E-Verify Self Check Announced

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced March 21, 2011, the launch of E-Verify Self Check - a free Internet service that allows individuals in the United States to check their employment eligibility status before formally seeking employment.

This new feature is currently available to residents in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, Virginia and the District of Columbia. It will allow individuals to check their employment eligibility status prior to applying for a job and the individuals will be alerted to any red flags that might come up and could be corrected before employers use the E-Verify service.

The E-Verify Self Check is completed in four steps: 1) Users enter their identity, 2) Users confirm their identity through questions populated by the system based on credit information, 3) Users confirm their identity by answering those questions, and 4) Users enter work eligibility information such as citizenship status and social security number.

If an individual receives information on a mismatch, they will be prompted to resolve the mismatch or not. If the individual chooses to resolve the mismatch, a form will be generated with the E-Verify details and how to resolve the mismatch.

The intent of the self check process is to improve errors and decrease the E-verify workload. The possible disadvantage of this system is a lack of credit information from individuals trying to use the system. Individuals with no credit or work history or individuals born outside of the United States with no credit or work history will not be able to use the system.

DHS plans to continue updating and implementing this system throughout the United States within the next 12 months.

To use the E-verify Self Check, get answers to questions and other information, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at: www.uscis.gov.