Appendix C: Sample Citizen/Noncitizen Documents

United States Citizens

Persons born in the U.S., naturalized through court proceedings, or born abroad to U.S. citizens are citizens. A citizen is not required to carry proof of citizenship.

Noncitizens

Immigrants
Immigrants, also known as "permanent resident aliens," usually intend to remain in the U.S., are authorized to work, and have basically the same rights and responsibilities as U.S. citizens except for the right to vote and to hold a U.S. passport.
Non-immigrants
Some non-immigrants are noncitizens who seek entry to the U.S. for a specific purpose to be accomplished during a temporary stay (for example, students, business persons, tourists, and exchange visitors). Some may have written employment authorization. The nonimmigrant is granted a specific time period to remain in the U.S.
Refugees
A refugee is a person granted entry to the U.S. because of persecution or well-founded fear of persecution in his or her home country because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
Asylees
An asylee is a person already present in the U.S. (or at a land border or port of entry) who claims to be a refugee.
Parolees
A parolee is a noncitizen not otherwise admissible whom the government nevertheless permits to enter for humanitarian reasons or because he or she is of special interest to the U.S. government. Employment is permitted in most cases. Parolee status is covered by Section 212 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA).
Cuban/Haitian Entrant
This is the status given to Cubans who entered the U.S. illegally between April 15, 1980, and October 10, 1980, and to Haitians who entered the U.S. illegally before January 1, 1981. This status is covered by Section 502(e) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA).
Special Agricultural Worker (SAW)
A SAW is a noncitizen who has lived in the U.S. and performed agricultural labor for at least 90 person-days during the one-year period prior to May 1, 1986. This noncitizen may be granted temporary lawful resident noncitizen status. The SAW status is limited to the first 350,000 noncitizens who apply. This status is covered by Section 210(b)(6) of IRCA.
Eligible Legalized Alien (ELA)
An ELA is a noncitizen who has been granted lawful temporary resident status by INS for a limited period of time. This status is covered by Sections 210, 210A, and 245A of INA. It was granted to noncitizens residing illegally in the US since before January 1, 1972, as an act of amnesty. After 18 months of temporary resident status, an ELA has 24 months to apply for permanent resident status or face reverting to illegal noncitizen status. An ELA may remain in temporary resident status for a total of only 42 months. The ELA reverts to unlawful noncitizen status in the 43rd month.
ELAs are barred by IRCA from receiving TANF and other federally funded benefits for a five-year period beginning on their date of adjustment to temporary resident status, except for the aged, blind, or disabled, as defined by SSA.
Illegal Entrants

An illegal entrant is a person who has neither temporary nor permanent stay documents that have not expired.

Samples of U.S. Identification Cards

Document Type:	Alien Registration Receipt Card
Document Number:	I-551
Residency Status:	Permanent
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible
Notes:	Laminated. This form replaced older issues of the I-151. The photo is part of the form and has no raised edges.
Document Type:	Alien Registration Receipt Card
Document Number:	I-551
Residency Status:	Permanent
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible
Notes:	Laminated. This form replaced older issues of the I-151. The photo is part of the form and has no raised edges.
Document Type:	Alien Registration Receipt Card
Document Number:	I-151
Residency Status:	Permanent
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible
Notes:	Laminated. This form is no longer issued but is still in circulation and still valid. The photo may be either color or black and white.
Document Type:	Alien Registration Receipt Card
Document Number:	I-151
Residency Status:	Permanent
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible
Notes:	Laminated. This form is no longer issued but is still in circulation and still valid. The form is bluish green.
Document Type:	Alien Registration Receipt Card
Document Number:	I-151
Residency Status:	Permanent
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible
Notes:	Laminated. This form is no longer issued but is still in circulation and still valid. The form is bluish green. The photo may be either color or black and white.
Document Type:	Employment Authorization
Document Number:	I-688A
Residency Status:	Holder has applied for temporary residency
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Not eligible
Notes:	Illegal noncitizens who apply and go through a preliminary interview for residency under the Immigration Reform and Control Act (legalization program) are first issued the I-688A. The card gives them the right to work in the U.S. When they are granted temporary residency, they are issued the I-688. Laminated. The photo is part of the form and has no raised edges. The gold Department of Justice seal in the laminate is superimposed over the middle of the card front.
Document Type:	Employment Authorization
Document Number:	I-688
Residency Status:	Temporary
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Not eligible, except for eligible legalized aliens (ELAs)
Notes:	Laminated. The photo is part of the form and has no raised edges. The gold Department of Justice seal in the laminate is superimposed over the middle of the card front.
Document Type:	Employment Authorization
Document Number:	I-688B
Residency Status:	Temporary
Employment:	Allowed
Cash Benefit Status:	Varies (see Appendix A)
Notes:	Laminated. The photo is part of the form and has no raised edges. The gold Department of Justice seal in the laminate is superimposed over the middle of the card front.
Document Type:	Refugee Documentation
Document Number:	I-94
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible Refugee
Notes:	This version was issued from January 1, 1983, through September 30, 1985.
Document Type:	Cuban/Haitian EntrantDocumentation
Document Number:	I-94
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible Refugee
Notes:	All Cuban and Haitian immigrants have been granted extended employment authorization by an act of Congress.
Document Type:	Refugee Documentation
Document Number:	I-94
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible Refugee
Notes:	This version was issued after October 1, 1985.
Document Type:	Departure Record
Document Number:	I-94
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible if stamped "refugee," "paroled as a refugee," or "parolee"
Notes:	This form is issued to visitors to the U.S. It shows the date of issue and the date by which the visitor must depart. Employment is not allowed unless specifically noted on the form. The form is carried in conjunction with a passport. INS section number should also be verified. Refugees may be parolees, but not all parolees are refugees.
Document Type:	Passport
Cash Benefit Status:	Eligible permanent resident
Notes:	This is an example of a passport that has been stamped inside by the INS.
Document Type:	U.S. Citizen Identification Card
Document Number:	I-197
Residency status:	U.S. Citizen
Employment:	Allowed
Notes:	Laminated. Form I-197 has not been issued since April 1983, and there is no replacement card. The card was issued to naturalized U.S. citizens. The cards are still in circulation and still valid.
Document Type:	Certification of Birth issued by the Department of State
Document Number:	FS-545
Notes:	Issued by U.S. embassies and consulates overseas to U.S. citizens born abroad.
Document Type:	Certification of Birth issued by the Department of State
Document Number	DS-1350
Notes:	Issued to U.S. citizens born abroad.
Document Type:	U.S. Citizen Identification Card
Document Number:	I-197
Notes:	Issued by the INS to U.S. citizens. The INS no longer issues this card.
Document Type:	Identification Card for Use of Resident Citizen in the U.S.
Document Number:	I-179
Notes:	Issued by the INS to U.S. citizens who are residents of the U.S. The INS no longer issues this card.

Reissued March 25, 2009, replacing January 30, 2001; Reviewed January 31, 2012