New Passport Card Is Acceptable For Employment Eligibility Verification, Klasko Newsletter Excerpt

September 2008

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the new U.S. passport card may be used in the employment eligibility verification (Form I-9) process.

Last month, the Departments of State and Homeland Security announced that the new passport card was in full production. The new card “provides a less expensive and more portable alternative to the traditional passport book, and will expedite document processing at United States land and sea ports-of-entry for U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda,” the agencies said.

The new passport card is limited in its uses for international travel (e.g., it may not be used for international air travel), but it is a valid passport that attests to the U.S. citizenship and identity of the bearer. Accordingly, USCIS said, the card may be used for the I-9 process and can also be accepted by employers participating in the E-Verify program.

The passport card is considered a “List A” document that may be presented by newly hired employees during the employment eligibility verification process to show work authorized status. “List A” documents are those used by employees to prove both identity and work authorization when completing the I-9.

The notice is available at http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vg
nextoid=8daff5a7ebd9b110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel
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Related Information:

• New Passport Card Is Acceptable For Employment Eligibility Verification (PDF)