E-Verify Expands to Include U.S. Passport Photo Matching Capability

On November 10, 2010, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas announced that the E-Verify program’s photo matching technology has been enhanced to include U.S. passports. Employers registered for E-Verify may now verify the identity of new employees who present a U.S. passport or U.S. passport card for completion of Section 2 of Form I-9 by comparing the photo data on the document with Department of State records.

Previously, E-Verify’s photo matching capability was limited to situations in which employees presented an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) or Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) for purposes of Form I-9 completion.

E-Verify is an internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. For additional information regarding the E-Verify program, please click here.

The Seyfarth Workforce Authorization Team (SWATeam) is a team of attorneys and paralegals with experience in the workforce authorization area. The SWATeam provides employers with detailed information about and support for I-9 and E-Verify registration, use, and compliance.

For more information about I-9 compliance, E-Verify, state immigration compliance laws and regulations, or other workforce authorization matters, please contact the Seyfarth attorney with whom you work, or any Business Immigration attorney on our website. We stand ready to assist you.