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Home > Guides > Faxing I-9 documents
No. U.S. immigration law requires your employer to examine your original documents in person for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. A fax, a scan, or a photocopy does not satisfy that requirement, so faxing your passport or driver's license to your employer does not complete Section 2 of the form.
This is general information, not legal advice.
The whole point of the I-9 is that the employer vouches for having seen the real thing. Section 1 is completed by the employee no later than the first day of work, and Section 2 must be completed within three business days of the start of employment. The person completing Section 2 has to look at an original List A document (like a passport), or an original from List B plus an original from List C (like a driver's license plus a Social Security card), and sign that they appeared genuine and related to the person presenting them. A fax cannot be examined for watermarks, holograms, or raised printing, which is why copies of any kind are explicitly rejected.
| Document list | What it proves | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| List A | Identity and work authorization | U.S. passport, permanent resident card, employment authorization document |
| List B | Identity only (needs List C too) | State driver's license, state ID card, school ID with photo |
| List C | Work authorization only (needs List B too) | Unrestricted Social Security card, birth certificate |
You do not have to travel. Your employer may designate an authorized representative to complete Section 2 on its behalf, and that representative can be almost any adult the employer trusts: a notary, a friend, a coworker at another site, or a staffing agency. The representative examines your originals in person, fills out Section 2, and sends the completed form back. USCIS also permits an alternative remote procedure for employers enrolled in E-Verify, where documents are examined over a live video call and copies are retained. Ask your hiring contact which route they use, because the employer chooses the method, not the new hire.
Bring original documents only, and do not laminate or alter them. Employers cannot ask for specific documents beyond what the lists require, and they cannot ask for more documents than the minimum. Two practical details people get tripped up on: a Social Security card that says "valid for work only with DHS authorization" is not on List C, and a birth certificate works for List C only as a certified copy from the issuing authority, not the decorative hospital keepsake. If your only identification has expired, it is generally not acceptable, so renew it before your start date.
Fax still has a place in hiring paperwork, just not for the I-9 inspection itself. New hires often fax back signed offer letters, direct deposit forms, or benefits elections, where a signature on a copy is perfectly fine. Employers also fax background-check consent forms between offices. For the I-9, though, the signature on Section 2 is the employer certifying an in-person examination, and no fax technology changes that. If a recruiter asks you to fax your I-9 documents, treat it as a sign they misunderstand the form and point them to the USCIS employer handbook.
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