Form I-9 Changes August 1, 2026: What Employers Should Check Now

If your hiring process relies on a Form I-9 PDF saved months ago, put one small task on your July checklist: replace it with a fresh copy from USCIS before August begins.

USCIS says that starting August 1, 2026, employers should use the Form I-9 version that displays an expiration date of May 31, 2027. The edition date is still August 1, 2023.

Those are two different dates, and that is where the confusion begins.

The expiration date changes, but the edition date does not

The edition date tells you which official version of the form you are using. It appears at the lower left of the form and remains August 1, 2023.

For a period of time, that same edition could display either a July 31, 2026 expiration date or a May 31, 2027 expiration date. Beginning August 1, USCIS directs employers to use the copy displaying the later expiration date.

The safest practical step is simple: do not rely on an old desktop file, email attachment, shared-drive copy, or printed stack. Download the current form and instructions directly from USCIS. If your company uses onboarding software, ask the person who manages it to confirm which expiration date appears in the form generated for new hires.

This is not a new filing with USCIS. Form I-9 has no filing fee, and employers retain completed forms in their own records rather than mailing them to USCIS or Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A quick Form I-9 timing refresher

The employee completes and signs Section 1 no later than the first day of employment. The employee may complete it after accepting the job offer and before the first day, but not before accepting an offer.

The employer, or the employer's authorized representative, generally completes Section 2 within three business days after the employee's first day of work. If the job will last fewer than three business days, Section 2 must be completed no later than the first day.

That makes a smooth appointment depend on coordination. The employer should send clear instructions, the employee should have access to the Lists of Acceptable Documents, and the authorized representative should know exactly which part of the process the employer expects them to complete.

The employee chooses which acceptable documents to present

This is an important compliance point. The employee may choose to present either:

• one unexpired document from List A; or

• one unexpired document from List B together with one unexpired document from List C.

The Department of Justice warns employers not to demand a particular document, request more documents than the form requires, or reject documents that reasonably appear genuine and relate to the employee because of the person's citizenship status or national origin.

In plain language, an employer should not tell every new hire to bring a passport, a green card, or any other specific document. Give the employee the official list and let the employee choose an acceptable combination.

What happens when the employee is remote?

An employer may designate an authorized representative to complete the employer's portion of Form I-9 on its behalf. USCIS has explained that the representative may be a notary or another person selected by the employer.

When a notary serves in that role, the person is acting as the employer's authorized representative, not performing a notarization. Form I-9 is not stamped or notarized. The employer should provide its directions and remains responsible for the process.

This distinction matters because “mobile notary” and “Form I-9 appointment” can sound like the same service. They are not. A Form I-9 authorized-representative visit is an employment-document examination and completion appointment performed under the employer's authorization. It is not an immigration consultation, a decision about whether someone may work, or a notarial act.

A practical July checklist for Atlanta-area employers

Before August 1:

1. Download a fresh Form I-9 and instructions from USCIS.

2. Confirm the form displays the May 31, 2027 expiration date.

3. Confirm the edition date at the lower left remains August 1, 2023.

4. Replace old blank copies in onboarding folders, shared drives, and hiring packets.

5. Check the version supplied by any onboarding or HR software.

6. Give each new hire access to the official instructions and Lists of Acceptable Documents.

7. Do not ask the employee for a specific document or extra documents.

8. For a remote hire, designate the authorized representative and send clear written instructions before the appointment.

These steps do not replace your company's legal or HR compliance review. They do reduce the chance that a simple version-control problem creates an avoidable delay during onboarding.

Local help for an in-person Form I-9 appointment

Bohemian Notary & Apostille Services LLC provides mobile and appointment-based document support in Metro Atlanta. When an employer designates us as its authorized representative, we can meet the employee, examine the documents the employee chooses from the official acceptable-document lists, and complete the assigned employer section according to the employer's instructions.

We do not decide immigration status, select documents for the employee, provide legal advice, or notarize Form I-9.

Before scheduling, the employer should send its authorization, instructions, and preferred method for returning the completed form. The employee should bring original acceptable documents chosen from the official lists, not ordinary photocopies unless USCIS rules specifically permit a receipt or other exception.

Need to coordinate a Form I-9 authorized-representative appointment in Metro Atlanta? Call or text 404-594-2810, email support@ATLNotaryPro.com, or visit ATLNotaryPro.com.

This article provides general information and document-logistics guidance. It is not legal advice, immigration advice, or an eligibility determination. Employers should review current USCIS instructions and consult qualified legal or HR counsel when appropriate.