USCIS released a revised Form I-9 (edition date 01/20/2025) on April 2, 2025. The changes are small, but every employer should make sure they are using a valid version of the form and that any electronic I-9 system shows the correct expiration date.
What changed
- Section 1 wording. The fourth status checkbox now reads “An alien authorized to work,” returning to the language used before the 2023 edition (which had said “A noncitizen authorized to work”).
- List B documents. The descriptions of two List B documents in the Lists of Acceptable Documents were updated.
- Instructions. The form instructions now include updated statutory language and a revised Department of Homeland Security privacy notice.
- Dates. The new edition is dated 01/20/2025 and expires 05/31/2027.
Which versions you can still use
You do not have to throw out your current forms. Employers may keep using a valid prior edition (the 08/01/2023 version) until the expiration date printed on it. There is one firm deadline to know: by July 31, 2026, any electronic or software-based I-9 system must be updated to show the correct expiration date and the revised form.
E-Verify
As of April 3, 2025, E-Verify and E-Verify+ were updated to match the new Section 1 terminology, so the systems already reflect the change.
What employers should do
- Check your form. Confirm the edition date on the I-9 you hand to new hires, and download the current version if you are still printing an old one.
- Check your software. If you complete I-9s through an HR or onboarding system, confirm your vendor has updated it before the July 31, 2026 deadline.
- Leave completed forms alone. You do not need to redo I-9s that were properly completed on a valid earlier edition.
- Brief your team. Make sure whoever handles onboarding knows which form to use and is aware of the wording change.
For the official form and instructions, see USCIS I-9 Central, and check our Form I-9 page for a full walkthrough of how to complete and store the form.
This is general educational information, not legal advice. Confirm how these requirements apply to your business with qualified counsel.