The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has adopted a final rule on Form I-9 that is effective on May 16, 2011. One of the biggest changes under the final rule is that employers are prohibited from accepting expired documents when completing the I-9. The USCIS reasoned that expired documents “are prone to tampering and fraudulent use.” Thus, even individuals whose work status does not expire such as those holding U.S. passports, Permanent Residency Cards or Alien Registration Cards, must show unexpired documents to comply with I-9.

The USCIS also revised the list of acceptable documents and eliminated outdated documents. For example, Temporary Resident Cards (I 688) and Forms I-688A and I-688B have been removed, because the USCIS no longer issues such cards and any such document would have expired by the effective date of the final rule. Documents applicable to certain citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Island are now acceptable.