List A
What It Proves
Identity and work authorization
Common Examples
U.S. passport, green card (Form I-551), EAD (Form I-766)
Form I-9 is used by U.S. employers to verify a worker’s identity and authorization to work. E-Verify is a separate electronic system that can confirm the information provided on the form.
This article explains how the two processes connect, focusing on the documents employers may accept and the compliance steps that follow. Green cards, Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), and foreign passports are also covered as common examples.
The 1-9 form 2026 edition, formally called Employment Eligibility Verification, confirms a new hire's identity and work authorization. Every manager with at least one enrollee must complete a form for each hire. This applies regardless of company size or the staff’s citizenship. The I-9 employment eligibility verification list of acceptable documents attached to the form tells the hiring employee exactly what to bring. The hirer never specifies a proof of identity in advance.
The employee completes Section 1 no later than the first day of work, including personal details and an attestation of citizenship or immigration status.
The employer completes Section 2 after reviewing the employee’s original documents. The employer then enters details from those documents on the form. A preparer or translator may help with Section 1 and must sign the required certification.
Section 1 of Form I-9 is due on or before the start date. Section 2 is due within 3 business days of that date. A manager who hires someone for fewer than 3 days must complete the form on the first day.
Missing either deadline on the current Form I-9 in 2026 counts as a substantive violation once ICE reviews the form. Once flagged, a correction window no longer applies. Corporations building a verification process from scratch should pair the form's instructions with USCIS guidance on acceptable I-9 verification documents.
N.B. A blank or unsigned Section 2 is one of the most common findings in ICE audits. It now carries the same fine exposure as a wrong form number.
The Form I-9 structure relies on three separate entry categories managed by USCIS: List A, List B, and List C.
A List A credential stands alone. Once a person presents a passport, green card, or EAD, the company records that single log. The organization should request no other submission. Some List A entries combine two physical records, such as a foreign passport with an unexpired Form I-94.
List B proof of identity confirms who the person is, without addressing work authorization. A driver's license, a voter registration card, and a military dependent's ID all qualify. List B items must include a photograph. Workers younger than eighteen may instead show name, date of birth, sex, height, weight, and eye color.
List C files establish the right to work without confirming identity. An unrestricted Social Security card qualifies, provided it carries no legend such as "not valid for employment." A certified birth certificate also appears here. A Form I-797 showing an active employment authorization extension also satisfies the legal requirement.
Businesses must always present the entire I-9 verification acceptable documents chart to every hire to minimize discrimination complaint risks.
Immigrant recruits often present I-9 acceptable paperwork that falls outside the passport-and-Social Security card pattern most HR teams default to. Four records account for most employer questions. These are the green card, the EAD, the foreign passport paired with Form I-94, and receipt notices.
The green card, officially called a Permanent Resident Card, appears on List A. It shows that a person has both verified identity and is legally allowed to work. The permanent resident status does not become invalid when the physical card expires. A sponsor must never reverify a green card holder based on the card's printed expiration date. A new card only replaces an existing one.
Form I-766 is formally called the Employment Authorization Document. The record appears as the fourth item on List A, not List C, and this distinction can confuse Founders. The card authorizes work only through the stated expiration date.
Unlike the green card, an EAD requires reverification once that date passes. Automatic extension rules for certain EAD categories can extend validity past the printed date. Companies should confirm the applicable category code before assuming a card has lapsed.
Nonimmigrants with employer-specific authorization may tender a foreign passport with Form I-94. The application should show the current, unexpired endorsement. This endorsement must match the proposed employment.
I-94 is a List A document. The organization notes down the passport number and the I-94 admission number. Reverification is due on or before the date the endorsement expires.
An applicant awaiting a replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged List A, B, or C document may present a receipt instead. This works only for a limited period. Receipts for an initial grant of employment authorization do not qualify. A job lasting fewer than three business days cannot rely on a receipt at all. The M-274 handbook lists exact receipt validity windows by document type.
Businesses uncertain which reverification date applies should route the file to counsel for I-9 verification acceptable documents review rather than guess. Whether early or late reverification, both carry penalty risk.
Every E-Verify check compares information a manager enters from the Form I-9 against Social Security Administration and DHS records. A Founder creates a case within 3 business days of the employee's start date, after Form I-9 is complete. Most cases return an Employment Authorized result within seconds. Some route to further review before resolving.
However, an E-Verify check does not replace Form I-9. The check runs alongside the record and confirms the same facts drawn from the I-9 acceptable documents the wage earner already presented.
A Tentative Nonconfirmation, also called a mismatch, occurs when the information filed does not match government records immediately. Some examples that could cause a mismatch to happen can include:
The organization must give the staff a Further Action Notice. The job holder then gets eight federal working days to decide whether to contest the mismatch. The patron may take no adverse action while the case remains open.
A Tentative Nonconfirmation, or mismatch, means E-Verify could not immediately match submitted information with government records. Common causes include:
When a mismatch appears, the employer must provide a Further Action Notice. The employee then has eight federal government working days to decide whether to contest the result. No adverse employment action may be taken while the E-Verify case is still being resolved.
An applicant who contests a mismatch keeps working under normal terms while the case proceeds. The manager cannot withhold pay, delay training, or take any other adverse step before issuing a Final Nonconfirmation.
A worker who chooses not to contest, or who receives a Final Nonconfirmation, may be terminated without civil or criminal liability. This follows the E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding.
Owners running their first mismatch case should review the E-Verify Employee Rights page, or contact E-Verify customer service, before notifying the enrollee.
You can check company participation through the official E-Verify employer search tool. A search by legal or trade name may show details such as enrollment date, reported workforce size, and hiring locations.
Sometimes, an E-Verify number search may not return a result if the business used a different name during enrollment. In that case, check the parent company name or a specific hiring location.
Another sign of participation is the E-Verify Notice of Participation, which enrolled employers must display with the Right to Work notice. Job seekers can also use myE-Verify to review their own employment eligibility information before starting a new role.
Reverification is required only for certain I-9 acceptable documents from List A or List C when temporary work authorization expires. List B identity documents are not reverified, and an expiring green card does not trigger reverification based on the card’s printed date alone.
Supplement B, Reverification and Rehire, should be completed on or before the current authorization expires. The employee may present any valid List A or List C document that proves continued work authorization.
Do not complete reverification too early or apply it to exempt documents, since the same anti-discrimination rules used during initial verification still apply.
Some Employment Authorization Documents receive automatic extensions through Federal Register notices, so the effective expiration date may extend beyond the date printed on the card. Employers should confirm the current extension rules before treating an EAD as expired.
For unusual cases, E-Verify customer service can clarify issues that internal tracking alone cannot resolve.
Form I-9 violations can lead to significant civil penalties, even when the mistake appears administrative. Current fines for paperwork violations range from US$288 to US$2,861 per form, with amounts adjusted periodically for inflation under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act.
Some errors are treated more seriously than others. Missing required information, such as an employee’s date of birth or the completion date in Section 2, may be classified as substantive violations and may not qualify for a correction period.
Penalties increase when violations are repeated. Second offenses can carry fines of US$5,721 to US$14,305, while third or subsequent offenses can reach US$8,582 to US$28,619. Separate penalties may also apply when document fraud is involved.
Financial penalties are not the only risk. Repeated or serious violations can affect eligibility for federal contracts and, in more severe cases, may lead to criminal referral.
When a Notice of Inspection is received, the response should be handled carefully. ICE considers several statutory factors when setting the final penalty, including the size of the business, good-faith compliance efforts, seriousness of the violation, involvement of unauthorized workers, and prior violation history.
I-9 and E-Verify mistakes are easier to address before an inspection or audit puts them under scrutiny. Employers sponsoring international talent also need to keep work authorization, reverification dates, and supporting records aligned throughout the employee’s stay.
Beyond Border works with a network of specialist immigration attorneys who support U.S. employers and sponsored professionals across O-1, L-1, H-1B, EB-1A, and EB-2 NIW matters. More than 4,000 employment-based cases have been handled across the network, with a reported 98% approval rate.
The same immigration records used during sponsorship often affect later I-9 and reverification steps, which is why compliance and petition strategy should not be treated separately.
Book a free consultation to review a sponsored employee’s status, upcoming filing, or work authorization documents before a compliance issue develops.
The I-9 employment eligibility verification list of acceptable documents splits into List A, proving identity and authorization together. List B and List C prove each separately. USCIS publishes the current I-9 employment eligibility verification list of acceptable documents on the I-9 Central page and on the form itself.
Yes. A Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, sits on List A and satisfies both identity and work authorization on its own. Neither a List B nor a List C document should accompany it.
Run the organization’s name through the public search tool at e-verify.gov. Results list enrollment status, enrollment date, and workforce size. The 1-9 form 2026 edition and the E-Verify system work from the same underlying document standards.
A receipt for a lost, stolen, or damaged document works for a limited period. The M-274 handbook tracks these windows. A receipt for an initial grant of employment authorization does not qualify. Jobs shorter than three business days cannot use a receipt.
No. Permanent resident status does not expire with the card. Reverification applies to List A and List C documents with a stated expiration date, such as an EAD. It does not apply to a green card holder's status.
David Munam is an experienced writer with 10 years of expertise in researching and producing clear, authoritative content on complex and highly technical subjects. His work has focused on turning dense information into accurate, well-structured, and accessible content across areas such as U.S. customs and trade, Web3, fintech, immigration law, and technology. At Beyond Border, he applies this experience to researching and writing in-depth content on U.S. immigration pathways, including O-1, EB-1A, and EB-2 NIW.
Address: 4 W 4th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94402, United States
Email: info@beyondborderglobal.com
