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.