What is an I-9?
The employment eligibility verification form, most commonly known as an I-9, is a requirement for all travel nurses to complete within three business days upon starting. As a travel nurse, you are frequently changing assignments, and each time you start a new assignment you must complete an I-9.
We understand that properly completing the I-9 can be rather confusing. That is why we have broken down the different sections and provided an instructional video to help you out with your next travel nursing assignment.
Section 1
The first section of the Form I-9 must be completed by the first day of your nursing assignment. Most of the information required in this section is rather straightforward. The form requires you to provide your full legal name, address, date of birth, social security number, email, and telephone number. Additionally, you need to confirm that you are a legal U.S. citizen or provide your Alien Number/USCIS Number, Form I-94 admission number, or foreign passport number if applicable. Lastly, your new employer will confirm the information you provided and ensure you completed all of the required fields.
Section 2
Employers are required to complete and sign section 2 within three business days of your assignment start date. In order to do so, you must provide your employer with one document from List A or provide one document from List B and one from List C. List A documents are any documents that show proof of identity and employment authorization, for example, a passport. List B documents prove only identity, and List C documents only show employment authorization. Therefore, you must use these two together. Your employer will then complete the rest of section 2.
Section 3
Lastly, comes section 3, which is known as the reverification and rehires section. This section only needs to be completed by your employer if your authorization of employment in the U.S. has expired, you have changed your legal name, or you were rehired within three years of your original start date. Once you have completed section 1 and section 2, and your employer has done their part for section 3, you have successfully finished the Form I-9.
I-9 Supporting Documents
The purpose of the I-9 is to establish your identity and prove your authorization to work in the United States by providing personal documentation. However, determining which documents you need can be rather confusing. Below is a list of acceptable documents that fall under each category.
List A Documents
Documents in List A prove both your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Examples of List A documents include the following:
- A U.S. Passport Card
- A Permanent Resident Card (often called a “Green Card”) or Alien Registration Receipt Card with photograph
- An unexpired Temporary Resident Card
- An unexpired foreign passport with an I-551 stamp, or with Form I-94
- An unexpired Employment Authorization Document issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security that includes a photograph (Form I-766) or
- An unexpired Employment Authorization Card
List B Documents
Documents in list B only establish your identity. The list below shows some examples:
- Driver’s license or identification card issued by a U.S. state or outlying possession of the U.S.
- Federal or state identification card
- School identification card with photograph
- U.S. Armed Services identification card or draft record
- Voter Registration Card
- U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card
- Native American tribal document
- Driver’s license issued by a Canadian government authority or
- Trusted traveler documentation
List C Documents
Documents in list C only prove your authorization to work in the United States, such as:
- A U.S. Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration
- A birth certificate issued by the U.S. State Department
- Original or certified copy of a birth certificate from the U.S. or an outlying possession of the U.S., bearing an official seal
- A Certificate of U.S. Citizenship
- A Certificate of Naturalization
- Native American tribal document
- U.S. Citizen ID Card
- An ID Card for the use of a Resident Citizen in the United States
- An unexpired employment authorization card issued by the Dept. of Homeland Security (other than those included on List A) or
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
Who Can be An Authorized Representative for an I-9 Form?
Section 2 of the I-9 requires that an authorized representative inspects the provided documents to confirm their authenticity. The company or organization that hires you has the right to choose whoever they would like to act as your authorized representative. This is useful especially when you have been hired to work remotely or offsite.
Common I-9 Mistakes to Avoid
When you are completing the I-9 for your new travel nursing position, make sure to take your time and avoid some of these common mistakes:
- Not completing the form clearly enough that it can be read.
- Make sure any copy of provided documentation is clear and legible.
- Before you begin, ensure that you are using the most up to date Form I-9 and not an older version.
Feel free to use the video below for a more in-depth explanation on how to complete the I-9 as a travel nurse!
