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How to Avoid Remote Video Conference Pitfalls
A practical guide for E-Verify employers using the new video option.
How to Avoid Remote Video Conference Pitfalls When Completing the I-9
When USCIS updated the Form I-9 regulations post-COVID, they added a major incentive for employers enrolled in E-Verify: the ability to conduct remote video identity verification instead of relying on costly in-person checks by authorized representatives.
Sounds great, right? No more scrambling to find someone to physically examine a new hire's ID — or paying up to $200 for a 15-minute visit just to eyeball a document. And since many authorized representatives aren't trained in spotting fake IDs or understanding which documents are legally acceptable, this shift can reduce both risk and liability.
But just because you can go remote doesn't mean it's risk-free. Here's how to do it right.
Step 1: Before the Video Call
Prep like it's mission-critical — because it is. Before you get on camera, make sure the person you're about to hire is who they say they are.
- Get a selfie. Ask the new hire to submit a real-time selfie through a trusted platform before the call. Even a basic selfie is better than nothing.
- Collect ID images. Get a clear image of the documents they'll be using for the I-9. Review the image — don't just rely on the text fields.
- Run facial recognition. Use a reputable platform to compare the selfie to the ID photo. Choose a vendor ranked highly by NIST for 1:1 facial matching and confirm it's free of demographic bias — meaning no better or worse results based on skin tone or gender.
- Coach your hire. Let them know they'll need to show the same ID live on camera during the call, and that this replaces in-person verification.
Step 2: During the Video Call
This isn't a check-the-box moment. Too many HR teams treat remote I-9 verification as a 10-minute onboarding formality. But if someone is impersonating another person, those 10 minutes could cost you far more than time. Slow down. Be deliberate.
- Match the physical ID to the ID image you collected. Is the photo the same? Pay attention to hairstyle, facial features, and expression.
- Check the ID data fields line by line. Is the name spelled correctly? Is the ID number consistent? Is the expiration date current?
- Compare the live person to the selfie. You don't need forensic-level analysis. Notice basic cues: age, skin tone, facial structure.
- Note the facial recognition confidence score if you ran one pre-call. Keep in mind that a lower score doesn't automatically mean fraud — lighting, glare, image quality, and ID age all affect results. Use it as one data point among several.
Step 3: After the Call — Don't Skip This
This is where most employers leave themselves exposed. Completing the visual verification is only half the job. What you document afterward is what protects you in an ICE audit.
- Complete Section 2 of the I-9 immediately — the same day as the video call. Note the document type, issuing authority, document number, and expiration date exactly as they appear.
- Annotate the Additional Information field. Write something like: "Document examined remotely via live video on [date] per DHS alternative procedure." This is required under the alternative procedure guidelines.
- Retain the ID images and selfie in the employee's I-9 file. If your platform generates a facial recognition report or confidence score, retain that too.
- Confirm E-Verify enrollment. Remote video verification is only authorized for E-Verify employers. If you're not enrolled, you must use an authorized representative for in-person examination.
The goal of remote I-9 verification isn't convenience — it's defensibility. When ICE issues a Notice of Inspection, your documentation needs to show not just that you completed the form, but that you verified the person behind it.
That's exactly what ZipID automates — biometric facial recognition, OCR document capture, and a timestamped ICE-ready audit trail, completed in under 8 minutes without any of the manual steps above.
Janice Kephart is the Founder and CEO of ZipID, former counsel to the 9/11 Commission, and Homeland Security Director at MorphoTrak (now IDEMIA). She has testified before Congress 19 times on identity-related issues.
Ready to verify your new hires with confidence? ZipID completes the entire Form I-9 process in under 8 minutes, fully compliant with 8 CFR § 274a.2.
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🗂️ Step 3: After the Call
Document everything—because compliance is king.
Your I-9 file needs to show that you did your due diligence.
📌 What to record:
Add the date, time, and outcome of the video conference to the “Additional Information” box in Section 2 of the I-9.
Note that you conducted remote verification under the alternative procedure.
Include the E-Verify case number, date, and time.
If you're storing I-9s digitally, ensure the ID images are saved with the I-9 and retained according to federal requirements.
Final Thought
Using remote video calls for I-9 identity verification is a powerful new tool for E-Verify employers—but only if you use it wisely. With the right prep, a careful eye, and clear documentation, you can modernize your onboarding while staying fully compliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ZipID ICE-compliant I-9 software?
Yes. ZipID satisfies all five federal electronic I-9 system requirements under 8 CFR § 274a.2 — including compliant audit trails, electronic signature protocols, and secure storage standards. It is specifically designed to meet the March 2026 ICE reclassification that elevated common errors to substantive violations.
As of January 2025, I-9 paperwork violations carry fines of $288 to $2,861 per form under 8 CFR § 274a.10(b)(2). Knowingly hiring unauthorized workers carries fines up to $28,619 per worker for repeat offenses. ICE audit rates in 2025 ran at least ten times higher than the prior year.
ZipID is pursuing certified E-Verify third-party agent status by August 2026. Currently, after the employer signs the I-9, ZipID redirects to E-Verify and automatically populates the resulting case data into the Additional Information field — preserving the complete record for audit purposes.
What is NIST and why does it matter for I-9 verification?
NIST — the National Institute of Standards and Technology — is the federal agency that sets accuracy benchmarks for biometric identity technologies. For I-9 compliance, NIST validation matters because it provides an independent government-verified measure of whether a facial recognition system is reliable enough to trust. ZipID uses NIST-tested algorithms rated at 99.998% accuracy.
ZipID's 1:1 facial recognition is rated at 99.998% accuracy using NIST-validated algorithms — fewer than 2 mismatches per 100,000 verifications. Liveness detection is built in to confirm the selfie is from a real, present person rather than a photo or deepfake.
OCR — Optical Character Recognition — reads and extracts text from government-issued IDs. ZipID uses AI-powered OCR to instantly capture a new hire's ID data and automatically populate the required Form I-9 fields, eliminating manual entry and typos. The AI layer also cross-checks extracted data for logical consistency and flags tampered, synthetic, or spoofed documents.
ZipID uses NIST-validated biometric facial recognition to match a live selfie to the photo on the new hire's government-issued ID. AI-powered OCR extracts and autofills document data. Fraud detection runs in the background checking for tampered, synthetic, or spoofed documents.
Facial authentication is entirely the employer's choice. It confirms that the new hire is who they say they are and that the ID they present matches their live self — especially valuable for remote hires, high-security roles, or industries with elevated identity fraud risk.
How long does it take to complete an I-9 with ZipID?
ZipID completes the entire Form I-9 process — including identity verification, document capture, and E-Verify redirect — in under 8 minutes, for both remote and in-person new hires.
ZipID is an I-9 compliance and identity verification platform that combines facial recognition, OCR document capture, and fraud detection to verify new hire identities and complete Form I-9 in under 8 minutes — with a legally compliant audit trail built in. It is the only I-9 platform built by the person who helped write the federal identity doctrine behind the law.
Who built ZipID?
ZipID was founded by Janice Kephart, former counsel to the 9/11 Commission and a national security identity expert with 25 years of federal and private sector experience, including designing border biometric workflows at MorphoTrak, now Idemia. Kephart authored the federal identity doctrine and biometric entry-exit recommendations underlying today's I-9 compliance framework, and has testified before Congress 19 times.