Form I-9 Acceptable Documents
A reference to the three lists of acceptable documents, the receipt rule, and the law against document abuse.
Form I-9 verifies two things about every new employee. It confirms identity, and it confirms authorization to work in the United States. To prove both, the form uses three lists of acceptable documents. This page explains how those lists work so you can prepare with confidence, whether you are a new hire choosing what to bring or an employer reviewing what is presented.
Which documents can you use? Pick your situation
Choose what you have, and see exactly what it proves. Remember: the employee always chooses which valid documents to present, and the employer must accept any valid choice.
One List A document
Common List A documents include:
- A U.S. passport or U.S. passport card
- A Permanent Resident Card, also called a green card (Form I-551)
- A foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stamp, or with an I-94 showing work authorization
- An Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766)
Bring the original document. The employer records its title, number, and expiration in Section 2.
See the full completion steps →One List B plus one List C document
You choose which valid documents to bring. Your employer cannot require specific ones.
What new hires should bring →You lost, damaged, or had a document stolen
You present the receipt now and bring the actual replacement document later, and the employer updates your I-9 then. The receipt rule covers replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged document. It does not let you use a receipt in place of presenting a document for the first time.
Read the full document rules →Minors and special identity cases
In place of a List B document, a minor may use records such as a school record or report card; a clinic, doctor, or hospital record; or a daycare or nursery school record. A List C work-authorization document is still required. Similar special rules can apply to certain people with disabilities. Check the official Form I-9 instructions for the exact options that fit your situation.
What documents do I need? →Remote (live video) verification
You send copies of your documents and then show the same documents on a video call. The employer checks the alternative-procedure box on the form and keeps copies. If your employer is not an E-Verify participant, they must examine your documents in person.
How remote verification works →How the lists fit together
There are two ways to satisfy Form I-9. You present one document from List A, or you present one document from List B together with one document from List C. You do not need documents from all three lists. You only follow one of the two paths.
This design gives people flexibility. Someone with a passport can satisfy the whole form with one document. Someone without a List A document can combine an everyday photo ID with a work-authorization document instead. Both paths carry equal weight under the form.
List A: identity and work authorization
A List A document is a one-stop proof. It establishes both who you are and that you may work. Because a single document covers everything, many people use this path when they have one of these on hand.
- A U.S. passport or U.S. passport card.
- A Permanent Resident Card, often called a green card.
- A foreign passport that has an I-551 stamp, or that is presented with a Form I-94.
This is not the complete List A. The form's full Lists of Acceptable Documents include other items. If your document is not shown here, check the current list on the form or at uscis.gov. The key idea is that any single List A document answers both questions the form asks at once.
List B: identity only
A List B document proves your identity but says nothing about your right to work. That is why a List B document never stands alone. It must be paired with a List C document. The most common List B documents are everyday photo IDs.
- A driver's license issued by a state or outlying possession.
- A state-issued identification card.
Again, the form lists more options than these. The idea behind List B is narrow. It answers one question only, are you who you say you are. It does not address work authorization at all, so it always needs a partner from List C.
List C: work authorization only
A List C document proves your authorization to work but does not prove identity on its own. That is why it pairs with a List B document. Common List C documents include:
- A Social Security card that does not say it is restricted for work.
- A U.S. birth certificate.
Together, a List B identity document and a List C work-authorization document do the same job as one List A document. Neither half works by itself. You need both halves of the pair for Path 2 to be complete.
The receipt rule
What if a needed document was lost, stolen, or damaged right when you start work? The receipt rule covers this.
The receipt is a temporary bridge. It lets verification move forward while you wait for the real document. It is not a permanent substitute, so the actual document must follow within the allowed window. Keep track of the deadline your employer gives you so there is no gap later.
Document abuse: the rule employers must follow
One rule protects employees during this process. The choice of which documents to present belongs to the employee, not the employer.
For employers, this matters twice over. Document abuse is unlawful on its own. Separately, incomplete document information in Section 2, such as a missing document title, number, or expiration date, is now treated as a substantive error after the March 16, 2026 ICE reclassification. So employers should record document details fully and accept the employee's lawful choice without steering it. The safe habit is to write down each document's title, number, and expiration date exactly as shown.
A note on remote verification
Employers may examine documents in person. Some may also use the DHS-authorized alternative procedure over live video, but only if they are an E-Verify participant in good standing, and they must keep copies of the documents. The lists of acceptable documents are the same either way, so the choices on this page apply no matter how the review takes place.
When in doubt about a specific document, check the current Lists of Acceptable Documents on the form or at uscis.gov. For a complicated personal situation, it is fine to consult an immigration attorney.
Which documents should I bring? →Frequently asked questions
No. You present one document from List A, or one document from List B plus one document from List C. List A alone proves identity and work authorization. List B plus List C does the same in two documents.
No. List B proves identity only, so it must be paired with a List C document that proves work authorization.
Yes, for a limited time. A receipt for a lost, stolen, or damaged document is accepted temporarily, and you present the actual document later.
No. The employer must accept any valid document or combination you choose from the Lists. Demanding a specific document or asking for extra documents is document abuse, which is illegal.