Completing Form I-9

Upon receipt of a job offer, verification of eligibility to work in the United States must be documented by completing the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9. Completion of this form applies to all new and returning USF employees, including domestic students and international students who are eligible to work in the United States.

With the implementation of USFWorks, the Form I-9 is digital and Student Employment no longer accepts physical copies of the form. Newly hired and rehired student workers will complete Section 1 during their onboarding process. New hires will then complete the requirement by presenting their original supporting documents in person to a Student Employment Representative; returning student employees (rehires) will contact the Office of Student Employment to confirm whether they have a valid Form I-9 on file with the office. For official Form I-9 instructions, see the USCIS I-9 webpage.

*Please note that employment authorizations (Form I-9) verified prior to May 1, 2020 have expired. Returning USF student employees must present valid, unexpired supporting documentation in person to the Student Employment Office prior to beginning work.


USFWorks Form I-9 Instructions

Learn more by expanding the relevant section below.

  • After receiving a job offer and before beginning work: newly hired and rehired USF student employees must complete their USFWorks onboarding tasks and then visit the Student Employment Office (Lone Mountain Main, Room 203) to complete their in-person employment verification with a member of the Student Employment Office. Before your visit, review the list of acceptable documents. In person, you must present original, unexpired documentation that establishes your identity and employment authorization in order for the Student Employment Office to complete Section 2 and subsequently authorize you to begin work. (See Section 2 below for more information.) It is preferable that you arrive at the Student Employment Office with all 10 onboarding tasks completed in advance. However, if you need assistance with this process, we will be happy to help.
  • Section I: Employee Information and Attestation: The information here will automatically populate based on your responses in the previous onboarding tasks. Ensure that all fields are correct and complete, noting the following:
  • If “Other Names Used” does not apply, leave this field blank and "N/A" will automatically populate in the blank field. 
  • Your primary home address, as entered in the "Enter Contact Information" task, will be your current physical address. If Apt. Number does not apply, leave the field blank to generate “N/A” after submission. Ensure that this address is correct.
  • Check the appropriate citizenship box. If you are a native or naturalized US citizen, check the first box. If you are a non-citizen national of the United States (see page 2 of Form I-9 instructions), check the second box. If you are a lawful permanent resident, check the third box and enter your Alien Registration Number/USCIS Number on the line provided.
  • Check the box to provide your signature and today’s date (the date you are completing the form) will be automatically generated.
  • The next area of Section I, Preparer and/or Translator Certification, should be completed only if a professional preparer has completed the form for you or someone has translated the form for you. If you did not use a preparer or translator, check the option indicating, "I did not use a preparer or translator" and leave the remaining fields blank.
  • Section 2: Employer or Authorized Representative Review and Verification: When you submit the "Complete Form I-9" task, a final task will be generated titled, "To Do: Provide I-9 Documentation." This task instructs student employees to provide documentation in support of their I-9 submission to the USF Student Employment Office, located in Lone Mountain Main, Room 203). If you are a student at one of USF's additional locations, contact the Student Employment Office by email or call (415) 422-6770.

    In order for a member of the Student Employment Office to complete Section 2, you must present acceptable documents that establish your identity and employment authorization, in person. Review the list of acceptable documents and ensure that you have possession of the original documents before your start date. Only original, unexpired documents (or, in some cases, a certified copy) must be presented in person to a member of the Student Employment Office. This may require your parent or guardian to mail the original documents to you.
  • After receiving a job offer and before beginning work: newly hired and rehired USF student employees must complete their USFWorks onboarding tasks and then visit the Student Employment Office (Lone Mountain Main, Room 203) to complete their in-person employment verification with a member of the Student Employment Office. Before your visit, review the list of acceptable documents. In person, you must present original, unexpired documentation that establishes your identity and employment authorization in order for the Student Employment Office to complete Section 2 and subsequently authorize you to begin work. (See Section 2 below for more information.) It is preferable that you arrive at the Student Employment Office with all 10 onboarding tasks completed in advance. However, if you need assistance with this process, we will be happy to help.
  • Section I: Employee Information and Attestation: The information here will automatically populate based on your responses in the previous onboarding tasks. Ensure that all fields are correct and complete, noting the following:
  • Ensure that your full legal name, beginning with your surname, is correct.
  • If “Other Names Used” does not apply, leave this field blank and "N/A" will automatically populate in the blank field. 
  • Provide your current U.S. address. If Apt. Number does not apply, leave the field blank to generate “N/A” after submission. Ensure that this address is correct.
  • If you do not have a Social Security Number, the temporary SSN entered in the "Edit Government IDs" task, will be included in the Form I-9. This ID allows you to be added to USF payroll while you obtain a valid U.S. Social Security Number for tax reporting purposes.
  • Check the appropriate citizenship box. If you are an international student studying under an F-1 or J-1 visa (most common Visa types), check the fourth box, “An alien authorized to work until…” (Note: the definition of “alien” in this context means “foreign national." USF encourages use of the latter and not the former.) 
  • In the line provided for the end date of your authorization to work in the United States, provide the end date on your I-20 (block 5) if you are an F-1 visa student. Provide the expiration date on your DS-2019 (block 3) if you are a J-1 visa student.
  • Provide your Alien Registration Number/USCIS Number OR your Form I-94 Admission Number. If your I-94 Admission Number was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, write your Foreign Passport Number and Country of Issuance in the following two lines.
  • Check the box to provide your signature and today’s date (the date you are completing the form) will be automatically generated.
  • The next area of Section I, Preparer and/or Translator Certification, should be completed only if a professional preparer has completed the form for you or someone has translated the form for you. If you did not use a preparer or translator, check the option indicating, "I did not use a preparer or translator" and leave the remaining fields blank.
  • Section 2: Employer or Authorized Representative Review and Verification: When you submit the "Complete Form I-9" task, a final task will be generated titled, "To Do: Provide I-9 Documentation." This task instructs student employees to provide documentation in support of their I-9 submission to the USF Student Employment Office, located in Lone Mountain Main, Room 203). If you are a student at one of USF's additional locations, contact the Student Employment Office by email or call (415) 422-6770.

    In order for a member of the Student Employment Office to complete Section 2, you must present acceptable documents that establish your identity and employment authorization, in person. Review the list of acceptable documents and ensure that you have possession of the original documents before your start date. Only original, unexpired documents (or, in some cases, a certified copy) must be presented in person to a member of the Student Employment Office. This may require your parent or guardian to mail the original documents to you.

Commonly Asked I-9 Questions

Expand each section below for answers to the most commonly asked I-9 questions.

Employees must provide documentation to their employers to show their identity and authorization to work. 

The most commonly presented documents from USF students are: 

  • Domestic students:
    • U.S. Passport; or 
    • Valid, state-issued photo ID card plus original Social Security card; or
    • Valid, state-issued photo ID card plus original Certified U.S. Birth Certificate 
  • International students:
    • J-1: Foreign passport and most recent I-94 with current DS-2019
    • F-1: Foreign passport and most recent I-94
      • *While a current DS-2019 is required for J-1 employment authorization, the I-20 is not required for F-1 employment authorization. However, the Office of Student Employment verifies and records both documents in the employment record to ensure appropriate tax withholdings.

Click here for a full list of acceptable documents by citizenship status. You can also visit USCIS I-9 Central for more information and an exhaustive document list.

  • If your Form I-9 was completed with the USF Student Employment Office prior to 5/1/2020, that employment authorization has expired and you must complete a new I-9 before beginning work.
  • Returning student employees (rehires) must contact the Office of Student Employment to confirm whether they have a valid Form I-9 on file. 
  • If you previously worked for and have only completed an I-9 with BonAppétit, the USF bookstore, or another off-campus, non-USF employer, you must file an I-9 with the USF Student Employment Office before beginning on-campus employment.

You should contact the Student Employment office in person, by email or phone prior to beginning work.

Yes, with the implementation of USFWorks, the Form I-9 is digital and physical copies are no longer accepted. However, you must provide acceptable documents that establish your identity and employment authorization in person. Digital copies, scanned images, and photos of the documents are not acceptable.

  • If your parent or guardian has your original, unexpired documents, you can ask your parent or guardian to mail your forms to you, or you may physically retrieve the documents from your permanent residence.
  • If you have a Social Security Number and you need to obtain a new, replacement, or corrected Social Security card, follow the instructions provided online at the official Social Security Website
  • If your original document has expired and you have applied for a replacement with the appropriate authorities, you may be able present the official receipt from that transaction as a temporary I-9 document. The receipt is valid for 90 days only, and you will be required to present the replacement document before the receipt's expiration.
  • If you are a USF student at the Downtown, Orange County, Pleasanton, Sacramento, South Bay or Santa Rosa location, contact the USF Student Employment Office to learn how you may complete your I-9 for USF student employment.
  • If you are working and attending courses exclusively in a remote setting and are unable to visit USF's main or branch campuses, contact the USF Office of Student Employment to learn how you may complete your I-9 for USF student employment.

If your question isn’t addressed here, contact Student Employment. A member of the staff will be happy to assist you.