Employment Visa I-9 in Tampa, FL
What is the I-9 Form?
As of November 6th, 1986, all employers are required to fill out an employment visa I-9 form, regardless of their immigration statuses. The sole purpose of the I-9 form is to authenticate the identity and employment authorization of all U.S. working citizens, according to the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). The I-9 form must be completed within three business days of the actual start date of employment, and every employer is responsible for completing, reserving and re-verifying the form. If you need assistance with the employment visa I-9 process, reach out to a Tampa immigration lawyer.
As every U.S. citizen is required to complete an employment visa I-9 form at the beginning of employment, foreign nationals may need to fill out multiple I-9 forms every time a visa is obtained or renewed for re-verification purposes. An I-9 form can be easily complied with if a few factors are kept in mind; to be in accordance with I-9 compliance, one should know the form regulations, develop a personal process that works and train stakeholders to implement it, consider an online I-9 form storage for efficient accessibility, and conduct regular internal audits to identify and remedy non-compliance issues.
The U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun to push employment visa I-9 laws stronger than ever before, although the requirements are not new. Enforcement of I-9 compliance has been drastically intensified, as premeditated and undisclosed compliance audits are regularly conducted. The consequences of non-compliance with an employment visa I-9 tend to be severe, including steep monetary fines, criminal and administrative arrests, asset forfeiture, and debarment from participating in immigration programs and bidding on government contracts.
The transition from paper I-9 forms to online and electronic storage is simple. A computerized system is highly recommended for administrative simplification purposes, especially for larger companies that hold multiple locations. Some benefits to switching include the ability to streamline internal audits to confirm compliance, simplified form creation and re-verification from many locations, and a centralized source of all forms, all organized and easy to locate.
Legal Help from a Tampa Employment Visa Attorney
It can be difficult to stay ahead of the employment visa I-9 process. Here at Maney & Gordon, P.A., we have over 100 collected years of experience with the I-9 process and a multitude of other immigration-related issues. Our firm is AV rated and has board certification in Immigration and Nationality law by the Florida Bar. We are devoted to excellent client service, and our firm is prepared to handle individual cases and larger corporate clientele.
Don't struggle with the I-9 process. Contact a Tampa employment visa lawyer for the right guidance.