This article explains how employees in the United States can complete the employment eligibility verification Form I-9 on Deel.
In this article:
How to submit Form I-9 on Deel
About the representative authentication code
What is Form I-9?
The U.S. government employs Form I-9 to verify the identity and eligibility of individuals to work in the United States.
The USCIS Form I-9 can be reviewed here
Employers must maintain a copy of the completed form for every employee they hire, citizen and noncitizen alike.
The USCIS requires employers to obtain an updated version of the I-9. Both Section 1 and Section 2 of the form are consolidated onto a single page.
Fortunately, this updated form can be completed on the Deel platform in two steps: fill out the form and assign a representative to review and submit the documents.
More details and instructions are available on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
How to submit Form I-9
✅ Step 1 – Open Form I-9
Select the Workspace icon, click the Documents tab and then click Start I-9.
This is a requirement for EOR employees, Global Payroll direct employees and PEO employees in the United States.
✅ Step 2 – Fill in Form I-9 details
Note: Due to recent updates to the form, a smart overlay has been introduced to streamline the process of filling it out. This overlay highlights essential fields in each section, aiding in quickly identifying what needs to be completed.
Complete all required fields, including name, address, email, social security number, and more.
Ensure all fields are filled out accurately, as the form is used by USCIS to verify employment eligibility.
The form will save automatically in the Compliance and Documents tab, allowing for easy return and review at any time.
Click Submit when the form is completed.
✅ Step 3 – Assign a representative
Continue by clicking on Next Step or return to the Documents tab and then click Start to Assign a Representative (Section 2).
Section 2 of Form I-9 must be completed by a representative identified to inspect the documents. This representative is being nominated and appointed by Deel to serve as its representative in verifying employment eligibility.
The representative must be:
- 21 years of age or over
- physically present to review and sign the document
The representative will be required to provide their name, job title, business/organization name, and business/organization address. Note that P.O. box addresses are not acceptable.
The employer cannot be assigned as the representative.
The Assign a Representative button may also be visible in the For You Today section on the home page after completing Section 1.
✅ Step 4 – Enter representative contact info
To complete the I-9 Section 2, choose a person who is at least 18 years old and who has a smartphone to review the documents.
After choosing this person, enter their name and e-mail address.
✅ Step 5 – Provide code to the representative
An email invitation will be sent to the identified representative to review the documents with the employee.
The employee must be physically present with the representative when they complete this section and must provide them with the six-digit access code.
The authorized representative has seven days to inspect and submit the Form I-9 once it is assigned to them; otherwise, the link will expire.
Where to find the authentication code
Employees can select the Documents tab and click on View Form I-9 Section 2.
They can review the six-digit code and the email address of the representative.
From this section, it is also possible to change the representative information and resend an invite.
If the Compliance & Documents tab is selected and there is no option to click View, this indicates that Form I-9 Section 2 has been successfully submitted and no further action is required.
✅ Step 6 – Representative completes Section 2
The representative can complete Section 2 even before the employment start date and must submit it within three (3) days after the employee has started work.
If the form is not submitted on time, the employee may be placed on unpaid leave until the form is completed and submitted.
When both the representative and the employee are together and ready to complete the process, the representative will click the Verify I-9 button in the email and then select Get Started once directed to the Deel platform.
There are three steps for the authorized representative to complete Section 2.
Step 1: Employee information
The representative will enter the contact information for the employee (not their own information).
Step 2: Supporting Documents
They will be able to select the available document(s) from the list provided, enter the document information, and upload a picture or digital version of the document.
Step 3: Representative's Certification
The representative will enter their name at the top and check the box to attest to the authorization of the employee.
On the final page, they can review the I-9 details, and submit the form by clicking Confirm & Submit.
The representative will have three days to submit the form from the employee's start date
✅ Step 7 – Approval
For EOR employees: Deel will review and approve both sections of the I-9. The status of both sections can be viewed from the Compliance & Documents page.
For PEO employees: PEO clients can review the submission and reject Form I-9 (Section 2) if it is inaccurate. If the submission is rejected, an email notification will be sent, and the employee must resubmit the form.
If the submission is accepted, there will not be an approval email. However, if either of the two Form I-9 sections are rejected, an email will be sent, and the employee will be asked to complete it again.
FAQs
[ACCORDION] Why is the Form I-9 required?
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) no longer allows employers to complete a virtual-only inspection of documents.
To validate the documents, the authorized representative must physically inspect them.
This is why it is required to identify a representative whom Deel will designate as its representative. This person must be physically present with the employee and must access the form via a smartphone device.
The USCIS Form I-9 can be reviewed here
[ACCORDION] When can the representative complete Section 2?
The representative can complete Section 2 of Form I-9 as soon as they are elected, even if it is before the employee's start date.
The authorized representative will have only seven days to inspect and submit the Form once it is assigned to them, or the link will expire.
If the form is not submitted in time, employees may be placed on unpaid leave until the form is completed and sent.
[ACCORDION] What is the legal responsibility of the assigned representative?
The assigned representative must attest under penalty of perjury that:
- They have examined the documents provided by the employee
- They confirm that the documents appear to be genuine and related to the employee
- They attest that, to the best of their knowledge, the employee is authorized to work in the US
Please note that the employee is ultimately only nominating the person that Deel will officially appoint and designate as the representative.
This will be explained to the authorized representative in their email invitation.
[ACCORDION] What if there is no one available to nominate as an authorized representative?
It is required to identify a representative that Deel can designate as its representative to review and sign Section 2 of Form I-9.
The chosen representative can be a colleague, a neighbor, a friend, or even a direct family member—almost anyone except the employee themselves.
[ACCORDION] What if the authorized representative doesn’t submit the form in time?
The link will expire in seven days. If the link has expired, employees are able to again nominate a representative and resend the invitation.
If the form is not submitted in time, employees may be placed on unpaid leave until the form is completed and sent.