I-9 Documents List
Contents
The Citizenship and Immigration Services require every worker in the United States to fill out Form I-9 (known as the Employment Eligibility Verification) and manifest documents that prove their identity and authorization to work in the country.
This was first required by federal law in 1986 with the Immigration Reform and Control Act. If you’re a worker that has started working before 1986, the law technically doesn’t apply to you, but it’s 2024 so we assume it does to you.
While filling out Form I-9 is quite simple as you only need to provide personal information about yourself, there are certain requirements on the documents that can be presented. So you can’t just bring any document to verify your identity and authorization to work in the United States.
You can only present the following documents for I-9 purposes – for identity and work authorization.
Identity Verification
The below documents are only used for verifying the identity.
- Voter’s Registration Card
- Driver’s License
- US Military Card
- Local ID Card
- School ID (must have a photograph)
- Military Dependent’s ID Card
- State ID Card
- US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card
- Federal ID Card
- Canadian Driver’s License
With the exception of employees over the age of 18, the below documents can also be used for verifying the identity.
- School Report Card
- Doctor Record
- Day-care Record
- Nursery School Record
- School Record Report
- Hospital Record
- Clinic Record
Work Authorization Verification
- Certified Copy of Birth Certificate issued by a State or County
- Form I-197
- US Citizen ID Card
- Certification of Report of Birth issued by the Department of State
- Native American Tribal Document
- Original Birth Certificate
- Employment Authorization Document issued by the Department of Homeland Security
Identity and Work Authorization Verification
- Permanent Resident Card (Greencard)
- US Passport Book
- US Passport Card
- Form I-766 (must have a photograph)
- Foreign Passport with I-551 Stamp
- Federal States of Micronesia Passport (must have Form I-94 or I-94A)
- Republic of the Marshall Islands Passport (must have Form I-94 or I-94A)
Commonly Asked Form I-9 Documents Question
My employer scanned a copy of my documents, is it legal?
Employers are required to scan a copy of the documents the employees provide so that these can be added to the personnel files. The USCIS will want the documents provided with Form I-9 so that they can fact-check them. We also suggest employers verify employee SSNs using the Business Services Online tool of the Social Security Administration.
Where can I get printable Form I-9? (PDF)
The USCIS shares every document that is from the agency electronically. Regardless of the document you need, you can obtain a free copy of printable Form I-9 or the other documents. It comes with a set back though. You won’t be able to fill out Form I-9 online with the USCIS issued version of the form. Instead, fill out Form I-9 online and print out a copy with the information entered on it.
Do I need to send a copy of Form I-9 to the IRS?
The IRS and Form I-9 has nothing to do with each other. Form I-9 is a Citizenship and Immigration Services document and since it doesn’t involve earnings or taxes, the IRS won’t need it. So, you don’t need to send Form I-9 to the IRS. You aren’t also required to send Form I-9 to USCIS as your employer will keep it in the personnel files.
