2 Forms of ID for a Job Interview and Documents To Start a Job

Updated February 27, 2023

When you're interviewing for jobs, there are specific documents that employers may request to verify your identify and eligibility for employment. It's important to understand the type of documents and forms an employer may require you to show, including any professional licenses and IDs. If you need to request copies or replacements of IDs or forms, organizing them ahead of time can help you be successful in your job interview.

In this article, we discuss the two forms of ID for a job interview employers may require, the forms you may require when starting a new job and how to replace lost documents.

Two forms of ID for a job interview that employers may require

Employees can choose the two forms of identification they prefer from the approved list by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Employers require you to show two forms of ID because they want to verify that you meet the requirement to work in the United States. There are three categories that you can choose from:

List A

You can choose one from this list, as these documents prove your identity and eligibility to work in the United States.

A non-expired United States passport or United States passport card
An indefinite resident card
A non-U.S passport that has a provisional I-551 stamp or an I-551 printed compromise on a machine-comprehensible immigration visa
Employment authorization document that has your photo, form I-776
A foreign passport with form I-94 or I-94A that has your name on it, the same as your passport, with an endorsement of the non-immigration status, if you're not a US citizen, but you're approved to work in the U.S., ensure the date or endorsement hasn't expired, and the pending employment isn't in conflict with the limitations on the form, so your potential employer can accept it.
A Federal States of Micronesia (FSM) or the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) passport with the form I-94 or I-94A showing non-immigration acceptance under the Contact of Free Association Between the U.S. and the FSM or RMI.

List B

You can choose one from this list and list C, as this list only proves your identity.

Driver's license or identification card released by one of the 50 states or the American Samoa and the Swains Island, that has your photo and information like your name, date of your birth, sex, height, eye color and home address.
Identification card released by the federal, state or local government agencies or entities as long as it has your photo and information like your name, date of your birth, sex, height, eye color and home address.
Current high school or college identification card with your photo
A current voter's registration card
A U.S military card or a draft record
Military dependent identification card
A U.S Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card
Native American Tribal documents
Driver's license released by the Canadian government

If a person is under 18 years old or living with a disability, and can't get any of the previously mentioned documents, they can substitute with:

High school or college records or report cards
Doctor's office or hospital records
Daycare or nursery records

List C

You can choose one from this list and list B, as this list only proves your right to work.

A social security account number, unless the card gives these one of these specific restrictions:
- Not valid for employment
- Valid for work only with INS authorization
- Valid for work only with DHR authorization
Certification of birth not in the U.Sreleased by the U.S Department of State, form FS-545
Original or a copy that the hospital has certified of your birth certificate released by the state, county, municipal, authority or territory of the U.S with its official stamped seal
Native American Tribal documents
A U.S citizen identification card, form I-197
Identification card for use of resident citizen in the United States, form I-179
Employment authorization document released by the U.S Department of Homeland Security

Individual employer requirements

An employer may ask you for additional documents depending on the company and position to verify the qualifications that you may have mentioned in an interview or on your resume. These can include:

Union card
Professional licenses or certifications
High school or college diploma or transcripts
Fingerprinting or background checks
Credit reports
Vaccination records

What forms do employers require when you start a new job?

Here are some forms that employers may require from you when starting a job:

Job application forms

If an employer offers a job interview before you complete their job application, they might ask you to fill one out. The job application form is for them to have documentation of your relevant job experience and education. Some other information they might ask for are the dates of your previous employment, names of education institutions and dates of your attendance, your credentials and qualifications. You can fill this form out by directly asking the company for it or, often, you can find it online.

Previous W-2 forms

Your new employers may ask for copies of your W-2 from your previous employer to verify your employment and compensation before they make you a job offer. Some cities and states prohibit employers from requesting income verification forms. Verify with the city and state that you live in to ensure that employers can request this form. If the employer can legally request you previous W-2s, you may consider asking if there is a job offer pending and research similar salaries in the area to ensure the job offer is fair.

W-4 forms

A requirement of employment involves completing your W-4 form so that you can withhold the appropriate amount of federal income taxes from your wages. When you start a new job, you complete this form to inform your employer how much to withhold. Your employer may provide you with this form or you can find it online and complete it before your first day.

Employment Eligibility Verification, I-9 forms

When you start a new job, complete this form to prove that you're eligible to work in the United States. Your employer keeps this form on file. In addition to this form, an employer can require you to bring the correct amount of documents from list A, list B or list C.

Ways to replace lost documents

Here are a few ways that you can replace any lost documents:

To replace your passport, contact the National Passport Information Center
To replace your social security card, fill out an application online or you can provide the proper documents at your local social security office.
To replace or redeem copies of your W-2 forms, you can contact the IRS or your previous employer.
To replace your driver's license, you can check with your state's Department of Motor Vehicles for further instructions on how to apply for a replacement driver's license.
To replace or redeem copies of your school's transcripts, you can contact, either in person, over the phone or online, the registrar's office at your high school or university.