The choice belongs to the employee
Starting a job should not require guessing which immigration document a manager prefers. Form I-9 verifies identity and employment authorisation for new employees, including U.S. citizens and noncitizens. The employee chooses qualifying documentation from the form’s official Lists of Acceptable Documents; an employer does not select a particular document based on citizenship status or national origin.
This is an evergreen guide checked October 14, 2026, not a new employment-authorisation programme. Choosing documentation does not create permission to work. The worker must actually have the necessary authorisation, and the employer must complete the verification process correctly.
Use one of two document routes
List A establishes both identity and employment authorisation. Alternatively, List B establishes identity and must be paired with List C evidence of employment authorisation. Some List A entries are document combinations, so read the full entry rather than assuming every route consists of one physical card.
Use the current USCIS list to check the exact document, validity rules and any applicable receipt or extension provisions. A document that merely looks official is not necessarily acceptable. Employers assess whether qualifying documents reasonably appear genuine and relate to the person presenting them.
A green card is not the only route for a permanent resident
DOJ explains that an employer must not require a lawful permanent resident to present a green card, or demand a birth certificate from a U.S. citizen because that person appears foreign. For example, an acceptable driver’s licence and an unrestricted Social Security card can provide the List B-plus-C combination.
The word unrestricted matters. A Social Security card bearing an employment restriction is not valid List C evidence merely because it contains a number. If a document is unsuitable, review the remaining official options rather than inventing a substitute or letting an employer impose a nationality-based demand.
Separate payroll and reverification questions
DOJ distinguishes a Social Security card request for a separate payroll purpose from document choice for Form I-9. Ask which process the request concerns and keep the answer clear. A legitimate administrative request does not erase the employee’s I-9 document choice.
Where reverification is required, DOJ says the employee may choose qualifying List A or List C evidence; List B identity documents are not the reverification requirement. Permanent residents who presented a green card generally are not reverified just because that card later expires. Temporary authorisation and extensions require their own current rules.
Make a measured onboarding plan
For example, a new hire receives a checklist saying every noncitizen must bring a green card. They can ask HR to review the official document-choice instructions and explain that they intend to present another valid combination. This example illustrates a conversation; it does not decide whether a particular document or employer practice is lawful.
- Open USCIS I-9 Central and identify your qualifying document route before the appointment.
- Ask a confusing request to be clarified in writing, without accusing or guessing.
- Keep dates and copies of relevant onboarding messages in a secure personal file.
- Do not upload identity documents to an unsolicited link or public social-media thread.
Use official help when the problem persists
The DOJ Immigrant and Employee Rights Section provides a worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 and employer guidance at 1-800-255-8155. Its official resources explain discriminatory document demands. An E-Verify mismatch is a separate issue covered in our related guide. Seek qualified help for a specific dispute; this article is educational information, not legal advice.