E-Verify Self-Check to Start March 18

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently published a notice in the Federal Register indicating that the new E-Verify Self-Check system will be effective on March 18, 2011. As reported in the December 2010 issue of the Immigration eAuthority, the E-Verify Self-Check system will allow any person to check his or her employment authorization status prior to employment and also facilitate correction of E-Verify records. Until introduction of the new system, a worker does not have the ability to identify potential issues associated with his or her employment authorization status until after receiving adverse notification from employers.

E-Verify is a free and mostly voluntary employment eligibility verification program operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in collaboration with the Social Security Administration (SSA). USCIS’ new E-Verify Self-Check system will involve two steps: (1) identity authentication (through a third-party commercial identity assurance service provider (IdP)) to ensure the individual seeking verification is entitled to access the records; and (2) confirmation of work authorization status through E-Verify records (such as USCIS and SSA records). In the event the E-Verify Self-Check does not verify employment eligibility and instead indicates a possible mismatch, instructions will be provided on how the individual can resolve the discrepancy. Expect to see a press release from USCIS when the system is officially opened for public use, which could be as soon as March 18.