The I-9 Center now includes built-in document verification that automates the screening of supporting documentation submitted by workers when completing Section 1. The document verification includes various checks to verify an employee’s work authorization document(s) providing you advanced compliance confidence.

From the worker’s perspective, the document verification will guide them through the uploading process ensuring the document is the correct document, is not blurry, and is in frame correctly.

For Administrators, the document(s) will be validated by document-specific criteria which can be reviewed within the I-9 Forms screen.

Fountain’s document verification functionality is powered by a partnership with Persona.

Document Type Checks

Review the table below to see what documents are checked with document verification and what checks will be completed:

List	Document Type	Checks Completed
A	US Passport	The document is in an allowed country The document is an accepted ID type If the document is expired Required details were extracted The document is a government-issued ID The document is processable
A	Passport Card	The document is in an allowed country The document is an accepted ID type Both sides of the document were provided If the document is expired Required details were extracted The document is a government-issued ID The document is processable
A	Permanent Resident Card (I-551)	The document is in an allowed country The document is an accepted ID type Both sides of the document were provided Required details were extracted The document is a government-issued ID If the submission was tampered with by a photo editor The document is processable
B	Driver’s License Issued by the State	The document is in an allowed country If there is a barcode on the document The document is an accepted ID type Both sides of the document were provided If the document is expired Required details were extracted The document is a government-issued ID The document is processable
B	State-issued ID Card	The document is in an allowed country If there is a barcode on the document The document is an accepted ID type Both sides of the document were provided If the document is expired Required details were extracted The document is a government-issued ID The document is processable
C	US Social Security Card	The document is in an allowed country The document is processable The document is an accepted ID type

Employee Experience

The document verification process begins when the worker selects the document types they want to provide for Section 1. They will either provide one document from List A or a combination of documents from Lists B and C.

Fountain will then begin the document verification process by guiding the worker through capturing the photos or uploading previously saved images of the documents. The guidance provided will be based on the document types they originally selected.

The worker will also be given the option to continue on another device. This can be helpful if the worker started their I-9 form task on a desktop computer but needs to move to a mobile device to take pictures of the document(s). If the worker chooses to continue on another device, a QR code will be provided for them to scan, or they can request an email or SMS to continue.

Once the document images are uploaded, the document verification will begin. It will review the documents, including lifting the document numbers, confirm that the document matches the document type selected in the appropriate List A, B, and/or C, that the image is not blurry, and that the image is in frame.

There are two result screens that the worker could see:

Successful Verification: Confirms that the documents passed the associated checks. The worker will click Close to complete the verification.
Unsuccessful Verification: Fountain was unable to verify the document. In some scenarios, informational text will be displayed explaining why the document was not verified. For example, the document may be expired, fraudulent, blurry, or the correct document based on the List A, B, and/or C selection.

If the worker receives an unsuccessful verification, they will click either Try Again or I’m Submitting a Receipt.

If they choose to Try Again, they will have one additional attempt to submit the documentation. If the verification fails a second time, Fountain will inform the worker that we are unable to verify the document but will allow the employee to manually enter the document information. They will then click Close to complete the verification.

The worker will then finish Section 1 by completing the Preparer/Translator section and electronically signing.

Administrative Experience

On the I-9 Forms table in the I-9 Center, you’ll find details of the document verification result.

There are three statuses you can see:

Verified: The submission was successfully verified and there is no action needed by a Fountain user.
Unable to Verify: The submission was not successfully verified after the worker submitted their documents manually after two failed attempts. A Fountain user may need to take action.
Reviewed: The submission was unable to verify but has been reviewed by a Fountain user.

Reviewing Result Details

To review the result details and take potential action, follow the steps below:

Find the worker in the I-9 Forms table and click Manage to the right of their name.
Click More Actions and then Document Verification.
1. You can also access Document Verification from the I-9 Forms table by clicking the 3 dots button to the right of a worker’s name.
Review the document. You can leave an optional comment in the Comments box based on your review.
1. Below the document is the Status box, where you can view the checks that were done and whether they passed or failed. Click Show Checks to expand and review the details.
Click Mark as Reviewed when finished with your review. The status will change to Reviewed by Admin.

Important Notes:

This review is only a confirmation that a user has reviewed the document and does not update the I-9 Form. If your company is utilizing I-9 Approval, a user will still need to mark the document as reviewed.
It is up to you, as the Employer of Record, to make the decision to accept any document(s) provided. Any checks that did not pass may or may not be an indication of fraud, mistake, or misrepresentation. It is at your discretion whether to proceed with employment, request a new submission, or terminate employment in consultation with your own internal counsel and the USCIS Handbook for Employers.

Frequently Asked Questions

My workers typically have issues with taking clear and centered pictures of their documents. Does this new feature help with this?

Yes! The new document verification functionality will more clearly guide the worker to take the best possible photo, leading to greater verification success.

If Fountain detects information that is different from the Worker’s Profile, will that data be updated such as their Social Security Number?

Document verification is not currently configured to update any portion of the Worker Profile or I-9 Form fields other than the extracted document data done within the OCR functionality, which will populate into Section 2.

Does document verification take the place of E-Verify?

No, this feature is intended to indicate that the submitted documents are valid, not to confirm or deny citizenship status or right to work, as E-Verify does.

If the document is not verified, is the worker’s I-9 form rejected?

No, rejecting the I-9 form is a separate process. Document Verification will ‘flag’ the worker’s supporting document I-9 submission for review by a Fountain user. The Fountain user can then take steps to mark the document as reviewed or reject the I-9 form, requiring a new submission or continuing with the onboarding process. The document verification functionality will not determine an employment decision.

Are there plans to expand this feature to include identity verification for the worker and the Authorized Representative if using an Authorized Representative to complete Section 2?

We are partnering with WorkBright to explore the possibility of expanding this feature to include identity verification for various participants in the I-9 form workflow. We are considering many variables, including privacy concerns, and will make future decisions about this enhancement in light of those considerations.

Would the document verification functionality identify the difference between a Social Security Card that is unrestricted vs. one with restrictions that cannot be used for Section 1 document submission?

Yes! The document verification can identify a Restricted Social Security Card and request different documentation.

What does the process look like for specific documents that are not supported by the document verification functionality?

If a worker selects a document that is not included in the list of documents covered under document verification, they will upload the documents using the standard upload process.

Will the document verification functionality affect the speed and throughput for workers completing their I-9 form?

We have not seen any negative impact on the speed and throughput for workers completing the I-9 form with document verification. In fact, we have seen a positive impact due to the clear guidance and increased OCR functionality, which streamlines the process for workers completing Section 1.

Is there a specific Permission for this feature, and who can approve or decline a verification result?

Yes. There are two permissions related to this feature:

Can manage an I-9 form: The user will be able to see the results/status, see details of the verification, and mark as reviewed.
Can view an I-9 form: This user is restricted. Therefore, they are allowed to view I-9 forms and will see the results/status of the verification, but they will have no access to the details of the verification or the ability to mark as reviewed.

Will there be an audit log of the document verification status?

Yes, the user’s name and time stamp of the transaction will be displayed on the Document Verification administrative screen.

Is the document verification process available in Spanish for workers?

Yes. This will be available in Spanish if Spanish is selected, just like the rest of the I-9 form process.

⬅️ Previous article: I-9 Center FAQs

New I-9 Form Document Verification