AmeriCorps Eligibility Documents
Before you can begin making an impact as an AmeriCorps member, you’ll need to present documents to establish your identity and citizenship status for review by a member of our staff. To assist you in determining what documents and ID will fulfill the requirement, a checklist and samples of acceptable identification are available below.
Sample Documents and I.D.
As you gather your eligibility documents, you will either need to have one I.D. from the first group (IDs that establish Citizenship and identity) or one from the second group (IDs & Documents that Establish Citizenship Status) and one from the third group (ID that Establish Identity).
IDs that Establish Citizenship and Identity
Don’t have one of these? No problem, you’ll simply present one document to establish citizenship and an ID to establish your identity.
US Passport (Unexpired)
U.S. Passports must be unexpired to fulfill both the Eligibility and Age/Identity requirement. Expired passports must be accompanied by an unexpired photo ID
Enhanced Driver’s License
Must be issued by the State of Minnesota.
Permanent Resident Card (Unexpired)
If permanent residency is set to expire during the expected term of service, you will be asked for proof of renewal during your service.
Foreign Passport
Must indicate that INS has approved it as temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence.
IDs and Documents That Establish Citizenship Status
These must be presented with an ID that establishes identity.
Government-Issued Birth Certificate
Listing place of birth as the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa or Norther Mariana Islands.
Certificate must be certified by and registered with a State’s office of vital statistics. Hospital Birth Certificates are not acceptable
Expired U.S. Passport
Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350)
Certificate of Birth-Foreign Service (FS 545)
Certificate of Naturalization
(N-550 or N570)
Certificate of Citizenship
(N-560 or N-561)
Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen (FS-240)
Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-551)
IDs that Establish Identity
These must be presented with an ID/document that establishes citizenship.
Current Government Issued I.D.
Acceptable identification includes: State-issued Driver’s License, State-issued I.D. Card or Military Identification Card
Expired Government Issued I.D.
Must be presented with a receipt indicating a replacement has been required within the last 60 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to provide these specific documents?
Reviewing these documents ensures that members serving in our program are eligible to receive federal grant money, thereby safeguarding the use of federal funds and your tax dollars. AmeriCorps members must be U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, or Permanent Residents to be eligible to serve. We also must verify that your name on your government-issued Photo ID matches the name we ran your background check under to ensure the safety of the populations we serve.
What if I do not have an eligibility document listed above?
If you do not have a document listed above but have had a document in the past, you should order a new document immediately as each state has different processing times. Instructions on how to order a new birth certificate can be found here.
What is the difference between a hospital birth certificate and a government-issued birth certificate?
A hospital birth certificate is a commemorative document that will state the hospital name and may even have footprints, whereas a government-issued birth certificate is certified by a state registrar and is a legal document.
I have always used my Social Security Card when starting a new position. What is different about this position?
AmeriCorps has a higher standard for eligibility than traditional employment since our program is the recipient of federal grants. Members must be U.S. citizens, U.S. Nationals, or Permanent Residents to be eligible to serve and a Social Security Card does not prove that status.
Why does my Social Security Card not meet the eligibility requirement?
A Social Security Card only proves that you have been issued a Social Security Number. Those who were lawfully admitted to the United States are able to apply for a number. You do not necessarily have to be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident in order to receive a Social Security Card, so it is not enough to show that you meet those requirements for AmeriCorps.
My program manager is asking for my Social Security Card. Why do I need to provide this if it does not meet your eligibility requirements?
AmeriCorps initiates an additional layer of verification during the enrollment process. After creating your account in the MyAmeriCorps portal, your information is sent to the Social Security Administration to have your citizenship and social security status verified. About 10% of our members are flagged for additional documentation including a Social Security Card and Citizenship Documents. We encourage members to locate their social security card now and confirm it contains their current legal name.
If you do not know where your Social Security Card is or it does not have your current legal name, you should apply for a free replacement as soon as possible.