What Forms of Identification Can Be Used For I9?

When completing the I-9 form for employment eligibility verification in the United States, employees must present certain forms of identification to prove their identity and employment authorization. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides a list of acceptable documents, divided into three categories: List A, List B, and List C. Employees can choose which documents to provide based on these lists:

Table of Contents

List A: Documents that Establish Both Identity and Employment Authorization

Presenting one document from List A is enough because each document in this list verifies both your identity and your 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 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 United States and the FSM or RMI

List B: Documents that Establish Identity Only

If you do not present a List A document, you must provide one document from List B to establish identity and one from List C to establish 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 or entities, provided it contains 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

To accompany a List B document, you must also present a document from List C to verify your authorization to work. Examples of List C documents include:

Social Security account number card (unless it specifies that 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
U.S. Citizen ID Card (Form I-197)

Important Notes:

Originals Required: Employees must present original documents. Photocopies or expired documents are not accepted, except for certain documents like a U.S. passport or a Permanent Resident Card that may be accepted if expired under specific instructions from USCIS.
No Discrimination: Employers cannot specify which documents they prefer from the employee; they must accept any document(s) that satisfy the requirements and appear to be genuine.

By providing the appropriate documents from these lists, you ensure compliance with employment eligibility verification requirements, establishing both your identity and your right to work in the United States.