What are I9 Forms of Identification?

The I-9 form requires employees to present specific documents to verify both their identity and employment authorization. These documents are divided into three categories: List A, List B, and List C. Employees can choose which documents to present based on these lists.

Table of Contents

List A: Documents that Establish Both Identity and Employment Authorization

Providing one document from List A is sufficient because it verifies both the employee’s identity and their authorization to work in the U.S. Examples of List A documents include:

U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card
Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) that contains a photograph (Form I-766)
Foreign passport that contains a temporary I-551 stamp or a temporary I-551 printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa
Passport from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) or the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) with Form I-94 or Form I-94A indicating nonimmigrant admission under the Compact of Free Association Between the U.S. and the FSM or RMI

List B: Documents that Establish Identity Only

If an employee does not present a List A document, they must provide one document from List B to verify their identity, along with one document from List C to verify their employment authorization. Examples of List B documents include:

Driver’s license or ID card issued by a U.S. state or outlying possession
ID card issued by federal, state, or local government agencies, provided it includes a photograph or information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address
School ID card with a photograph
Voter’s registration card
U.S. Military card or draft record
Military dependent’s ID card

List C: Documents that Establish Employment Authorization Only

When using a List B document for identity verification, the employee must also provide a document from List C to establish employment authorization. Examples of List C documents include:

Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration (other than a card stating it is not valid for employment)
Certification of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (Form FS-545)
Certification of Report of Birth issued by the Department of State (Form DS-1350)
Original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority, or territory of the U.S. bearing an official seal
Native American tribal document

Important Points to Remember

Original Documents: The documents presented must be originals. Photocopies are not accepted, except for a certified copy of a birth certificate.
Unexpired Documents: Documents must be unexpired unless otherwise specified by the USCIS.
Employer Verification: The employer must physically examine the documents to ensure they are genuine and relate to the employee.

By choosing the appropriate documents from these lists, employees and employers ensure compliance with federal laws regarding employment eligibility verification.