How do I correct a mistake on an employee's Form I-9?

If the employer, recruiter, or referrer for a fee (employer) discovers an error in Section 1 of an employee's Form I-9, the employer should ask the employee to correct the error. When correcting Section 1, the employee should:

• Draw a line through the incorrect information
• Enter the correct information
• Initial and date the correction

Employees needing assistance to correct Section 1 can have a preparer and/or translator help with the correction. The preparer and/or translator should:

• Make the correction or help the employee make the correction by drawing a line through the incorrect information and entering the correction information
• Have the employee initial and date the correction
• Initial and date the correction next to the employee?s initials

Employers and/or their authorized representative may only correct errors made in Section 2 or Section 3 of Form I-9. When correcting Sections 2 or 3, the employer should:

• Draw a line through the incorrect information
• Enter the correct information
• Initial and date the correction

When an employer discovers they have completed an outdated expired Form I-9, they may correct the error by either stapling the outdated, but completed form, to the current version having the employer sign the current version notating why the current version is attached ( the wrong edition was used at time of hire) or, drafting a letter explaining that the wrong form was filled out correctly and in good faith.

To correct multiple recording errors on the form, the employer may redo the section on a new Form I-9 and attach it to the old form. A new Form I-9 can be completed if major errors (such as entire sections being left blank or Section 2 being completed based on unacceptable documents) need to be corrected. A note should be included in the file regarding the reason the employer made changes to an existing Form I-9 or completed a new Form I-9. This should be attached to the original Form I-9.

Electronic Forms I-9 should reflect all changes in their audit trail. For violations that reasonably cannot be corrected, the employer or recruiter or referrer for a fee must provide an explanation in writing as to why the corrections cannot be corrected and attach the explanation to the original Form I-9. Do NOT conceal any changes made on the form (other than simple notation errors when copying).

If you have previously made changes on Forms I-9 in White-Out instead, USCIS recommends that you attach a note to the corrected Forms I-9 explaining what happened. Be sure to sign and date the note.