The comment period recently closed on proposed changes to Form I-9.  The revised version is expected to be a “smart” form, meaning employers could complete the I-9 electronically, taking advantage of drop-down lists and onscreen instructions.

Even though the form could be completed on a computer, it would still be printed, and the hard copy would be signed and filed.

It’s wait-and-see time

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIA) posted a Nov. 24, 2015 Federal Register notice regarding revisions to the form.  Employers then had 60 days to make comments.  Now that the Jan 25, 2016 deadline has passed, it’s wait-and-see time.

As USCIS noted in its February E-Verify Connection newsletter, the current form has an expiration date of March 31, 2016.  If the new form I-9 hasn’t been released by then, employers must continue using the existing form, USCIS said.