Form I-9 is available from your hiring department or you may download a PDF version.

Every individual who is employed in the United States is required by federal law to provide evidence that he or she is eligible for employment. This is accomplished by the completion and verification of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

Your employer (UNH department/office) will give you Form I-9 and ask you to complete Section 1. Your departmental representative will complete Section 2 by examining and verifying documents you present regarding your identity and your employment eligibility. It is against the law for an employer to allow you to work unless Form I-9 has been completed and verified within three business days of beginning work.

Completing Section 1
Completing Section 2
Extension of Employment

Completing Section 1

Newly hired employees must complete and sign Section 1 of Form I-9 no later than the first day of employment. Section 1 should never be completed before the employee has accepted a job offer. Section 1 of Form I-9 is to be completed by the employee. What follows is a line by line description of how to complete Section 1:

• Name: Provide your full legal last name, first name, and middle initial. Your last name is your family name or surname. If you have two last names or a hyphenated last name, include both names in the last name field. Your first name is your given name. Your middle initial is the first letter of your second given name, or the first letter of your middle name, if any.
• Other names used: Provide all other names used, if any (including maiden name). If you have had no other legal names, write "N/A."
• Address: Provide the address where you currently live, including Street Number and Name, Apartment Number (if applicable), City, State, and Zip Code. Do not provide a post office box address (P.O. Box). Only border commuters from Canada or Mexico may use an international address in this field.
• Date of Birth: Provide your date of birth in the mm/dd/yyyy format. For example, January 23, 1950, should be written as 01/23/1950.

• U.S. Social Security Number: Provide your 9-digit Social Security number. Providing your Social Security number is voluntary. However, if your employer participates in E-Verify, you must provide your Social Security number. If you have not yet received your number write "applied for".
• E-mail Address and Telephone Number (Optional): You may provide your e-mail address and telephone number. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may contact you if DHS learns of a potential mismatch between the information provided and the information in DHS or Social Security Administration (SSA) records. You may write "N/A" if you choose not to provide this information.

• The next part of Section 1 pertains to the circumstances under which you are eligible for employment. If you are in a non-immigrant status (F1, J1, H1B, TN, etc.) you should mark the box which says "An alien authorized to work until." followed by the expiration date of your employment authorization. Your expiration date can be found on various immigration documents.
  • If you are in J-1 status, this employment expiration date is on Form DS-2019 in block 3.
  • If you are in F-1 status, this date will be on your Form I-20 in block 5, or on your Employment Authorization Card.
  • If you are in H-1B, TN or various other non-immigrant status, this date will be on your I-797 Notice of Approval Notice in the upper right-hand portion under your visa classification or on your I-94.
• The next line asks for your Alien or Admission Number. In most cases, you will not have an Alien number but you should have an admission number if you entered the U.S. legally. Your admission number can be found on your I-94. Write this number on this line.

Sign and date this form.

Completing Section 2

Section 2 is completed by the employer after examining evidence of your identity and your employment eligibility. There are three columns under Section 2 (Lists A, B and C). You must present original documents (not photocopies) to the person verifying your employment eligibility.

List A refers to documents that establish both identity and employment eligibility. Most students/scholars will not be in possession of a single document that will satisfy List A. The exceptions are students on Optional Practical Training and scholars with pending U.S. Permanent Residence applications who have been issued Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). In general, students/scholars will have to present documents from both Lists B and C.

List B refers to documents which establish identity. To prove your identity you may use your UNH identification card or a photo ID, such as a driver's license.

List C refers to documents which establish work eligibility. Although List C does not specify any of the immigration documents commonly held by international students and scholars, the documents indicated below are acceptable evidence of your eligibility for employment. We recommend the following to satisfy Item#7:

• If you are in J-1 status, we suggest that you show your DS-2019 and your I-94.
• If you are in F-1 status and not currently approved to exercise your OPT employment option, we suggest that you show your Form I-20 and your I-94.
• If you are in H-1B status, we suggest that you present your I-797, Notice of Action, and your I-94.

Please remember that whether you are an international student in F-1 or J-1 visa status, or an international employee in H-1 status, you are only authorized to work for UNH unless you have been approved for Optional Practical Training, Academic Training or Curricular Practical Training.

Extension of Employment

Form I-9 must be updated whenever your employment is extended. If you neglect to have Form I-9 updated, and your current employment authorization date expires, your paychecks will stop. Employment authorization usually corresponds with the expiration date on your Form I-20, DS-2019 or I-797 so you must first obtain an extension of stay. Consult OISS staff for extensions at least 30 days before your documents expire.

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