> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.symmetry.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Statuses & lifecycle
> An I-9's progress is three independent statuses. Covers employeeSectionOneStatus, i9CountersignStatus, and everifyCaseStatus, and how to track each.
Completing an I-9 involves three parties, and each one's progress is tracked by its own status field on the employee object: the employee completes Section 1, the employer or an authorized representative countersigns Section 2, and—where E-Verify is enabled—the E-Verify case runs its course.
Because each field reports on a different party, together they pinpoint exactly which step is outstanding and who owes the next action.
| Field | Values | Who acts |
| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `employeeSectionOneStatus` | `not_started`, `in_progress`, `completed` | Employee |
| `i9CountersignStatus` | `not_started`, `completed` | Employer or authorized representative |
| `everifyCaseStatus` | 20 values — see [E-Verify Case Statuses](/i9/e-verify/case-statuses) | Employer, E-Verify, or employee |
The three tracks advance independently, so read each field on its own rather than inferring one from another.
## Section 1: the employee's portion
`employeeSectionOneStatus` tracks the employee completing and signing Section 1.
* `not_started` — the employee has not opened their I-9.
* `in_progress` — the employee has begun but not signed Section 1.
* `completed` — Section 1 is signed. Section 2 can now be completed.
## Countersign: Section 2
`i9CountersignStatus` tracks completion of Section 2, where the employer or an authorized representative examines the employee's documents and countersigns.
* `not_started` — Section 2 is outstanding.
* `completed` — the I-9 has been countersigned and the form is complete.
This field reports completion rather than granular progress. When an authorized representative handles Section 2 remotely, the [Remote I-9](/i9/remote-i-9/authorized-representatives) section covers the intermediate steps they move through, and the [audit trail](/i9/compliance-and-audit-readiness/audit-events) records each one.
## E-Verify
`everifyCaseStatus` applies to employers with E-Verify enabled. It carries the most values of the three because it mirrors the full E-Verify case lifecycle, so you can surface outcomes that require employer action—such as `pending_referral`—the moment they occur. The canonical list lives on [E-Verify Case Statuses](/i9/e-verify/case-statuses), and [TNCs and FANs](/i9/e-verify/tncs-and-fans) explains the obligations a tentative nonconfirmation triggers.
## Tracking status changes
You have two ways to observe these values, and most integrations use both:
Get notified as each status changes, rather than polling.
Read current status directly from the employee and submission objects.
Drive your own UI from these three fields rather than from a status label of your own. A form with `employeeSectionOneStatus: completed` and `i9CountersignStatus: not_started` is waiting on the employer—which is exactly the queue an administrator needs to see.