Immigration I-9 Verification: HR Playbook for Foreign National Employees

Why this matters for immigration I-9 verification

Every employee must have a completed Form I-9. For foreign national employees, you will sometimes need to reverify work authorization when it has an end date. Missing a reverification or asking for the wrong document can create risk in an audit.

Common risks

• Tracking expirations in spreadsheets that no one owns
• Asking for a specific document and creating a discrimination risk
• Missing automatic extensions and over-suspending employees
• Confusing I-9 reverification with E-Verify case updates

What you will get here

• A simple checklist for new hires and reverification
• Exactly when to reverify and when not to
• Status-specific playbooks for H-1B, F-1 OPT and STEM OPT, EAD categories, and TPS
• A 30-60-90 day plan and copy-paste scripts

Immigration I-9 verification basics

• Complete a Form I-9 for every new hire by the required timelines.
• You must allow the employee to choose which acceptable document(s) to present from List A or List B + List C.
• Keep I-9s separate from personnel files and restrict access to the need-to-know team.
• Use Supplement B to reverify or for eligible rehires within 3 years of the original I-9.

Immigration I-9 verification: when to reverify

Reverify only when an employee’s proof of work authorization has a time limit. Typical triggers:

• An EAD card will expire, and the person does not have a status that authorizes ongoing work without an EAD.
• A non-immigrant status has an end date on the I-94 (for example, H-1B, L-1, TN, E-3, O-1), and no timely-filed extension has been submitted.
• The person moved from one temporary category to another, and their new proof has a new end date.
• The employee reenters the U.S. and receives a new I-94. The new I-94 end date controls work authorization for that status and supersedes prior I-94 dates. Set the reverification date to the new I-94 end date (or earlier if the underlying petition or passport expires sooner).

When you should not reverify

• U.S. citizens
• Lawful permanent residents.
• When List B identity documents expire.
• When U.S. passports and passport cards expire.

Handling new I-94s: Immigration I-9 verification post-travel

• Require non-immigrant employees to upload their new I-94 within 3 business days of return from international travel.
• Compare the new I-94 end date with the prior I-94, the I-797 approval notice end date, and the passport expiration. Use the earliest date as your control date for continued work and reverification.
• You don’t complete Supplement B just because a new I-94 number was issued. Use Supplement B when you are reverifying due to an approaching end date. Otherwise, update your tracker and add a standard note (see below).
• If CBP shortened admission because of a soon-expiring passport, coordinate with counsel. You may need a deferred inspection correction.

What counts as a timely extension

• If you filed a work-authorized nonimmigrant extension (for example, H-1B) before the I-94 end date, the employee may keep working for up to 240 days while USCIS processes the case. Track the 240-day mark and reverify by that date or when USCIS decides the case, whichever comes first.
• If an employee filed a qualifying EAD renewal, most eligible categories receive an automatic extension of up to 540 days. For TPS-based EAD renewals pending or filed on or after July 22, 2025, the automatic extension is up to 1 year or the duration of TPS, whichever is shorter. You must update the I-9 with the new auto-extended end date and reverify by that date.

Tip: For automatic EAD extensions, the new end date is the earlier of the automatic extension limit (for example, 540 days or TPS-specific limit) or the end of the person’s I-94 status. Keep a copy of the USCIS auto-extension guidance in the I-9 file and use the USCIS calculator to set the date.

Status-specific guidance

H-1B, E-3, TN, L-1, O-1 and similar

• What to track: I-94 end date. Petition receipt number if an extension is filed.
• If a timely extension is filed: Update the I-9 notes with the receipt and continue work for up to 240 days beyond the I-94 end date. Reverify when USCIS approves or at day 240, whichever is earlier.
• If no timely filing: Suspend work on the next day after the I-94 end date.

F-1 OPT and STEM OPT

• OPT: Work ends on the EAD end date unless there is a cap-gap or STEM extension.
• STEM OPT: Update the I-9 with the new EAD when issued. If a timely STEM extension is filed, use the automatic extension period shown in the regulations and USCIS guidance to set the I-9 reverification date.
• Cap-gap: If a cap-subject H-1B change of status is filed and receipted, work authorization is automatically extended through September 30. Update I-9 notes and set a reverification for October 1 if the H-1B is not yet approved.

EAD-based categories (asylee, asylum applicant, refugee, TPS, certain spouses, etc.)

• If a timely EAD renewal is filed in an eligible category, use the automatic extension rule to set the new reverification date.
• TPS: Follow the Federal Register notices for any country-specific automatic extensions. Update I-9 notes with the notice citation and the new end date.

Lawful permanent residents

• No reverification when a green card expires. If no green card is available at hire, acceptable alternatives include an I-551 stamp in the passport or an I-797 extending permanent residence with a stated end date. Reverify only if the temporary proof itself expires.

Immigration I-9 verification checklist for new hires

1. Give the list of Acceptable Documents and let the employee choose. Do not request a specific document.
2. For foreign national hires, record the document number and any end date.
3. Create your first reverification task in the tracker based on that end date.
4. If the company uses the DHS Alternative Procedure for remote document review, follow the photo + video rules and retain the required copies.

Immigration I-9 reverification checklist

1. Start outreach 90 days before the end date.
2. Ask the employee to provide new proof of authorization. Do not name a document.
3. If an extension was filed, record the receipt and note any automatic extension period.
4. Complete Supplement B with the new document info or the new end date.
5. Update your tracker and confirm the next check date.

30-60-90 day plan to get immigration I-9 verification under control

Next 30 days

• Build a single I-9 dashboard: employee name, status type, document type, number, end date, auto-extension eligibility, next action, and owner.
• Turn on 90-60-30 reminders.
• Train recruiters and HRBPs to avoid document-specific requests.

Next 60 days

• Audit 10 percent of files for reverification accuracy.
• Fix missing receipts and add auto-extension notes where eligible.
• Standardize the Additional Information note format.

Next 90 days

• Run a full-cycle test with a real extension and a real auto-extension.
• Document handoffs between HR, managers, and payroll when a suspension is required.

Standard I-9 notes for immigration I-9 verification

• H-1B timely extension:
  • "Timely filed I-129 for H-1B on [MM/DD/YYYY]. 240-day extension in effect.
  • Continue work until [MM/DD/YYYY] or USCIS decision, whichever is earlier. Receipt [#####]."
• EAD auto-extension:
  • "EAD [category], card expires [MM/DD/YYYY].
  • Timely filed I-765 on [MM/DD/YYYY].
  • Auto-extended through [MM/DD/YYYY] per USCIS 540-day rule."
• Cap-gap:
  • "F-1 OPT to H-1B cap-gap. Receipt [#####].
  • Work authorization extended to 09/30/[YY]."

Quick FAQ on immigration I-9 verification

Do I reverify when a driver’s license expires? No. List B documents do not trigger reverification.

We use E-Verify. Do we still need Form I-9? Yes. E-Verify does not replace Form I-9. It is a separate step.

Can we ask for a green card from a permanent resident? No. Let the employee choose any acceptable documents. Keep anti-discrimination rules in mind.

What if we rehire someone? Within 3 years of the original I-9, you can use Supplement B to reverify or update instead of starting a brand new I-9.

What we can do for you

• Manage pre-travel risk analysis and guidance
• Manage post-travel compliance for HR and employees
• Clean up your tracker, set the right reverification dates, and add automation.
• Run a 50-file spot audit and fix notes that could create risk in an audit.

Reach out to our team at support@waylit.com

This playbook on immigration I-9 verification is current as of publication. Always follow the latest USCIS M-274 guidance and your counsel’s advice.