Questions and Answers

Get answers to your myE-Verify questions.

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No. The information you enter while using Self Check, and the result displayed by Self Check, is never shared with an employer.

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Your password must:

  • Be at least 8 characters in length
  • Contain at least 1 lowercase and 1 uppercase letter
  • Contain at least 1 special character (!@#$%^&*)
  • Contain at least 1 number (0–9)

Your password should:

  • Be adequately complex and not contain simple patterns like “abc123”
  • Not contain words from the dictionary
  • Not contain personal data (like your Social Security number or address)
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This identifying information (and your Social Security number, if you provide it) is sent to an independent identity assurance service. They search public and private data sources and return a quiz designed so that only the person with that name, date of birth, and address will be able to answer the questions. The questions asked and the answers you choose are between you and the independent identity assurance service – the Department of Homeland Security is never told any additional information about you. When your identity is verified, the Department of Homeland Security is notified only that you may proceed to the next step in the Self Check process.

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Resolve Self Lock mismatches by following the directions on your DHS mismatch notice. You will need to call the number provided and answer the challenge questions you selected during Self Lock setup.

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A passcode is a 8-digit number that you receive as a text message, telephone call or in an email every time you log in to myE‑Verify. Once you have received your passcode, enter it into the box on the log-in screen. This two-step log-in process is known as “two-factor authentication,” and we use it to keep your myE‑Verify account secure. You will have to enter your password and a one-time passcode every time you log in to myE‑Verify.

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An identity-proofing quiz is used to verify your identity. You must pass this quiz to create an account. You took a similar quiz in Self Check.

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Self Check uses an identity assurance process to protect your privacy. The service is designed for you to check your employment authorization records and by forcing a user to first establish his or her identity, Self Check can be sure that the system is not being misused. Because Self Check is providing information about a person’s government records, it is very important that we defend against misuse of the service.

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An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this collection is estimated at 5 minutes per response to complete an identity authentication check, 5 minutes per response to complete a Self Check query, and 1 hour and 11 minutes per response when further action is pursued. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Regulatory Products Division
Office of the Executive Secretariat
20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20529-2020
OMB No. 1615-0117

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Self Lock allows you to lock your Social Security number (SSN) to prevent it from being misused in E‑Verify. When you lock your SSN, nobody else can use it in E‑Verify, which helps protect you from employment-related identity theft. Self Lock is free and it lasts for 1 year. Thirty days before the lock expires, you will have the option to extend the lock. You can unlock your SSN through myE‑Verify at any time. If you are applying for jobs, you should unlock your SSN in case your employer uses E‑Verify.

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Self Check is a service of E-Verify, which is a Department of Homeland Security program administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in partnership with the Social Security Administration.

For more information, visit the E-Verify website.

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