USCIS Announces New Secure Blue Ink for Many Stamps

On July 1, 2014, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began using a new secure blue ink for many of its secure stamps.  The older secure red ink was retired and is no longer used by USCIS.  The following list of stamps are now being done with secure blue ink:

• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Parole Stamp 
• Temporary I-551 Alien Documentary Identification and Telecommunication (ADIT) Stamp 
• Refugee Stamp (Section 207) 
• Asylum Stamp (Section 208) 
• Initial/Replacement Form I-94 Stamp 

USCIS said employers should be aware of this recent change in secure ink color when examining acceptable documents presented by employees during the Form I-9 employment eligibility verification process.  

Lists of acceptable documents appear on the last page of the I-9 form. USCIS noted that employers cannot reject an unexpired acceptable document presented by a worker or specify which documents they will accept.  The agency reminded employers that they must accept the documents presented by a worker when completing the I-9 as long as those documents appear genuine on their face and relate to the person presenting them.

See also,

• A bulletin from U.S. Customs and Border Protection with examples of the new stamps (PDF).
• Detailed USCIS guidance on how to examine documents for I-9 verification purposes
• USCIS information on acceptable documents