Form I-9: fill it on your computer, then print and sign it by hand

You can type into the official Form I-9 on your computer. What you cannot do, with the fillable PDF from USCIS, is sign it electronically. Here is the process that matches the rules, and how to do the typing without uploading your personal details to a website.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

What USCIS actually says

On its Form I-9 page, USCIS says the form is fillable on computers, but that "employers and employees using this fillable form must print and manually sign it rather than typing or electronically affixing a signature because this fillable form does not meet DHS standards for electronic Form I-9 generation, storage and retention systems."

So the workflow is: fill on screen, print, sign with a pen. Pasting a signature image into the PDF, or typing your name in the signature box, is not what USCIS describes for this form.

Some employers use an electronic I-9 system instead. Those systems have to meet DHS standards and are the employer's responsibility; they are a different route from the plain PDF. If your employer sent you a link to a system, use it. This guide is for the PDF.

Check you have the current edition

As of October 2026, USCIS lists the 01/20/25 edition as current, with an expiration date of 05/31/2027. It also says the 08/01/23 edition may still be used until its own expiration date of 05/31/2027. The edition date is printed at the bottom of the form. Download the PDF from uscis.gov rather than a third-party "I-9 template" site, so you know which edition you have and that nobody has altered it. If your employer gave you a specific version, use that one.

Section 1 vs Section 2, briefly

• Section 1 is yours. You enter your name, address, date of birth and attestation about your work authorization, then sign and date it. USCIS's employer handbook says it should be completed no later than your first day of paid work.
• Section 2 is your employer's. They (or an authorized representative) examine your original, unexpired documents, record the document details, and sign. Per the handbook, this is due within three business days of the date employment begins.

Check the form's own instructions and USCIS's I-9 Central for the authoritative rules. This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.

Ways to fill it without uploading anything

The built-in and free options all work for this. If one of them is already on your computer, use it.

Using Penwise for the typing step

Disclosure: we make Penwise.

Penwise is a Chrome extension (there is also a free web version) that fills PDF form fields in the browser. The file is never uploaded and there is no account. The steps:

1. Download the current Form I-9 PDF from uscis.gov/i-9.
2. Open it in Penwise and type into your Section 1 fields. If a box is not a real field, click anywhere and add text instead. There are also check marks and a today's-date tool.
3. Check each entry, then print from Penwise. Printing does not add a watermark.
4. Sign and date Section 1 with a pen on the paper copy, then give it to your employer with your documents.

We checked the current official PDF: it is a standard form with fillable text boxes, drop-downs and checkboxes (about 130 in total), and it is not XFA-only. We filled the current edition in Penwise and the entries were saved into the downloaded file. Penwise has signature tools, but for this form, do not use them: they are not the handwritten signature USCIS requires. Penwise is also not an I-9 e-signature system. It has no audit trail, multi-party workflow or certificate-based signatures.

Common mistakes

• Signing digitally. Covered above. Print and sign by hand.
• Filling in Section 2 yourself. That is for your employer.
• Using an old or unofficial copy. Check the edition date.
• Leaving fields blank. If a field is unclear, read the form's instructions before you print rather than guessing.

FAQ

Can I sign Form I-9 electronically?

Not on the fillable PDF from USCIS; it has to be printed and signed by hand. An employer's own compliant electronic I-9 system is separate.

Can I fill out Form I-9 on my computer?

Yes. USCIS says the form is fillable on computers. You type on screen, then print and sign.

Which edition is current?

As of October 2026, 01/20/25, expiring 05/31/2027, per USCIS.

Who fills in which section?

You do Section 1 by your first day of paid work. Your employer does Section 2 within three business days.

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