U.S. · I-9 employment eligibility
Form I-9 acceptable receipts.
The three receipt situations in 8 CFR 274a.2(b)(1)(vi), with deadlines.
An employer must accept a receipt in three situations: an application for a replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged document; a Form I-94 with an unexpired "Temporary I-551" stamp and photograph; and a Form I-94 with a refugee admission stamp. The employee then has 90 days (or until the Temporary I-551 stamp expires, or one year if the stamp has no date) to present the actual document. A receipt is not accepted if the job lasts less than three business days.
Look up a receipt
Result
The three receipt situations
| Situation | What counts as the receipt | When the real document is due |
|---|---|---|
| Lost, stolen or damaged document | A receipt for the application for a replacement document, presented within the time Form I-9 requires | The replacement within 90 days of the hire (or, on reverification, of the date employment authorization expires). |
| Temporary evidence of permanent residence (lawful permanent resident) | The arrival portion of Form I-94 or I-94A with an unexpired "Temporary I-551" stamp and a photograph, treated as a receipt for Form I-551. The employee indicates in Section 1 that he or she is a lawful permanent resident. | Form I-551 by the expiration date of the stamp or, if the stamp has no date, within one year of the issuance date of the arrival portion. |
| Refugee | The departure portion of Form I-94 or I-94A with an unexpired refugee admission stamp, treated as a receipt for Form I-766, or a Social Security card with no employment restrictions. The employee indicates in Section 1 that he or she is an alien authorized to work. | Within 90 days of the hire (or reverification date), an unexpired Form I-766, or an unrestricted Social Security card plus a List B identity document. |
When the employer must accept it
Under 274a.2(b)(1)(vi) the employer must accept the receipt in lieu of the required document unless the individual indicates, or the employer has actual or constructive knowledge, that the individual is not authorized to work. Paragraph (b)(1)(iii) carves out short jobs: an employer may not accept a receipt in lieu of the required document if the employment is for less than three business days.
Worked example
A new hire starting on Monday, November 2, 2026 lost her permanent resident card and shows a receipt for the replacement application. The employer accepts the receipt. The replacement card is due within 90 days of the hire, which is January 31, 2027. For a hire whose Temporary I-551 stamp has no expiration date and whose I-94 arrival portion was issued on September 10, 2026, Form I-551 is due within one year of that issuance, by September 10, 2027.
Limits
This page reflects the regulation's text. Form-edition instructions on how to record a receipt in Section 2, and what a receipt must look like, are in the USCIS Handbook for Employers (M-274), which is not summarized here. The receipt rules concern lost, stolen, damaged and temporary-status documents; the list of documents acceptable without a receipt is in 274a.2(b)(1)(v).
Sources
- 8 CFR 274a.2 Verification of identity and employment authorization: the receipt rules in (b)(1)(vi), the short-employment limit in (b)(1)(iii) and the acceptable documents in (b)(1)(v). Read November 2, 2026.
Regulation text is the eCFR version current to October 29, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What receipts can I accept for Form I-9?
A receipt for an application to replace a lost, stolen or damaged document; a Form I-94 with an unexpired Temporary I-551 stamp and photograph; or a Form I-94 with a refugee admission stamp. These are the cases in 8 CFR 274a.2(b)(1)(vi).
How long does the employee have to present the real document?
For a replacement document, 90 days from the hire. For a Temporary I-551 stamp, by the stamp's expiration or one year from issuance if it has none. For the refugee case, 90 days from the hire.
Can I accept a receipt for a very short job?
No. An employer may not accept a receipt in lieu of the required document if the employment is for less than three business days.
Can I refuse a receipt?
Not unless the individual indicates, or you have actual or constructive knowledge, that the individual is not authorized to work.
What if the 90 days are up?
The regulation requires the replacement document within the stated time; what the employer does after that is governed by the Form I-9 instructions and the M-274 handbook, which this page does not summarize.
Not legal advice
This page summarizes federal regulations and agency forms and is not legal advice. State and local law can require more, and exemption and leave questions turn on the facts. An employment attorney or the Department of Labor can confirm what applies to your situation. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.