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Social Security and ITIN Information

If you work in the U.S., you are required to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN). The U.S. government issues an SSN for income tax and compensation purposes. You must apply for an SSN upon your initial job offer. 

Important to Remember:

  • Your SSN is your unique U.S. identification number and is yours for life. 
  • While it does not authorize you for employment, it can be used for any work that you have authorization for in the U.S. 
  • An SSN is not required to open a U.S. bank account, rent an apartment, or apply for a driver’s license.
  • You are only eligible for an SSN if you earn compensation for dependent personal services.
  • You may begin working prior to obtaining an SSN, but must apply for one within 30 days of receiving your first paycheck.
  • You may apply for an SSN up to 30 days prior to beginning a campus job or a Curricular Practical Training (CPT)-authorized internship.
  • You should protect your SSN card and number from loss and identity theft. Do not carry your card with you. Keep it in a secure location and only take it with you when you must show it for identification purposes, such as opening a bank account.
  • Do not allow others to use your SSN as their own. 
  • For more information about your SSN, please see the Social Security Matters website.  

How to Apply

1. Obtain a completed and signed F-1 On-Campus Employer Letter​ from your hiring department supervisor. If you work for more than one department, you need to obtain only one letter from the department of your choice.

2. Request an F-1 Status Verification Letter in your International Student and Scholar (ISS) Portal; you must upload a copy of your F-1 On-Campus Employer Letter and a copy of your most recent I-94 with your request.

3. Prepare your SSN application online. As part of this process, you will be prompted to schedule an appointment to apply for your SSN at the Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Middletown located at 99 East Main St., Suite 800, Middletown, CT 06457. Follow the SSN online application guidance to prepare the required documentation, which will include the original documents listed below, and bring them to the SSA office at your scheduled appointment time.

  • Completed ​Form SS-5 Social Security Application​ 
  • Passport
  • F-1 Visa
  • I-20
  • Most recent I-94
  • Supervisor signed F-1 On-Campus Employer Letter
  • OISA signed F-1 Status Verification Letter (this letter verifies you are a full-time student and eligible to work at the University)

4. SSA will provide you with an application acknowledgment letter. Be sure to keep this letter with your important documents. If you do not receive your SSN card, you will need this acknowledgement letter to follow up with SSA.

5. Your SSN card will be mailed to the address on your SS-5 approximately 2-4 weeks after you submit your application.

Upon receipt of your SSN card:

  1. In Sprintax Calculus, upload a copy of your SSN Card to your Calculus Document Exchange.
  2. Go to your Calculus Personal Data page and update your selection under, “Do you have US TIN (SSN or TIN)*” to be Yes. This will open additional sections on this page including a place to enter your new SSN.
  3. Go to your Tax Forms Info page and answer any additional questions related to your campus job.
  4. Save and continue through the remaining pages until you reach your Final Summary and click "Download Your Forms."  
  5. Go to your Tax Forms page. If your country has a student compensation tax treaty with the U.S., you will see two forms: Form 8233 and Statement to Form 8233 on the Tax Forms page. To benefit from your treaty reduction on your compensation paychecks, you need to sign both the 8233 and its accompanying statement. After signing, please email Christine at ict@wesleyan.edu to inform her that your forms are complete. Note that Form 8233 expires on December 31st in the year in which you sign it. You will need to sign a new Form 8233 each calendar year to continue receiving treaty reduction benefits on your paychecks. You may claim any unused treaty benefits each year when you file your required 1040NR individual income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).    

IMPORTANT: ICT MUST RECEIVE A COPY OF YOUR SSN CARD WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER YOUR FIRST PAYCHECK DATE. OTHERWISE YOUR EMPLOYMENT WILL BE TERMINATED UNTIL WE RECEIVE YOUR SSN. 

Resources

Sprintax Calculus

​F-1 On-Campus Employer Letter

On-Campus Employment & Volunteering

For additional information about Social Security, check the SSA website​.

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Information

If you are not eligible to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN), we very strongly recommend that you apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) through Wesleyan’s International Compensation and Taxation (ICT) Office during your first semester at Wesleyan.

The deadline for first-year F-1 students to apply for an ITIN through ICT is NOVEMBER 15th. 

If you do not apply for your ITIN through ICT during your first semester and you were already in the U.S. in F-1 status during a tax filing season, you must apply for your ITIN directly with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  When applying for an ITIN directly with the IRS, you are required to mail your physical passport to the IRS.  It is not advisable to be without your passport, as it is an important form of identification and status.

Why apply through ICT?
Applying through Wesleyan’s ICT office is faster and safer because ICT certifies your original passport and I-20 on your behalf. This means you do not need to be without your passport or mail it to the IRS.

HOW TO APPLY:

  1. Enter your information into Sprintax Calculus to generate a completed Form W-7 Application for IRS ITIN, as well as the accompanying Certification Letter.  Once generated, you will find your Form W-7 and Certification Letter on your Calculus Tax Forms page.
  2. Verify that your information on your Form W-7 is correct.  If you need to edit any of your information, you may do so in Calculus and download your form again.  Your U.S. mailing address on Line 2 should be 45 Wyllys Avenue and your Wes Box #, Middletown, CT 06459. 
  3. Print your Form W-7 and Certification Letter. 
  4. Sign, date, and enter your phone number on your completed and printed Form W-7 ‘Signature of applicant’ line.
  5. Mail your completed and signed Form W-7 in interoffice mail to Christine Rodrigue, Finance Office, 55 High Street. Alternatively, you may hand deliver your completed and signed Form W-7 to 55 High Street.  Put your Form W-7 in an envelope and address it to Christine Rodrigue.  You may leave the envelope in the Finance Office mail bin on the first floor.   
  6. Email your ITIN Certification Letter as a .pdf attachment to oisa@wesleyan.edu, with "Signature Required on ITIN Certification Letter" in the subject line.  Your DSO, Morgan Keller, will sign your Certification Letter and submit the original signed letter directly to ICT.

What Happens Next?

  • ICT will mail your Form W-7 application, Certification Letter, and certified copies of your passport, I-20, visa, and I-94 to the IRS in December.
  • The IRS processing time is approximately 10–12 weeks.
  • You should receive your ITIN directly from the IRS by mail in February.

AFTER RECEIVING YOUR OFFICIAL ITIN LETTER FROM THE IRS:

  1. Upload a copy of your ITIN Letter to your Sprintax Calculus Document Exchange.
  2. In Calculus, go to your Personal Data page and change the answer to:
    “Do you have a U.S. TIN (SSN or ITIN)?” → Yes
    • This will open a new field where you can enter your ITIN.
  3. Complete any additional questions that appear in Calculus, then proceed to your Final Summary page and click “Download Your Forms.”
  4. Verify that your new Form W-8BEN includes your ITIN on Line 5 (U.S. taxpayer identification number).

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

You will need your ITIN to file your required annual tax forms with the IRS by April 15th (income received in previous calendar year) or June 15th (no income received in previous calendar year).  You cannot file without it. Please keep your ITIN Letter with your important personal documents.