Payroll Services

Social Security Numbers for Non-United States Citizens

Applying for a Social Security Number

All non-United States citizens who do not have a Social Security Number (SSN) that will be employed by the University of Texas at Austin must apply for a number with the Social Security Administration (SSA). The Austin SSA office is located at 1029 Camino La Costa.The SSA advises that individuals wait at least 10 days from their arrival in the U.S. before applying for a number. Upon applying with the SSA, one of the following items will usually be provided to the individual:

• Receipt—This document notifies individuals that all documentation is in order and that individuals' information has been verified in the federal immigration database. The social security card should be received in the mail within 3-14 days.
• Delay letter—This letter provides information notifying applicants that the documents submitted are in order, but that applicants cannot be verified in the federal immigration database. Additional processing time is required and the issuance of a social security card may be delayed for up to four weeks.
• Denial letter—This letter indicates that the applicants' documents are not in order and the applications have been denied. Additional documentation may be required before the applications will be processed.

Receipt of Social Security Number

After a nonresident employee receives their Social Security Number, they should provide it to their departmental representative. The departmental representative should update the employee’s biographical record with the SSN in HRMS. Once the SSN has been entered, the employee should complete My Paycheck Profile.

Note: The employee cannot be paid until the SSN has been entered.

Temporary SSN Assignment

If an employee receives a Delay letter from the SSA, the department may request that Payroll Services assign a Temporary SSN to the employee’s record so that the employee can be paid while waiting for the Social Security card. To request a Temporary SSN, complete the following steps below.

If an employee receives a Receipt or Denial letter, a Temporary SSN cannot be assigned.

1. To request a Temporary SSN, submit the following items to Payroll Services, MAI 134, G0200, Attn: Sharon Hinkle

   • Completed and signed Temporary SSN Request Form
   • Copy of the employee's Delay letter
   • Copy of the employee's visa and passport
   • Copy of either the employee's I-20 (F visa), DS-2019 or IAP-66 (J visa), or I-797 (H visa)
   
   
2. Upon receipt of the above items, a Temporary SSN will be assigned to a UT EID by Payroll Services and updated on the employee record.
   

3. After the assignment is made, the employee and the department contact listed on the Temporary SSN Request Form will be notified that a number has been assigned to a UT EID. The UT EID can be used by the department for creating an appointment and other employment related actions. The employee may use the UT EID for completing My Paycheck Profile.

   The temporary number will be reported to Human Resource Services in order to complete the employee’s I-9 process.

4. When the employee receives the actual SSN, he or she must provide the number to Payroll Services immediately so that the employee record can be updated with the correct number for wage reporting to the IRS and SSA.
   
   Note: If the SSN is not presented to Payroll Services within 90 days after a temporary number is assigned, future payments could be delayed.