I-9 Authorized Representative in Boston, MA: Employer Guide

May 27

4 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Content reviewed October 20, 2026 · Boston Notary Service.

Need help with an employee who lives in Boston or Greater Boston while your HR team is elsewhere? Once your organization designates a representative and shares its current workflow, Boston Notary Service can review an employer-directed, in-person assignment at an agreed local meeting place.

What an I-9 authorized representative does

Form I-9 verifies identity and employment authorization. It is an employer compliance process, not a notarial act. When the employer designates an outside representative, that person follows the employer’s instructions for the assigned review and attestation. A notary commission alone does not designate someone or decide what the employer’s process requires.

For a local hire, the representative meets the employee at an agreed home, workplace or other suitable location, physically examines the documents the employee chooses from the current USCIS Lists of Acceptable Documents, and completes the employer-assigned section or platform steps. The employer remains responsible for the process, its chosen representative and review of the completed form.

Employer instructions come first

Before an appointment is arranged, the employer should confirm that it permits an outside representative and provide clear, current instructions. This helps the employee and representative know what to expect and gives HR a chance to answer platform or workflow questions before the deadline.

Please share the company name, HR contact, employee’s appointment location, hiring or reverification deadline, assigned section, current form or approved platform, completion instructions and return method. Tell us how the employer wants questions escalated. We confirm that we can follow the requested workflow and quote the appointment before it is scheduled.

Do not email passwords, account credentials or identity-document numbers through a general inquiry form. If the employer requires access to a secure system, discuss its approved access method with HR before the visit.

What should the employee bring?

The employer should direct the employee to the current Form I-9 instructions and the Lists of Acceptable Documents. Employees choose which acceptable document or combination of documents to present. The appointment is not a reason for a representative to demand a particular passport, visa, immigration document or extra identity record. If the employee or representative has a question about a document, pause and ask the employer for instructions.

For an in-person review, the representative examines the original documents presented, as required by the employer’s applicable process. A scan, photo, copy or video call is not a substitute for the standard in-person examination unless the employer has properly chosen and qualifies for an applicable DHS alternative procedure and follows its current requirements.

Mobile I-9 appointments in Boston and Greater Boston

We coordinate local appointments for employers with staff working in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, Newton, Quincy and nearby Greater Boston communities. Depending on the employer’s instructions and confirmed availability, the meeting may take place at an office, the employee’s home or another agreed location. Travel, timing and any special access needs are reviewed before booking.

This can help organizations whose human-resources team is outside Massachusetts, companies hiring a remote employee who lives locally, staffing teams arranging separate employee appointments, and businesses that prefer an in-person meeting near the employee. Healthcare, education, professional-services and retail employers can all use the same employer-directed process; each employee’s review remains individual.

A notary seal does not belong on Form I-9

A common search is “I-9 notary near me.” The appointment may be handled by someone who is also a notary, but the role for this assignment is the employer-designated representative. Form I-9 is not notarized, and the representative should not add a notary seal or notarial certificate to the form. If an employer separately needs another document notarized, identify it as a separate request.

Standard review and DHS alternative procedures are different

Ordinary mobile service is an in-person document review. Some employers may qualify to use DHS’s alternative procedure for remote examination, subject to current eligibility and program rules. A video call or a remote-online-notarization appointment by itself does not establish that an employer qualifies or complete its I-9 obligations. HR should choose the procedure and follow current USCIS instructions; Boston Notary Service can review an employer-designated in-person assignment.

Planning appointments for more than one local hire

If you are onboarding several employees in the area, tell us the approximate number of hires, locations, deadlines and preferred appointment windows. We can review whether a coordinated office visit or individual mobile appointments fit the employer’s instructions and our schedule. Each employee still needs their own review, records and employer follow-up.

How to request an employer I-9 appointment

Start with the employer’s approval and instructions. Then send the company name, HR contact, meeting location, employee count if relevant, deadline and assigned workflow through the service request form. We will confirm the requested scope, appointment availability and quote. Do not send document scans or private identification numbers with the initial inquiry.

Need an I-9 authorized representative in Boston, MA? Contact Boston Notary Service to discuss an employer-designated, in-person appointment in Greater Boston. Same-day, evening or other timing requests depend on availability and must be confirmed.

Common questions

Can I book an I-9 appointment without my employer’s instructions?

Ask HR first. The employer chooses the representative and provides the form, completion steps, deadline and return process. We review an assignment once the employer’s instructions are available.

Does Boston Notary Service give immigration or legal advice?

No. We coordinate the employer-directed appointment and document review. The employer remains responsible for its Form I-9 process; ask HR or qualified counsel about compliance questions.

Can an appointment be arranged for an employee who lives outside Boston?

We review location and travel requests individually. Tell us the employee’s town, preferred meeting place and deadline so we can confirm whether service is available and provide a quote.