Step 1
On or before their first day of work, employees and student workers must complete Section 1 of Form I-9 in MIT's online system.
Please note: Once you have submitted Section 1 of Form I-9, you will not be able to re-access it.
Step 2
After completing Section 1, you have 3 business days from beginning work at MIT to present original supporting documentation.
- If you are working on campus, you must verify your supporting documents in person by appointment at the Atlas Service Center.
- If you are working remotely within the United States, or if you work on campus but are in quarantine, you must verify your supporting documents using an authorized representative at your location.
- If you are working remotely from outside the United States, you must inform the I-9 office of your current work location and when you plan to be on campus. When you arrive in the U.S., you will need to complete your verification using the on campus method above.
Supporting Documents
For MIT to complete the I-9 form, the employee or student worker must provide the original document(s) referred to below.
- See Lists A, B, and C on the Lists of Acceptable Documents.
- Expired documents are not acceptable.
- Photocopies or scans of documents are not acceptable.
- Receipts for lost, stolen, or damaged documents may be acceptable and are valid for 90 days. Employees providing receipts are required to bring in the new original document by the end of the 90-day period and update their I-9.
- Employees who choose to submit a foreign passport/I-94 combination may be required to also provide a DS-2019, or an I-20 depending upon visa status.
For MIT to complete the I-9 form, student workers must provide the original document(s) referred to on the Lists of Acceptable Documents. You may not begin work at MIT until your I-9 form has been completed.
We have provided some visa-specific examples of types of acceptable documents you can bring to show your authorization to work.
F-1 Student
If your work authorization status is F-1, the following are examples of documents that can evidence work authorization.
If employment is based on Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
- An unexpired foreign passport, and
- Form I-20 with the Designated School Official’s endorsement for employment, and
- I-94 Arrival-Departure Record indicating F-1 status (you can retrieve and print this record from U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
If employment is based on Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- Employment Authorization Document (I-766)
If employment is based on STEM Optional Practical Training (STEM OPT)
- Employment Authorization Document (I-766); or
- If the STEM extension application is still pending, your expired OPT Employment Authorization Document (I-766) presented with a Form I-20 endorsed by the Designated School Official recommending the STEM extension (acceptable only for 180 days from the EAD expiration date).
If employment is specifically on-campus employment
- An unexpired foreign passport, and
- I-94 Arrival-Departure Record indicating F-1 status (you can retrieve and print this record from U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
- See the link below to determine if you qualify for on-campus employment in this scenario:
J-1 Exchange Visitor
If your work authorization status is J-1, the following are examples of documents that can evidence work authorization:
- An unexpired foreign passport, and
- Form DS-2019 with unexpired program end date, and
- I-94 Arrival-Departure Record indicating J-1 status (you can retrieve and print this record from U.S. Customs and Border Protection), and sometimes
- A letter or other documentation from the Responsible Officer regarding the J-1 student’s work period
Need Help?
Remember that, when completing the Form I-9, you have the right to present any document or combination of documents that were legally issued to you so long as they appear on the Lists of Acceptable Documents.
For questions regarding documentation, please contact the Atlas Service Center.
What Else You Should Know
Reverification
Current employees or student workers whose work authorizations are due to expire, and who are continuing employment, are required to reverify their I-9. Reverify your supporting documents by following these instructions.
E-Verify
All new paid MIT employees hired or newly required, including faculty, staff and student workers, are to be E-Verified. All existing employees or student workers assigned to perform work on a federal contract which includes a FAR clause must also be submitted to E-Verify in compliance with federal law. The E-Verify process works together with the I-9 process and the Atlas Service Center will facilitate this process.
Information for DLCIs
See important information for DLCI Administrators (MIT access only).
Departments should submit new hire transactions as early as possible so that employee and student worker information is in the system before the employee or student conducts the verification step. This will help the process run smoothly for employees and student workers, and will avoid delay or interruption of employment.
Newly required employees
A newly required appointment is one that goes from unpaid to paid or from Postdoctoral Fellow to regular paid employee. Newly required employees must complete Form I-9 following the steps for new employees above. The process must be completed within 3 days of becoming newly required.
Need Help?
Please contact I-9@mit.edu.
