Verifying Authorization for Employment at BU (I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification)
If you are planning on working at BU, you will be required by federal regulations to present documentation to verify your identity and employment eligibility. Completing the Form I-9 (employment eligibility verification) allows BU to confirm that you have employment authorization that permits you to work in the U.S.
Do not engage in any kind of employment until you are certain you have employment authorization.
Updating or Completing Your I-9 Employment Verification Form
Section 1 of your I-9 must be completed or updated:
- Within three days of beginning employment at Boston University
- If you receive a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD), a new type of employment authorization or an extension of your employment authorization
- If there is a change or extension to your immigration status
- If you are a BU student and you move to a regular staff or faculty position at Boston University, or if your BU department wishes to employ you beyond the date of your graduation
- If you obtain U.S. lawful permanent residence (a “green card”) after starting employment at BU
How do I complete I-9 employment verification for On-Campus Student Employment
You must have a job offer for an on-campus employment BEFORE you can begin the I-9 verification process. Once you have secured an on-campus job, you must take the following actions to be set up in the BU student payroll system:
- Complete Section 1 of the electronic Form I-9. Instructions for F-1 students on how to complete Section 1 of the Form I-9 can be found here.
- Visit a specific BU office with your original documents that prove your identity and employment authorization and request that BU complete Section 2 of the I-9 to confirm your employment eligibility no later than by your 3rd day of employment.
- Students in F-1 status must present a passport, I-20 and I-94 directly to their hiring manger to complete the I-9 as part of the new hire process.
- Students in all other nonimmigrant categories (non F-1 students) must present documents to the ISSO during normal business hours. ISSO will complete Section 2 of the I-9 so students can then complete the new hire process directly with their hiring department..
- J-1 students sponsored by BU will need to request ISSO authorization for on-campus employment authorization by presenting a passport, DS-2019, and I-94 to the ISSO during normal business hours. ISSO will also complete Section 2 of the I-9 so students can then complete the new hire process directly with their hiring department.
- J-1 students sponsored by a third party (not BU) should present written authorization to work on the BU campus from their program sponsor in addition to a passport, DS-2019, and I-94 to the ISSO during normal business hours. ISSO will complete Section 2 of the I-9 so students can then complete the new hire process directly with their hiring department.
- Students on all other non-immigrant categories should present documents establishing identify and employment (often an EAD – Employment Authorization Document) Documentation will vary depending on immigration status (see the list of documents accepted by USCIS for I-9 purposes) ISSO will complete Section 2 of the I-9 so students can then complete the new hire process directly with their hiring department.
- Once Section 2 of the I-9 is completed you should be eligible to be hired into your on-campus job. See the Student Employment Office website for more information.
New students must complete Initial ISSO check-in BEFORE completing the I-9 process.
I-9s for International Scholars & Employees
If you are a new BU employee or re-hire who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a legal permanent resident of the U.S.*, your employment verification form (Form I-9) must be completed within three days of your employment start date. Please schedule an appointment with ISSO Scholar Services team accordingly.
New employees and re-hires will be required to present appropriate documentation in order for the ISSO to complete the I-9. Please review the required documentation listed above and be prepared to present all required original documents at your appointment. In addition, we recommend that you follow the I-9 completion instructions to initiate the I-9 process prior to your scheduled appointment.
To complete your I-9, you will need to provide:
- Original immigration documents that demonstrate your identity and valid employment authorization in the U.S. (see the list of documents accepted by USCIS for I-9 purposes)
- Information about the appointment or job for which you have been hired:
- Academic appointment letter* (if you are working in a teaching or research position)
- HR job offer letter (if you have been hired for a staff position) or
- Letter from hiring department specifying your job title, start and end date, salary and direct supervisor (for temporary hires)
*If the ISSO has prepared immigration documents to assist in your employment sponsorship (such as in J-1, H-1, TN, or O-1 immigration status), we may already have a copy of an appointment letter or job offer letter on file.
We encourage you to review requirements related to continued employment authorization for more details on how to ensure compliance with US immigration and employment regulations.
*U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents must complete the employment verification process at Human Resources.
