E-Verify now requires that the new hire’s photo from his I-551 or I-766 card be matched against the photo on file with DHS. The E-Verify system received a recent upgrade and the verification requires the photo match, where applicable.

This will do much to reduce document fraud, one of the naysayers’ main omplaints against E-Verify. Bad news for the anti-enforcement open borders nuts.

E-Verify announces new mailing address for photo tool case resolution

John Fay – December 8, 2009

E-Verify has announced a new address which must be used by employers when mailing photos to DHS for case resolution. The photo matching process in E-Verify occurs automatically when an employee presents a green card or employment authorization document. If the photo presented by the employee does not match the photo in E-Verify, employers are instructed to notify the employee, and if he/she contests, to send a copy of the photo document to DHS.

This can be accomplished in two ways: (1) the employer can scan and upload a copy of the photo document (file must be in GIF format and be no larger than 1.5 megabytes) or (2) send a copy of the photo along with the DHS referral letter to the following new address:

HERE

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
10 Fountain Plaza, 3rd Floor
Buffalo, NY 14202
Attn: Status Verification Office – Photo Tool

The E-Verify photo tool is currently available for both direct employers and designated agents (as of this month). The photo tool will also be made available to web services users who are using a third-party electronic I-9 and E-Verify system, although there has been no requirement or deadline imposed by DHS for those employers to utilize it yet.

IMPORTANT INFO FOR LEGISLATORS HERE

3.4 E-VERIFY PHOTO MATCHING Photo matching is an automatic part of the initial verification in E-Verify that prompts Designated Agents to compare an employee’s photo ID with a photo displayed on the E-Verify screen. This helps Designated Agents ensure that the documents provided are valid. The photo matching step occurs automatically when you perform a verification case for an employee that has presented a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) or an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) for their Form I-9 documentation. When the employee presents either of these two documents and the Form I-9 information entered by the employer matches DHS records, the employee’s photo automatically displays on the E-Verify screen. As a Designated Agent, you must obtain a copy of the employee’s document in order to match the photos. Designated Agents must work with their clients to determine the best method of obtaining a copy of the employee’s photo document. Page 27 of 76 | M-776,

E-Verify User Manual for Designated Agents| December 2009 www.dhs.gov/E-Verify

Matching photos is easy—simply compare the photo displayed by E-Verify to the photo on the employee’s document and determine if the photos are reasonably identical. This means that the photos should be identical, but you should take into account minor variances in shading and detail between the two photographs based upon the age and wear of the employee’s document, the quality of your computer monitor, and the watermark on the photo in E-Verify to protect it from unlawful use.
Designated Agents or their clients must not compare the photo displayed by E-Verify to the employee directly. The direct comparison between the document and the individual happens during Form I-9 completion, prior to E-Verify.

Yes: This means the photo on the employee’s document matches the photo displayed by E-Verify. Clothing, hair style, facing direction and appearance on the card should be identical to the photo displayed by E-Verify.
No: This means the photo on the employee’s document is not identical to the photo displayed by E-Verify, even if it looks like the same person.
After a selection is made, a case result will display one of the following:
EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED, Section 3.5
DHS VERIFICATION IN PROCESS, Section 4.3
DHS TENTATIVE NONCONFIRMATION, Section 4.4
Reminder:
Employees always a of which acceptable documents to present Form I-9 * be of all Forms I-551 and I-766 by employees* will display in E-Verify the verification process* Only compare photo to photo* The photos in considered “match”REMINDERREMINDER
Each case result requires different actions or steps to continue or resolve the case. These actions are outlined in the case result section throughout this manual.