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ARTICLE · 28 OCTOBER 2026

More Than A Download: Using USCIS’s E-Verify Records Disposal Deadline As A Compliance Checkup

Seyfarth Shaw LLP
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is permanently disposing of E-Verify records last updated before December 31, 2016, giving employers until January 8, 2027, to download critical compliance documentation. Companies must act now to preserve historical case data needed for audits, government investigations, and Form I-9 system transitions while ensuring their E-Verify account information remains current and accurate.

United StatesImmigration
John Mazzeo
John Mazzeo
Dawn Lurie
Dawn Lurie
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that E-Verify employers have until January 8, 2027, to download records for cases last updated on or before December 31, 2016. USCIS will then permanently dispose of those records. The announcement does not affect employers that enrolled in 2017 or later until next year’s disposal cycle, but pre-2017 employers should act now to avoid gaps during audits or Form I-9 system transitions.

Why Is USCIS Disposing of Pre-2017 E-Verify Records?

Short answer: USCIS must do so. Under the National Archives and Records Administration retention schedule (N1-566-08-7), USCIS disposes of E-Verify records at least 10 years old to reduce the security and privacy risks of retaining personally identifiable information.

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