I-9 Documents for Refugees and Asylees
Which acceptable documents work, and your right to choose them. General info, not legal advice.
Refugees and asylees are authorized to work and typically use an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766 EAD), a List A document.
How I-9 documents work
To complete Form I-9 you show your employer either one document from List A (which proves both who you are and that you’re authorized to work) or one document from List B (identity) plus one from List C (work authorization). You never need all three, it’s List A, or List B + List C. See the full lists of acceptable documents.
Documents you’ll commonly use
A newly arrived refugee may also present, for the first 90 days, an unexpired Form I-94 with a refugee admission stamp as a receipt, then follow up with an EAD or a List B + List C combination. An asylee can use their EAD, or a Form I-94 showing asylee status plus an unrestricted Social Security card (List C).
You choose which documents to show, not your employer
This matters: you decide which acceptable documents to present. An employer cannot require a specific document, reject a valid one, or ask for more than the I-9 requires, doing so is illegal “document abuse.” The documents described here are common examples for your situation, not a required list.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules depend on your individual circumstances, check USCIS I-9 Central or a qualified immigration attorney for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Usually an EAD (List A). In the first 90 days a refugee can also present a Form I-94 with a refugee admission stamp as a receipt, then provide an EAD or a List B + List C combination afterward.
An EAD (Form I-766) as a List A document, or a Form I-94 showing asylee status plus an unrestricted Social Security card as List B + List C. Asylees are authorized to work incident to their status.