On April 2, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an updated Form I-9, the key document used to verify employment eligibility in the U.S. While the updated Form I-9 includes revised terminology and a new edition date, employers are not required to make any immediate changes. Still, it’s important for HR leaders and hiring managers to understand what’s different—and how it could impact your onboarding and E-Verify processes moving forward.
Key Changes to the Form I-9
This updated Form I-9 reflects language and formatting revisions rather than procedural or compliance changes. Specifically, the latest version includes the following updates:
- The term “noncitizen” has been replaced with “alien” throughout the form.
- The term “gender” has been replaced with “sex.”
- A new edition date of 01/20/25 now appears in the lower-left corner of the form.
In addition to the form itself, the Form I-9 Instructions have been updated to mirror these changes and include a revised Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Privacy Notice.
These updates will also be incorporated into E-Verify and E-Verify+ platforms starting April 3, 2025.
Do Employers Need to Switch Now?
Employers may continue using the previously issued versions of Form I-9 dated 08/01/2023, which remain valid until their respective expiration dates in 2026 and 2027.
This means that if your organization is currently using the 08/01/23 versions—whether paper-based or via electronic I-9 systems—you can maintain your current process without disruption.
A Note for E-Verify Users
If your company uses E-Verify, take note of a specific language inconsistency between the current Form I-9 and E-Verify beginning April 3, 2025.
Here’s what to watch for:
- On the older Form I-9, employees may check the box stating they are “a noncitizen authorized to work.”
- In E-Verify, the corresponding selection is now “an alien authorized to work.”
HR professionals and compliance managers should ensure their teams are aware of this change to prevent any confusion or potential mismatches during the verification process.
What’s Next?
While the changes in the updated Form I-9 are relatively minor, staying current with USCIS form revisions is a best practice. If your organization prefers to transition to the updated Form I-9 for consistency with E-Verify or internal documentation standards, you may do so at any time.
In the meantime, it’s wise to:
- Review internal onboarding checklists and form templates.
- Inform HR staff and hiring managers of the update.
- Monitor future announcements from USCIS in case a mandated deadline for using the new form is set.
Where to Find the Updated Form I-9
You can view and download the updated Form I-9 and instructions directly from the USCIS website. Additionally, the official USCIS announcement provides further context around the updates.
