Social Security Number - SSN

• In order to be paid by Towson University, you must have a Social Security Number. 

You may begin to work if you don't have a SSN, as long as you have completed the I-9 process in the Office of Human Resources.

• The only way to obtain a SSN is if you have on-campus employment.  Towson University does not issue Social Security Numbers; they are issued by a federal agency called the Social Security Administration.

Important to Note as of September 2012

• You must be in the US for at least 10 days before applying for a SSN and

• You must be registered in SEVIS by the ISSO before you can apply (which can't begin until 1st day of classes).

• In order to successfully apply for a Social Security Number, follow this process:
  
  
1. Obtain a letter from your hiring supervisor stating that you have on-campus employment. Use the sample letter located on the ISSO website for this purpose.
2. Take the completed letter signed by your supervisor to the International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) to certify your immigration status and employment eligibility.
3. Complete Form SS-5 Application for a Social Security Card.
4. You must apply in person for a SSN at the local office; you should bring with you a completed SS-5 Form, the letter from the ISSO, your passport, I-94, and I-20.
5. Request a receipt confirming your application and the date you applied for a SSN.
6. It typically takes 2 weeks to receive your SSN card in the mail.
7. Once you have received your SSN, contact the NRA Tax Office to make an appointment in order to complete the hiring process.
   
   
• For more information on how to obtain a Social Security Number, see the Social Security Administration website at: http://www.ssa.gov or ISSO handout.

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number - ITIN

• If a foreign national needs a taxpayer identification number and is not eligible for a social security number, then he/she should apply for an ITIN. (e.g., a F-2 visa holder who is not authorized to work, but may be claimed on a tax return).
• Dependents of foreign nationals who are eligible to be claimed on a tax return must have an ITIN.
• To apply for an ITIN when filing your tax return, follow the instructions provided in GLACIER TaxPrep.