U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued minor revisions to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, and corresponding updates to the E-Verify system to ensure alignment with statutory language and updated privacy protections. While the changes are not sweeping, employers should take note to remain compliant with federal employment verification requirements.

What's New in the Revised Form I-9?

The updated Form I-9, bearing the edition date 01/20/25 and expiration date 05/31/2027, is now available for use. Although this form is recommended, several older versions remain valid:

• Form I-9 (08/01/23 edition) — valid until 05/31/2027

• Form I-9 (08/01/23 edition) — valid until 07/31/2026
  (Employers using this version must update electronic systems with the new expiration date by July 31, 2026.)

Key updates to the new form include:

• Section 1 Checkbox Update: The fourth checkbox has been renamed from “A noncitizen authorized to work” to “An alien authorized to work” to reflect statutory language.

• List B Document Clarifications: Descriptions of two List B documents in the Lists of Acceptable Documents have been revised for clarity.

• Instructional Revisions: The instructions now include updated statutory references and a revised DHS Privacy Notice.

E-Verify and E-Verify+ Changes Starting April 3, 2025

USCIS has also updated the E-Verify and E-Verify+ systems to reflect this statutory language change. Beginning April 3, 2025, during case creation:

• The citizenship status selection will now display “An alien authorized to work” instead of “A noncitizen authorized to work.”

• This change applies across all E-Verify platforms and is consistent with the language in the revised Form I-9.

What This Means for Employers

Employers should be aware of the following when completing Form I-9 and using E-Verify:

• If an employee checks “A noncitizen authorized to work” on their Form I-9, the employer must still select “An alien authorized to work” in E-Verify.

• Depending on the version of Form I-9 being used, employers and employees may still see the older terminology — and that's acceptable as long as the form is valid.

• E-Verify+ users will see the updated edition and expiration dates reflected in Form I-9NG.

• Web Services (WS) users: even if a submission uses the outdated language, E-Verify will automatically update the status to reflect the new statutory term.

• Developers of WS applications should update their systems as soon as possible to transmit the revised language, although the current Interface Control Agreement (ICA) version 31.1 remains unchanged.

Final Thoughts

While these updates are minor, they underscore the importance of staying current with Form I-9 and E-Verify policies. At Saluja Law, we help businesses maintain full compliance with employment verification laws and adapt quickly to regulatory changes.