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Form I-9

Employment Eligibility Verification

Federal law and Cornell University require all new employees, including student employees, to complete an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form.

  • The I-9 form establishes identity and eligibility to work in the U.S.
  • The I-9 form must be completed BEFORE new employees start working.
  • ORIGINAL documentation that establishes identity and employment eligibility must be reviewed by the hiring department.

Acceptable Documents

Show one document from List A, or one document from both List B and List C.

LIST A
Documents that Establish Both Identity and Employment Eligibility
  1. U.S. Passport (unexpired or expired)
  2. Permanent Resident Card or Alien
    Registration Receipt Card (Form
    I-551)
  3. An unexpired foreign passport with a
    temporary I-551 stamp
  4. An unexpired Employment
    Authorization Document that contains
    a photograph
    (Form I-766, I-688, I-688A, I-688B)
  5. An unexpired foreign passport with
    an unexpired Arrival-Departure
    Record, Form I-94, bearing the same
    name as the passport and containing
    an endorsement of the alien's
    nonimmigrant status, if that status
    authorizes the alien to work for the
    employer
LIST C
Documents that Establish Employment Eligibility
  1. U.S. Social Security card issued by
    the Social Security Administration
    (other than a card stating it is not
    valid for employment)
  2. Certification of Birth Abroad
    issued by the Department of State
    (Form FS-545 or Form DS-1350)
  3. Original or certified copy of a birth
    certificate issued by a state,
    county, municipal authority or
    outlying possession of the United
    States bearing an official seal
  4. Native American tribal document
  5. U.S. Citizen ID Card (Form I-197)
  6. ID Card for use of Resident
    Citizen in the United States (Form
    I-179)
  7. Unexpired employment
    authorization document issued by
    DHS (other than those listed under
    List A)
LIST B
Documents that Establish Identity
  1. Driver's license or ID card issued by
    a state or outlying possession of the
    United States provided it contains a
    photograph or information such as
    name, date of birth, gender, height,
    eye color and address
  2. ID card issued by federal, state or
    local government agencies or
    entities, provided it contains a
    photograph or information such as
    name, date of birth, gender, height,
    eye color and address
  3. School ID card with a photograph
  4. Voter's registration card
  5. U.S. Military card or draft record
  6. Military dependent's ID card
  7. U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner
    Card
  8. Native American tribal document
  9. Driver's license issued by a Canadian
    government authority

For Persons under age 18 who are unable to present a document listed above:

  1. School record or report card
  2. Clinic, doctor or hospital record
  3. Day-care or nursery school record

International students who do not have an F-1 Visa must confirm employment eligibility with the Cornell International Students and Scholars Office in B-20 Caldwell Hall before finding a job.