Form I-9 Processor Tools and Resources

Form I-9 processor training

Following are links to required training in the PageUp Learning Management System (LMS). All processors must complete this training to have E-verify access to complete Section 2 of Form I-9.

• Employment Verification Certification (**Coming Soon: Content on how to process Form I-9 virtually)
• Fraudulent Document Awareness

Resource materials and job aids

• The Online Form I-9 and E-Verify Processor guide includes visual examples of the Form I-9 process in the New HIre Center. 
• Acceptable Form I-9 documents (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service site)
• E-verify Return Responses (may be received in the application, E-Verify issues category, or I-9 management reports)
• Handbook for Employers M-274 (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service manual on employment authorization and identity)
  • For samples of acceptable documents, see Section 13.0 of Handbook for Employers M-274
• International student checklist (for F-1 and J-1 students)

Common Form I-9 processing errors

Refer to the list below for common Form I-9 processing errors to avoid.

• Processing a new Form I-9 when one is not required: The university is charged for each Form I-9 processed. It is important to make sure that a new form is needed before processing.
• Photo attachment is not legible: Most commonly, the photo attachment is too dark to confirm the image. Please ensure attachments are clear and legible for anyone that opens them to view. Always verify legibility after attaching the scanned document. Adjust the darkness to make the image legible or rescan and attach again.
• Section 2 employment begin date does not match the Banner start date: Form I-9 is prepopulated with the employee's Banner start date, which is the date that should be used for Form I-9 employment verfication.
• Notification of a new hire after employment begin date, resulting in retroactive job begin date: Retroactive job entries will most likely result in a late Form I-9, particularly Section 1. Notify your HR representative if a situation like this occurs.
• System issues delay completion, which might not be reflective of department/unit performance, but results in non-compliance: If a packet has not been created or a new hire is experiencing issues accessing the packet, email the HRIT team at HRask@vt.edu, include New Hire Center in the subject line.

Frequently asked questions

How do I determine whether a Form I-9 is required for my employee?

Follow these steps to determine if a Form I-9 is required:

1. Open Banner form PZII9HS for the employee.
2. Does the employee have an E-Verify case number?
   • NO: Complete an I-9 (all employees should be confirme through E-verify)
   • YES: Continue with the next step
3. Open Banner form PWIEMPV for the employee.
4. Review the job Start and End dates.
5. Is there a break in service or break in pay of more than one year?
   • NO: Do NOT complete a Form I-9
   • YES: Continue with the next step
6. Verify that a Form I-9 is not already underway. If it is, do not another one and complete the one that is already underway. 

NOTE: Review the employee authorization documents for non-residents as they may have changed. For wage employees, be sure that the Banner End date reflects when they actually stopped working.

Can I accept documents that have expired or are about to expire?

Documents that have expired as of the first day of employment are NOT acceptable. Do not refuse to hire an individual because of a future expiration date though.

Are document copies acceptable to verify eligibility and complete Section 2 of Form I-9?

No, employees must present original documents. The only exception is that an employee may present a certified copy of a birth certificate.