Form I-9 Acceptable Documents

Employees must provide documentation to their employers to show their identity and authorization to work.

List A Documents

Documents that Establish Both Identity and Employment Authorization

The documents on List A show both identity and employment authorization. Employees presenting an acceptable List A document should not be asked to present any other document. Some List A documents are in fact a combination of 2 or more documents. In these cases, the documents presented together count as one List A document.

1. U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card

2. Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)

To reduce the risk of fraud and counterfeiting, USCIS redesigns the Permanent Resident Card (PRC) every three to five years. Introduction of new card designs does not mean that cards with previous designs are invalid. Both current and previous cards remain valid until the expiration date shown on the card (unless otherwise noted such as through an automatic extension of the validity period of the PRC as indicated on a Form I-797, Notice of Action, or in a Federal Register notice). USCIS began issuing its most recent redesign on January 30, 2023. Some PRCs issued after that date may still display the previous design format because USCIS uses existing card stock until supplies are depleted. These cards are also known as “Green Cards.”

Current Permanent Resident Card issued on January 30, 2023:

Previous Permanent Resident Card issued on May 1, 2017:

Additionally, Permanent Resident Cards issued through January 2021 may contain a USCIS-issuedstickerextending its validity to the date indicated on the sticker.

Previous Version of the Permanent Resident Card with signature:

Previous Version of Permanent Resident Card with notation, "Signature Waived":

See Section 7.1, Lawful Permanent Residents for when a Permanent Resident Card is considered unexpired past the “Card Expires” date.

3. Foreign passport that contains a temporary I-551 stamp or temporary I-551 printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa

Passport must contain atemporary Form I-551 stampor temporary Form I-551 printed notation on amachine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV).

This document is subject to reverification.

4. Employment Authorization Document that contains a photograph (Form I-766)

To reduce the risk of fraud and counterfeiting, USCIS redesigns the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card every three to five years. Introduction of new EAD designs does not mean that previous designs are invalid. Both current and previous cards remain valid until the expiration date shown on the card (unless otherwise noted such as through an automatic extension of the validity period of the EAD indicated on a Form I-797, Notice of Action, or in a Federal Register notice). See Section 5.0 Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization and/or Employment Authorization Documents EADs in Certain Circ*mstances. USCIS began issuing its most recent redesign on January 30, 2023. Some EADs issued after that date may still display the previous design format because USCIS uses existing card stock until supplies are depleted.

Most Recent Employment Authorization Document:

Previous Employment Authorization Document:

List B Documents

Documents that Establish Identity

The documents on List B establish only identity. Employees who choose to present a List B document must also present a document from List C for Section 2. Employees may present one of the following unexpired List B documents:

1. Driver's license or ID card issued by a State or outlying possession of the United States provided it contains a photograph or information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address

A driver’s license can be issued by any state or territory of the United States (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) or by a Canadian government authority. You may accept a driver's license if it contains a photograph or, if it does not contain a photograph, it includes identifying information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address.

Some states may place restrictive notations on their licenses. For Form I-9 purposes, you may accept these licenses.

2. 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

An ID card can be issued by any state (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) or local government. You may accept an ID card if it contains a photograph or, if it does not contain a photograph, it includes identifying information, such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address.

Some states may place restrictive notations on their ID cards. For Form I-9 purposes, you may accept these cards.

3. School ID card with a photograph

List C Documents

Documents that Establish Employment Authorization

Employees who choose to present a List C document must also provide a document from List B, evidence of identity, for Section 2.

Employees may present one of the following unexpired List C documents:

1. U.S. Social Security Card

U.S. Social Security account number card that is unrestricted. A laminated card is acceptable. A card that includes any of the following restrictive wording is not an acceptable List C document:

NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT
VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION
VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION

2. Certification of report of birth issued by the Department of State (Forms DS-1350, FS-545, FS-240)

These documents may vary in color and paper used. All will include a raised seal of the office that issued the document, and may contain a watermark and raised printing.

F-545, Certification of Birth Abroad, issued by the U.S. Department of State

DS-1350, Certification of Report of Birth, issued by the U.S. Department of State

FS-240, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, issued by the U.S. Department of State

3. Original or certified copy of birth certificate issued by a State, county, municipal authority, or territory of the United States bearing an official seal

You may only accept an original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority, or outlying possession of the United States that bears an official seal. Versions will vary by state and year of birth.

You may only accept a Puerto Rico birth certificate issued on or after July 1, 2010.

Birth Certificate

4. Native American tribal document

Example images not available.

5. U.S. Citizen ID Card (Form I-197)

6. Identification Card for Use of Resident Citizen in the United States (Form I-179)

INS issued Forms I-179 to U.S. citizens who are residents of the United States. This card does not contain an expiration date, and is valid indefinitely.

Form I-179, Identification Card for Use of Resident Citizen in the United States

7. Employment authorization document issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Some employment authorization documents issued by DHS include but are not limited to:

Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record issued to asylees or work-authorized nonimmigrants (for example, H-1B nonimmigrants) because of their immigration status,