Accepting Receipts for the Form I-9

Sometimes a new employee doesn’t have a document they need to prove either identity or work authorization for the Form I-9 within the required 3-day timeline from their start date. What are employers to do?

When You Can Accept a “Receipt”

Employers may accept a receipt for List A B or C documents that have been lost, stolen or destroyed in place of a List A B or C document for a period of 90 days.

Receipts That Are Not Acceptable

Employers may not accept a receipt notice from USCIS for a new document (or renewal for an expired document) as this is a receipt for a new or extended document NOT for a document that was lost, stolen or destroyed.

How to Complete the Form I-9 When a Receipt is Accepted:

When a receipt is accepted, employers are to write “receipt” and then the document number on the “Document Number Line” and use 90 days from the employee’s start date as the expiration date. The replacement document must be presented before this 90 day period expires, therefore the employer must track this date and be sure to follow up with the employee. When the replacement document is presented, the employer does NOT complete Section 3, but rather crosses out the word receipt, document number and expiration date in Section 2 and enters the document number and expiration date (if applicable) of the new document.