Form I-9 Verification for Remote Hires in Fredericksburg, VA

Hired someone who lives near Fredericksburg, VA, but works for you remotely? Federal law still requires someone to examine their original identity and work-authorization documents within three business days of their first day of work. Timeless Tax & Accounting provides Form I-9 verification as your authorized representative. Your new hire visits our office, we examine their original documents in person, complete and sign Section 2 on your behalf, and return the form to you.

For employers with remote hires

You're allowed to designate anyone — an HR contractor, a manager, an agent or a notary — as your authorized representative for Section 2 of Form I-9. You don't need a formal contract. But USCIS is clear that you remain liable for anything your representative gets wrong, so pick someone who treats compliance seriously.

Because we're a tax, payroll and notary office, I-9 work is part of our everyday rhythm. We follow your instructions and the current USCIS rules: original documents only, every Section 2 field complete, and no notary seal on a federal form that isn't notarized.

For new employees

Did your new employer email you a Form I-9 and ask you to find an authorized representative? Book a time with us, bring your original documents, and we'll take it from there. Please complete Section 1 before your appointment if you can. It's due no later than your first day of paid work, and you can fill it out any time after accepting the job offer.

What's included

• An in-person meeting with your new hire at our Fredericksburg office.
• Confirmation that Section 1 is complete, signed and dated by the employee.
• Physical examination of the original document(s) the employee chooses from the Lists of Acceptable Documents.
• Completion of Section 2: document titles, issuing authorities, numbers and expiration dates, the first day of employment, and the certification signed by the same person who examined the documents.
• Document copies, only if your company policy calls for them.
• Return of the completed form by the method you specify.
• Supplement B reverification for an existing remote employee, on request.

How it works

1. Book early. As soon as the offer is accepted, the employer or employee books an appointment. Booking before the start date avoids missing the three-day window.
2. Employer sends the packet. Send us the current Form I-9 (01/20/25 edition, or the 08/01/23 edition with the 05/31/2027 expiration), the instructions, the employee's first day of employment, your business name and address for the certification block, and return instructions.
3. Employee completes Section 1 by the first day of work for pay.
4. The appointment. The employee brings original, unexpired documents. We examine them in person and complete and sign Section 2.
5. Form returned to you. You review it, create an E-Verify case if you participate, and keep the form for the required retention period.

What the employee should bring

The employee chooses which acceptable documents to present. Employers may not require specific ones. Bring originals; photocopies and phone photos aren't accepted (a certified copy of a birth certificate is the one exception).

• Original, unexpired document(s) from List A, or from List B plus List C.
• Section 1, completed and signed (or bring the form and complete it before the appointment begins).
• Any instructions or forms your employer sent you.
• If your documents show different names, bring them all and mention it at the start.

After the appointment: the employer's next steps

Once the completed form comes back to you, a few responsibilities remain with the employer:

• Review it right away. Check that Sections 1 and 2 are complete and that the first day of employment is correct. Fix any problems quickly — correcting a form properly is far better than leaving an error in the file.
• E-Verify, if you participate. Create the case no later than the third business day after the employee starts work for pay.
• Retain it. Keep each Form I-9 for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later.
• Calendar any reverification. If the employee's work authorization has an expiration date, Supplement B must be completed by that date. We can meet with remote employees for that, too.

What we don't do

As your authorized representative, we examine documents and complete Section 2. We don't decide whether someone is eligible to work, run your E-Verify cases, or give immigration or legal advice. We also don't notarize Form I-9 — USCIS says a notary acting as an authorized representative should not use a notary seal on it. If you're an E-Verify employer and prefer video examination, that's done by you under the DHS alternative procedure.

Want the full picture? Read our guide to Form I-9 for remote employees. If you're onboarding your first employees, our payroll services and our guide to hiring your first employee in Virginia cover the rest. New hires with other paperwork can use our notary services in the same visit.

Ready to schedule? Book an I-9 appointment online or call (540) 479-1500.

This page is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice for your specific situation. Tax rules change often — talk with a professional before acting.