decision to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Nepal. She has authorized a delayed effective date of 12 months, through June 24, 2019.

Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status until TPS for Nepal ends must re-register between May 22 and July 23, 2018.

Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS recognizes that not all re-registrants will receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expire. Accordingly, we have automatically extended the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of Nepal through Dec. 21, 2018.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification:

• Refer to this Federal Register notice, which provides confirmation that your employee’s EAD is automatically extended for 180 days, until Dec. 21, 2018.
• Employees may also present their EAD that has an expiration date of June 24, 2018, and a category code of “A-12” or “C-19,” along with Form I-797C that contains category code “A-12” or “C-19.” This combination is a List A document that is valid until Dec. 21, 2018.

Find more details on the termination of this TPS designation for Nepal on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the TPS page.

In April 2018, the E-Verify program modernized its system and released a host of enhancements to improve the employment eligibility verification process and user experience.

We invite you to tweet @EVerify on May 8 at 2 p.m (Eastern) to chat with our experts about the new navigation and system usability. We’ll be tweeting live, so be sure to use #AskEVerify to get your questions answered.

Follow us on twitter.com/everify for updates and tips about Form I-9, E-Verify, myE-Verify, or visit e-verify.gov.

E-Verify users have spoken and again give E-Verify a high score of 85 on the Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey 2017. Participants rate E-Verify a 90 for ease of use and speed of response. Also, participants rate the E-Verify photo matching process at 95, the highest score in the survey, and said the process is helpful in preventing fraud. Enroll in E-Verify today and experience employment eligibility verification process in 1, 2, 3 steps.

E-Verify’s overall 85 rating outscores both the National American Customer Satisfaction Survey Index (ACSI) average (77) and the Federal Government ACSI average (70). Read the E-Verify Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey 2017 to learn more.

On April 23, USCIS announced the E-Verify program modernized its system to improve users’ experience, reduce errors, and increase the speed and accuracy of the employment eligibility verification process. Improvements include:

• Enhanced usability features to help users enter correct information and makes E-Verify more user friendly;
• Streamlined case creation and management to increase results speed and accuracy;
• Improved overall data integrity and system compliance; and
• Transferred case data to a new modernized database.

These and other enhancements found on the E-Verify Enhancements April 2018 webpage were made from feedback and extensive testing from E-Verify users. Log in or enroll to experience the new E-Verify today and see the new job aids at E-Verify.gov.

If you are having trouble completing a case in the modernized E-Verify system, please contact us at enrmod-projectteam@uscis.dhs.gov. Please include in the subject: “Employer Name – E-Verify Modernization Issues.” You have 10 extra business days to submit this case.

We are committed to fixing any issues immediately and will provide periodic updates as needed.

If you are having trouble completing a case in the modernized E-Verify system, please contact us at everifywstesting@uscis.dhs.gov. Please include in the subject: “Employer Name – E-Verify Modernization Issues.” You have 10 extra business days to submit this case.

We are committed to fixing any issues immediately and will provide periodic updates as needed.

Due to the implementation of system enhancements, E-Verify and myE-Verify will be unavailable from April 20 at 9 p.m. to April 22 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern). During this time, employers will not be able to access their E-Verify accounts and employees will not be able to access their myE-Verify accounts. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to serving you once we resume operations. For more information, see our fact sheet.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Syria has been extended for 18 months, through Sept. 30, 2019. Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status must re-register between March 5, 2018, and May 4, 2018.

Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS recognizes that not all re-registrants will receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expire on March 31, 2018. Accordingly, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of these EADs issued under the TPS designation of Syria for 180 days, through Sept. 27, 2018.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification:

• Refer to this Federal Register notice, which provides confirmation that your employee’s EAD is automatically extended for 180 days, until Sept. 27, 2018.
• Your employee may present their EAD that has an expiration date of March 31, 2018, and a category code of “A-12” or “C-19,” along with Form I-797C that contains category code “A-12” or “C-19.” This combination is a List A document that is valid until Sept. 27, 2018.

Find more details on the termination of this TPS designation for Syria on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the TPS page.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the launch of our new website, E-Verify.gov. This is the authoritative source for information on electronic employment eligibility verification.

E-Verify.gov is for employers, employees and the general public. The user-friendly website provides information about E-Verify and Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Users will also easily find helpful information about employee rights and employer responsibilities under the employment eligibility verification process.

E-Verify.gov allows employers to enroll in E-Verify directly from the website and permits registered users to access their accounts. Individuals with myE-Verify accounts can also access their accounts through E-Verify.gov.

E-Verify.gov is available in English and Spanish. See the USCIS new release for more information.

On March 27, 2018, President Trump issued a memorandum to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen, directing her to implement a 12-month deferred enforced departure (DED) wind-down period for eligible Liberians and to provide for work authorization through March 31, 2019, which is when DED will end.

Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) with an expiration date of March 31, 2018, and a category code of “A-11” have been automatically extended for an additional six months, through Sept. 30, 2018. DED-eligible Liberians should apply for a new EAD as soon as possible to receive the full 12-month period of employment authorization, through March 31, 2019.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, refer to this Federal Register notice, which provides confirmation that your employee’s EAD is automatically extended until Sept. 30, 2018. After Sept. 30, you will be required to reverify this employee’s work authorization.

Find more details on the end of Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberia on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure page.

The E-Verify modernization launch has been postponed, but it’s still in the works. New system enhancements will feature improvements to photo matching, reduced Tentative Nonconfirmations and easier and faster creation of cases.

E-Verify will remain available from March 23 at 12 a.m. to March 26 at 8 a.m. Eastern, and all regular employment eligibility verification timelines continue to apply.

We apologize for any inconvenience and believe you will find it worth the wait. Learn more about E-Verify modernization.

The E-Verify Connection is an e-newsletter for all employers and employees. The March 2018 issue highlights updates to E-Verify, guidance on completing the E-Verify verification process, easy steps to enroll in E-Verify and much more. Stay up-to-date by subscribing today!

Recently, Monitoring and Compliance (M&C) began requesting Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, in the desk review process. Requested copies of Forms I-9 and related employment verification documents are compared to information in the corresponding E-Verify case. M&C contacts employers by telephone and email and makes recommendations on how the employer can become compliant with E-Verify and Form I-9 requirements. A desk review is not an audit or inspection. To learn more, see our self-assessment guides and webinars.

If you believe you received a scam email that looks like it came from USCIS requesting Form I-9 information, report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

E-Verify will transfer all case data to a new interface later this month. To assist in the transition, all open cases with a final case result should be closed.

Open cases that have not been accessed for more than 365 days will be closed by E-Verify, but will remain accessible to employers as completed or historical cases. Cases that have received a final result (Employment Authorized, Final Non-Confirmation) will be closed but will remain accessible to employers as completed or historical cases. Users are encouraged to complete and close their cases prior to the deployment date.

Open cases that are not completed, but were accessed within the last 365 days will remain open for the employer to continue processing.

For more information on how to properly close a case in E-Verify, see the pages 17-19 of the E-Verify Quick Reference Guide for Employers; E-Verify User Manual 4.0; 4.1 Close Case; and 4.2 Case Alert.

There is an easy way to let everyone know that you are using E-Verify to help maintain a legal workforce: request authorization to post the trademarked E-Verify logo on your website and printed materials.

Visit the Trademark and Logo Usage Guidelines webpage for more information and to submit the request.

E-Verify has resumed operations following the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lapse in appropriations. All E-Verify features and services, including the ability to resolve a Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC), are now available. Read more information about E-Verify resuming operations.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador will end on Sept. 9, 2019. Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status through Sept. 9, 2019, must re-register between Jan. 18, 2018, and March 19, 2018.

Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS recognizes that not all re-registrants will receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expire on March 9, 2018. Accordingly, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of EADs issued and currently valid under the TPS designation of El Salvador for 180 days, through Sept. 5, 2018.

Employers should encourage their employees to file applications for EADs as early as possible to ensure they receive their EAD before Sept. 5, 2018. Filing early will help them avoid lapses in their employment authorization documentation.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification:

• Refer to this "Federal Register notice (PDF), which provides confirmation that your employee’s EAD is automatically extended for 180 days, until Sept. 5, 2018.
• Your employee may present their EAD that has an expiration date of March 9, 2018, and a category code of “A-12” or “C-19,” along with Form I-797C that contains category code “A-12” or “C-19.” This combination is a List A document that is valid until Sept. 5, 2018.

You must reverify employment authorization of these employees by Sept. 6, 2018.

Find more details on the termination of this TPS designation for El Salvador on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the TPS page.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haiti will end on July 22, 2019. Current beneficiaries who want to maintain their status through July 22, 2019, must re-register between Jan. 18, 2018, and March 19, 2018.

Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, USCIS recognizes that not all re-registrants will receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expire on Jan. 22, 2018. Accordingly, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of Haiti that show an expiration date of Jan. 22, 2018, for 180 days through July 21, 2018. Additionally, individuals who have EADs with an expiration date of July 22, 2017, and who applied for a new EAD during the last re-registration period but have not yet received their new EADs are also covered by this automatic extension.

Completing Form I-9

When completing or updating Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, refer to this Federal Register notice, which provides confirmation that your employee’s EAD is automatically extended for 180 days, until July 21, 2018.

If your employee has already applied to re-register, they may have received a Form I-797C, Notice of Action. If so, they may also choose to present one of the following combinations that is a List A document valid until July 21, 2018:

• An EAD that has an expiration date of Jan. 22, 2018, and a category code of “A-12” or “C-19,” along with Form I-797C that contains category code “A-12” or “C-19.”
• An EAD that has an expiration date of July 22, 2017, and a category code of “A-12” or “C-19,” along with a Form I-797C that contains category code “A-12” or “C-19” and indicates a received date on or after May 24, 2017.

You must reverify employment authorization of these employees by July 22, 2018.

Find more details on the termination of this TPS designation for Haiti on I-9 Central and instructions for completing Form I-9 on the TPS page.

The E-Verify Connection newsletter is celebrating its 40th edition! Highlights include an announcement that clients of E-Verify employer agents now have the ability to electronically sign their memorandum of understanding, easy steps to enroll in E-Verify, free Spanish language Form I-9 resources, information on how to retrieve a lost or forgotten user ID, and guidance on E-Verify compliance. Thanks again for your continued support and being a dedicated subscriber.

Beginning Jan. 5, new federal contractors and subcontractors with a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirement must enter their Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when they enroll in E-Verify. Existing E-Verify employers designated as federal contractors with a FAR requirement do not have to provide their DUNS number, but will be prompted to enter it when they update their E-Verify company profile. To learn more about enrolling in E-Verify, use the E-Verify enrollment checklist and view the enrollment video.