Form i-9 request e-signature

[tammyhrs23]

When I try to use the request-E signatures on a fillable I9  I am getting an error that states unsupported file choose another. I have downloaded the fillable version from irs.gov website and saved it as an acrobat adobe pdf. It will allow fields to be filled in but won't allow to e-signature. It will not let me prepare the form and add the text box either to the "Signature of Employee" line due to it being an I9 and security settings don't allow it to be edited.  Can anyone help or give me some help with this?

[Ali29937637d2y1]

Did you happen to figure this out?  I'm having the same issue and was curious if you had a solution.

[tammyhrs23]

I did actually get it to work via Adobe Sign finally, but now that the new version is out it won't allow me to send via Adobe Sign and states it's a unsupported file. So back to square one! 

[DREWorkforce]

What I recommend you to try is to "Print" the I-9 as a pdf and save it to your desktop like that instead of just outright downloading it. What I find is that these government documents are locked and will not allow any edits to the document. However, when you download it by hitting print and then saving it as a pdf that is not attached to Adobe, you can upload it to the Adobe app to edit without restrictions. This is how I add signature fields to my documents. 

[DREWorkforce]

Sorry, what I mean by saving it as a pdf in case anyone does not know, you can choose "Save as PDF" as your Printer, just click on the down arrow to open the menu and scroll until you locate it. It will open your File Explorer for you to save in any folder you wish. Then just go to your Adobe app and upload it into the "Prepare a Form" tool, this will automatically place any text fields and signature fields where they pertain. You can also customize them in case you do not like their placement. This whole process takes like five minutes!

[tammyhrs23]

I do know how to do exactly what you're saying above and do this daily with pdf's. My issue now is once you send to the new hire to complete once they fill out sign and return it will not let me fill out section 2 on the same page. Which is to be filled out by the employer. It will however let me sign it as the HR Representative/Employer or whatever. This used not be an issue with the old version of the I9 as the employer page to fill out was on page 2 so I would just have them fill out page 1 remove the page 2 fill it out accordingly and then insert it with their page one. Now that section 2 for employers is on page one it does not let you both fill out electronically. I am assuming this is because once a party signs a document they don't want anyone to be able to go in and edit and of the content for.. well for obvious reasons. 

[mariahweyne]

I wouldn't waste a transaction for this form.  I would send them the link where the form is located and have them email it back to you.

Form W-9 (Rev. October 2018) (irs.gov)

[mariahweyne]

The W9 form is secured and cannot be altered. That's why its giving you the error.  Just send the link to the employee for signature.  No need to use Sign for this.

[tammyhrs23]

What do you mean send the link? What link it's a form they need to fill out and sign. If I am missing something please educate me, I would really be appreciative. 

[tammyhrs23]

Also, I am referring to a USCIS Form I-9, not IRS W9 two different forms.

[mariahweyne · Accepted solution]

Sorry, the I9 - send them the link where the file is located.  I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification (uscis.gov)  They can download it, sign it and send it back to  you already filled out ans signed.

[tammyhrs23]

Oh, so save it in an internet share site like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft Onedrive? Yes, I suppose that would work. I actually have figured out how to send it to them now via Request Signature and it will allow them to fill in all of the fields. The problem I am having now is that when they submit it and it comes back to me it will allow me to sign as the HR admin and date, but that is it, it will not allow me to fill in section 2 which as the employer we are required to. 

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi tammyhrs23,

Thank you for reaching out.

Please confirm if you are referring to the default template in Acrobat Sign.

If you are referring to a specific form, would you mind sharing the form? Share the screenshot of the error message.

We will check and update you with the correct information.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

[tammyhrs23]

It's attached! When I attempt to send it via Adobe Sign (request signature) it's giving me a message that the file is unsupported. 

[Stephanie32577932kti0]

Did anyone figure this out? I am running into the same problem. Thank you for any insight. 

[tammyhrs23]

Stephanie, I just followed the suggestions of DreWorkforce above in this thread and the error message that the file is unsupported went away. I still have not figured out how to send it blank to a new hire and have them fill out and sign and resend it back to me so that I can fill out the Section 2 Employer portion and sign electronically. It seems once they fill out the Section 1 and sign it and it's sent back via adobe that it's signed you can't fill in section 2. I have just been printing them out after section 1 is filled out and signed by new hire and manually filling out sections 2 and signing/dating then rescanning and filing. 

[tammyhrs23]

I ended up figuring this out by trial and error and from what DreWorkforce suggested below but just a few different steps thereafter. I can still send the fillable I9 via Adobe Sign and have the employee fill out setion 1 and sign. Once they submit it, and comes back to you download it as it won't give you the option from here to print it as a pdf. After downloaded then you can print as a pdf and then save. Once this is done you can click tools/ "Fill & Sign" and it will let you fill it out and sign. Please let me know if anyone has questions I have also found to do this another way via email if you choose not to use Adobe sign to request signature. The trick really is to save as a pdf and it may mess up the original fillable fields so you may have to prepare form and make some of the fields text fields again. The phone number, and employer business name and address fields kept disappearing as fillable fields when I didn't prepare it and just saved it as a pdf. 

[sarah_7481]

I am having this same issue - I sent the link to the I-9 form to a new employee and they filled and signed their part. But once I open the form and fill out the employer sections and sign, I am not able to Save a copy, Save as other, or Export. I also don't have a print to pdf option, which I also was trying to figure out how to add but looks like it isn't available for Mac anymore? Is the only option to print this out and fill it in manually? Is there anything else I can try? I am only paying for my Adobe subscription to fill out forms like this and I always get some kind of error like this and end up spending a lot of time trying to troubleshoot.

[tammyhrs23]

Sarah, I agree it takes more time to troubleshoot and fix the errors. I save it "save as" in a folder open my Adobe and send requesting signature. They fill out section 1 and sign and date, then submit once I get it back I just print it and hand fill out the employer section and the ID's they gave sign date scan and save in the employee I9 folder. Otherwise, once I send it for them to fill out, date and sign, when they submit it and it comes back to me, it will not let me fill anything out electronically, or sign and date. Which makes sense if you are sending an agreement or something once the recipient signs it shouldn't be allowed to be edited after signature so I understand that.  I thought I could fill out the employer portion first and then send it to the employee to fill out section 1 and when I send it to them it won't let them fill anything out. So, I don't know and I have not found any answer that works yet. 

[beau-sdys]

Hi two, 

This issue vexed me for sometime, but I was eventually able to find a solution with assistance from the Adobe support team. I was able to save the online form and remove the fields. Then, I opened it in Acrobate and added the fields back. After getting it how I wanted it, I prepared it for Adobe Sign by assigning roles for the fillable fields. You can hopefully see when you open the attached that section one is fillable for the signer and part 2 is either prefill or fillable by the sender. 

Hope this helps! 

[AdamHavas]

Beau-sdys, if I knew you, I would buy you several rounds of beer/coffee/beverage-of-your-choice for posting this. You saved me so much work, you beautiful human. Thank you!