What Does E-Verify Show? The Possible Outcomes

Many employers nationwide use the E-Verify system as a critical element of the onboarding process. After completing a Form I-9 for Employment Eligibility Verification, employers may use E-Verify to compare information from the completed Form against information available to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify an applicant’s eligibility to work.

It is a free service that typically returns immediate results. With over one million employers enrolled and an average of 1,500 joining weekly, it is a recognized service for supporting best practices and due diligence when hiring staff.

Enrolled employers complete the E-Verify process by creating a case in the E-Verify system. They provide the necessary information from the individual’s Form I-9 and, for specified documents, complete a matching process as well. The system compares records and provides an initial result rapidly. Your following action will depend on this result.

The Potential Outcomes of an E-Verify Case

What does E-Verify show in case results? The answer varies based on what the system discovers during its initial comparison. Here’s an overview of each case result type and what they mean.

Employment Authorized

This result confirms that the information the employer entered into E-Verify from the Form I-9 matched records available to either DHS, SSA, or both agencies. E-Verify automatically closes cases with the Employment Authorized status.

E-Verify Needs More Time

Sometimes, employers may not receive instant results; the “E-Verify Needs More Time” case result will be displayed instead. This result usually means that E-Verify has sent the case data to the Department of Homeland Security for additional verification before E-Verify provides a final result. You will need to wait and check back.

Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC)

If E-Verify cannot confirm matching records with the DHS or SSA, a Tentative Nonconfirmation (Mismatch) displays as the case status. A Tentative Nonconfirmation indicates that the records entered from the Form I-9 did not match the records available to the DHS or SSA. Employers must notify the applicant of the mismatch and allow them to take action if they wish to do so. More information on handling Tentative Nonconfirmations can be found on the E-Verify site and in the E-Verify User Manual.

Case in Continuance

This case status occurs when the applicant has visited the Social Security Administration or contacted DHS, but a final case result is not yet available. You will need to wait for a final case result to be issued after the appropriate authorities complete their investigation.

Close Case and Resubmit

This status occurs when either the DHS or SSA (or both) are unable to process the case, for example, when the information you entered into E-Verify isn’t correct. Specifically, this status may result when you enter an expiration date for a driver’s license, passport, or passport card that isn’t correct. You can’t change document details once you create a case. Therefore, you will have to close the case manually. Then, start a new case with the applicant’s correct information. E-Verify can then look for a match.

Final Nonconfirmation

This notice is a final result in an E-Verify case when E-Verify cannot confirm an individual’s employment eligibility. This result may occur in several situations. First, it can occur when the applicant contacts the SSA or DHS to take action on a Tentative Nonconfirmation, but E-Verify still cannot verify eligibility. Second, the time to resolve a Tentative Nonconfirmation may expire. Lastly, DHS may sometimes close cases without confirming eligibility for other reasons. Employers and applicants may request E-Verify to review the information further if warranted.

What Can Cause a Tentative Nonconfirmation?

E-Verify provides a long list of reasons why an applicant’s case may result in a Tentative Nonconfirmation. Understanding these reasons underscores why it is critical for employers to allow applicants to resolve the issue. Mistakes do happen. Some of the possible reasons for a Tentative Nonconfirmation result include:

• An applicant’s immigration or citizenship status changed.
• The employer made an error during data entry for E-Verify.
• The SSA did not receive notification of a name change.
• The applicant’s citizenship status was not updated with the SSA.
• SSA records themselves contain incorrect information, such as name, SSN, or date of birth.

Remember that you must alert the applicant after a Tentative Nonconfirmation so they may take action if desired. More information on handling Tentative Nonconfirmations can be found on the E-Verify site and in the E-Verify User Manual.

Know Your Way Around E-Verify

With E-Verify, employers can integrate another layer of due diligence into their employment authorization verification workflow. E-Verify is fast, free, and easy to use, providing valuable information while demonstrating that the employer took every possible step to hire authorized individuals. Learn more about the case process with official E-Verify resources, or find help setting up a digital I-9 and E-Verify solution with support from backgroundchecks.com.