Combination Documents

Certain nonimmigrants and exchange visitors who present a List A document, must also present additional documents to prove their work authorization in the United States.

Foreign Students in F-1 Nonimmigrant Status Participating in Curricular Practical Training

Curricular practical training (CPT) allows F-1 students to accept paid alternative work/study employment, internships, cooperative education or any other type of required internship or practicum that employers offer through cooperative agreements with the student’s school. The training must be related to the student’s major area of study. A student may begin CPT after the designated school official (DSO) authorizes CPT on the student’s Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. The DSO-endorsed Form I-20 with the student’s Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, indicating F-1 nonimmigrant status is evidence of employment authorization.

List A Document

For Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, purposes, the combination of the following documents is considered a List A document that shows both identity and employment authorization:

• An unexpired foreign passport;
• Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, indicating F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
• Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement for employment.
  In Section 2 of Form I-9, you should enter information from the employee’s:
• Unexpired foreign passport;
• Form I-94 indicating F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
• Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement for employment.

List B and C Documents

A student participating in CPT may choose to present a List B and List C document instead of a List A document. For example, a state driver’s license (List B document and, under List C #7, a Form I-94 indicating F-1 nonimmigrant status with a properly endorsed Form I-20.

J-1 Exchange Visitors

J-1 exchange visitor (for example, teachers, professors, summer camp counselors, summer work travelers, and au pairs) may work legally in the United States if the work is part of their approved program or if they receive permission to work from the official program sponsor.

List A Document

J-1 exchange visitors receive several documents related to their program. For Form I-9 purposes, the following documents are considered a List A document, showing both identity and employment authorization: 

• An unexpired foreign passport;
• Form I-94 indicating J-1 nonimmigrant status; and
• Form DS-2019 with the responsible officer’s endorsement. The J-1 exchange visitor cannot work after the program end date on this form.

J-1 students may present the documents above if they also have a letter from the responsible officer authorizing employment.

In Section 2 of Form I-9, the employer should enter information from the employee’s:

• Unexpired foreign passport;
• Form I-94 indicating J-1 nonimmigrant status;
• Form DS-2019 endorsed for employment; and
• Note the documentation from the responsible officer in the Additional Information field.

List B and C Documents

To satisfy List B and C documents requirements, the J-1 student could present a state driver’s license (List B) and a Form I-94 in combination with Form DS-2019 and a letter from a responsible officer (List C #7).

The Forms DS-2019 for J-1 exchange visitors who transfer to a different program or change their sponsors must indicate the new program or sponsor.