Additional Form I-9 information

To legally employ non-U.S. citizens, employers must ensure that employees have the necessary authorization to work in the United States, often through a visa or work permit, and must verify the employee's identity and employment eligibility. It is the responsibility of the non-U.S. citizen employee to provide all required information and documentation for the university to confirm authorization to work in the U.S. See this manual provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for detailed information. 

Important reminder for F-1 or J-1 students

For I-9 completion, make sure the I-20 you present reflects “change of education level,” “initial attendance,” or “continued attendance” – not “transfer pending” or “change of status.” 

If you currently have an I-20 with a Form Issue Reason of “transfer pending” or “change of status,” you must complete your Immigration Check-In e-form on the Intl Hokies Portal before beginning your on-campus work. Once your check-in is approved, you will be issued a "continued attendance" I-20, which must be submitted to Virginia Tech’s Payroll Office in order to start your on-campus employment.

An I-20 issued for a “change of education level” is a valid document for employment eligibility but still requires completion of the check-in process through the Intl Hokies Portal.

Visit this USCIS page for information combination documents that can be used for employment verification.

When Form I-9s need reverification

Employees with temporary work authorization must recertify their Form I-9 before their current authorization expires to maintain employment eligibility. Employees must provide valid, unexpired authorization documents, based on the acceptable documents list.

Copies of the documents that employees intend to use for reverification should be uploaded to the Foreign National Documentation Dropbox. When submitting the dropbox form, select the appropriate immigration status or “All Other EAD Categories” under “What action would you like to perform?” Employees should be prepared to also bring the originals of these documents to their I-9 reverification appointment with the International Tax team, who will complete Section 3 of Form I-9 to update work authorization.

NOTE: It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure timely recertification to avoid any interruption in work. Please contact I9 Reverify for questions or help with the recertification process.

Additional Resources

• Cranwell International Center on-campus employment 
• International student onboarding at Virginia Tech
• USCIS fact sheet for students