Form I-9 Instructions for New Employees (including Student Employees)

What is a Form I-9?

Form I-9 also known as the Employment Eligibility Verification form is used by United States employers to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. Both employees and employers must complete this form. UW-Madison uses Workday for processing the Form I-9.

How to Complete Form I-9

Read through the instructions below for how to complete Section 1 and 2 or begin by watching a video walk through of the process. Additional information is provided for International Students.

Section 1

Follow the directions to complete Section 1. Contact your I-9 Coordinator if you have any questions.

Instructions for section 1
1. Log in to Workday and Locate "My Tasks"	My Tasks is located in the upper right corner. Click on it and select "Complete Form I-9". By the end of your first day of paid work, complete Section 1 of the Form I-9. By the end of the third business day, present original, unexpired documents to verify your identity and employment authorization to your I-9 Coordinator who must review the document(s) with you to complete the Form I-9. Ensure you have your documents prior to your appointment with the I-9 Coordinator.
2. Verify Information	Your name, address and date of birth will auto-populate on the form. Verify your address, or if blank, enter a United States home address. Nothing will be mailed to the address you enter here.
3. Citizenship Status	Select your citizenship status. "A citizen of the United States": A United States citizen is an individual who is either born in the United States or has obtained United States citizenship through naturalization. "A noncitizen national of the United States": A noncitizen national is an individual born in American Samoa or Swains Island, which are United States territories. "A lawful permanent resident": An individual who has been granted lawful permanent residency in the United States and is authorized to live and work in the country. Please see additional information within the International Student Form I-9 Instructions section below. "A noncitizen authorized to work (An alien authorized to work)": Noncitizens who are authorized to work in the United States based on a specific visa or temporary status. This includes individuals who have a temporary work visa (e.g. H-1B, F-1, J-1, O-1, etc.) or those whose employment authorization through a different status (e.g. DACA recipients). Please see additional information within the International Employee Form I-9 Instructions section below.
4. Complete Section 1	Sign Electronically: Selecting the required “I Agree” box serves as your electronic signature. Preparer or Translator If you did not use a preparer or translator, select “I did not use a preparer or translator.” If you used a preparer or translator, select “A preparer(s) and/or translator(s) assisted the employee in completing Section 1" and enter the required information. Submit: Hit the "Submit" button.

Section 2

You are not done yet. Now it is time to present original (photocopies will not be accepted), unexpired documents to verify your identity and employment authorization to the I-9 Coordinator. These documents must be provided in person to the I-9 Coordinator who must review the document(s) to complete Section 2 of the Form I-9.

Some acceptable forms of documentation include:

United States Passport
Driver's License issued by a state or outlying territory of the United States AND Social Security Card or birth certificate
Students on an F-1 Visa: Foreign Passport with Form I-20 and Form I-94

Review the USCIS website for Form I-9 Acceptable Documents. Ensure you have acceptable documents to establish your identity and employment authorization.

Important: If you do not have your identity and employment authorization documents with you, you must obtain your documents prior to your appointment with the I-9 Coordinator to complete Section 2 of the Form I-9. You must plan accordingly to ensure you have your documents or you may not start your employment.

International Employee Form I-9 Instructions

The following information is intended to provide basic guidance to employees who do not identify as a United States citizen.

Important: A Form I-9 is not required if you are working outside of the United States; however, if you transition to the United States while your appointment is still active, you are required to complete a Form I-9 upon your arrival in the United States.

If you identify as a permanent resident:

Select "A lawful permanent resident" when completing Form I-9 Section 1. The system will then ask for your USCIS or A-Number, which can be found on the front of your permanent resident card.

If you identify as a nonresident (F-1, J-1, H-1B, O-1):

Select "A noncitizen authorized to work (An alien authorized to work)"when completing Form I-9 Section 1. The system will then ask for your authorized to work until date. The date can be found on your employment authorization documents (e.g. Form I-20, Form DS-2019, Form I-797A, etc.). Please see the following as to where you can find this date for Section 1:

F-1: Enter the "Program End Date" from Form I-20.

F-1 OPT: Enter the "Card Expires" date from EAD card.

J-1: Enter the "To Date in Form Covers Period" from Form DS-2019.

H-1B: Enter the "Admit Until Date" or "Valid From Date" from Form I-94/Form I-797A.

If you would like to use your I-94 number and need to locate it, it can be acquired through the Federal I-94 database. Select "Get Most Recent I-94" along the top of the screen and enter your information. The Admission Number is your I-94 number.

Updated: Apr. 18, 2025
Source URL: https://hr.wisc.edu/hr-guides/for-employees/form-i-9-instructions-for-new-employees-including-student-employees/