Social Security

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) Students Only: Please note that if you are a first-year student in GSBS, you are not eligible to apply for a SSN. However, you are required to obtain an ITIN for Federal tax purposes. (See "INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS").

Social Security Number is a unique taxpayer identification number issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to individuals who are authorized for employment in the United States. If you have ever been issued a Social Security number before, you do not need to apply for one again. This number will be yours for life. In order to obtain a Social Security number, you must visit one of the local social security offices.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN)

Eligible F-1 Students:

1. Obtain an offer of employment from an UMDNJ department. The letter must be printed on departmental letterhead and must be signed by the employee's supervisor.
2. Obtain a letter from a Designated School Official at the OIS verifying employment eligibility.
3. Complete form SS-5.
4. Items 1 through 3 must then be presented at your local SSA office together with:
   • A valid passport
   • A valid form I-20
   • A valid I-94 card

F-1 students authorized for Curricular Practical Training must submit Form I-20 with the employment page (page 3) completed and signed by an OIS Designated School Official, together with items 3 and 4.

F-1 students authorized for Optional Practical Training must submit a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by the Department of Homeland Security, together with items 3 and 4.

Eligible J-1 Students:

1. Obtain an offer of employment. The letter must be printed on the employer's letterhead and must be signed by the employee's supervisor.
2. Obtain a letter from a Responsible Officer/Alternate Responsible Officer at the OIS verifying employment authorization.
3. Obtain a copy of your SEVIS active screen from the OIS.
4. Complete form SS-5.
5. Items 1 through 4 must then be presented to your local SSA office together with:

• A valid passport
• A valid form DS-2019
• A valid I-94 card

All J-1 students must wait a minimum of 10 days from the date they enter the U.S. before applying for a social security card. Failure follow this guideline will result in a delay in obtaining the SSN.

Eligible J-1 Scholars, Visiting Researchers and Professors:

1. Obtain a copy of your SEVIS active screen from the OIS.
2. Complete form SS-5.
3. Items 1 through 4 must then be presented to your local SSA office together with:

• A valid passport
• A valid form DS-2019
• A valid I-94 card

All J-1 scholars, visiting researchers and professors must wait a minimum of 10 days from the date they enter the U.S. before applying for a social security number. Failure follow this guideline will result in a delay in obtaining the SSN.

Eligible J-2 dependents:

1. Complete form SS-5 and present it to the local SSA office together with:
   • Valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
• Valid form DS-2019
• Valid passport
• Valid I-94 card

H-1B1 Temporary workers and O-1 Outstanding Researchers

1. Complete form SS-5 and present it to the local SSA office together with:
   • A valid passport
   • H-1B approval notice from the USCIS
   • Valid I-94 card

Other classifications

Under current regulations, F-2 and H-4 dependents do not qualify for employment authorization. Therefore social security cards will not be issued to individuals under those classifications.

The social security offices closest to UMDNJ are:

     In Newark:                 In Piscataway and                         In Stratford:

                                       New Brunswick:          

970 Broad Street           52 Charles Street                         Five Executive Campus
Room 1035                   New Brunswick, NJ 08901            Suite 100
Newark, NJ 07102                                                           Cherry Hill, NJ 08002

INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS (ITIN)

Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) are assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), not the Social Security Administration (SSA). They are assigned to certain nonresidents, their spouses, and dependents. The ITIN is only available to individuals who cannot get a Social Security Number (SSN). It is a 9-digit number, beginning with the number "9", formatted like an SSN (NNN-NN-NNNN). This number may only be used for Federal tax purposes. It is not an authorization for employment.

F-1 students who are not employed on campus and who do not have an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), but need an identification number for Federal tax purposes, are eligible to apply for an ITIN.

HOW TO APPLY FOR AN ITIN

F-1 students who are not eligible for a SSN, should follow these steps in order to obtain an ITIN:

1. Visit the local SSA office and request a SSN denial letter. The letter will explain

    why you are not eligible for a Social Security number.

2. Obtain a full-time status letter from the Office of International Services.

3. Complete form W-7. When completing the form W-7, you must:

• Under "Reason you are submitting Form W-7", check 'h' and write "E-2, student" in the space marked 'Other'
• Complete sections 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6a, 6b (if applicable), 6c, 6d
• In section 6d, enter the country where your passport was issued, the passport number, and the passport expiration date. The entry date into the U.S. is the date stamped on your I-20 and on your I-94 card
• Complete section 6e and 6g

4. Notarize photocopies of the biodata page in your passport, I-20 form, I-94 card,

    and visa label.

Once you have completed steps 1 through 4, you must send all of the items to:

Internal Revenue Service

Philadelphia Service Center

ITIN Unit

P.O. Box 447

Bensalem , PA 19020

For more information on social security and to locate the social security office nearest you, you can visit Social Security Online.