Which documents are acceptable for Form I-9 to prove identity and employment authorization?

1. What List A covers — single documents that prove both identity and work authorization

List A is the set of documents that by themselves satisfy both identity and employment-authorization requirements, meaning an employee can present one unexpired List A item and the employer should not request any other document ^{[4] [2]}. Common List A examples include an unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551, “green card”), and an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) that contains a photograph; combinations such as a foreign passport presented with a Form I-94 (or with DS‑2019/I‑20 in certain student cases) are also allowable List A presentations ^{[5] [6]}.

2. The B + C route — identity plus employment authorization

If an employee does not present a List A document, they must present one document from List B to establish identity and one from List C to establish employment authorization ^[2]. List B items include state-issued driver’s licenses or ID cards and other photo or identity documents, while List C includes proof of employment authorization items such as an unrestricted Social Security card and certificates of U.S. citizenship or birth ^{[7] [8]}. Employers must accept one unexpired List B and one unexpired List C document together as sufficient ^[2].

3. Important restrictions and special rules employers must follow

Certain documents carry explicit restrictions: Social Security cards that are restricted (for example: “NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT” or “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION”) are not acceptable as List C documents, and Social Security cards must not be laminated ^{[4] [7]}. Employers must not specify which documents an employee should present and must follow anti‑discrimination rules — employees have the right to choose among the acceptable documents ^{[3] [9]}. Documents must generally be unexpired, though some issuing-authority extensions and certain DHS-issued documents have special treatment that can affect reverification timing ^[10].

4. E-Verify and copying/retention nuances

Employers using E-Verify face extra documentation practices: if an employee presents a U.S. passport, passport card, Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) or an EAD (Form I-766), employers must copy and retain that document with the Form I-9; E-Verify employers may only accept List B documents that contain a photograph ^{[11] [2]}. Remote examination procedures exist for certain employers but must be authorized by DHS and documented on the Form I-9 ^{[1] [11]}.

5. Edge cases, receipts, reverification, and practical caution

Receipts for applications for initial employment authorization generally are not acceptable, and receipts cannot be used if the employment will last less than three business days — however USCIS provides a limited set of acceptable receipts and explicit guidance on reverification when some documents expire ^[10]. Employers must examine documents to see if they reasonably appear genuine and relate to the person presenting them and must reverify when required ^{[1] [10]}. USCIS guidance and the Form I-9 instructions contain the full, up‑to‑date lists and samples and should be consulted for particular documents or unusual statuses ^{[10] [1]}.

6. Where to find the definitive lists and when to consult them

The authoritative Lists of Acceptable Documents appear on page 2 of Form I-9 and in the USCIS Handbook for Employers (M‑274), which include example images and special-case explanations; employers and employees should rely on those USCIS resources for the precise, current enumerations and sample images ^{[1] [10]}. Reporting and third‑party summaries can help interpret practical issues, but the USCIS pages are the controlling sources for which documents are acceptable for I‑9 purposes ^{[1] [10]}.