Capstone SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER INFO

Capstone English
Mastery Center
Portland, Oregon
Since 1929

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Capstone English Ctr
PO Box 8795
Portland, Oregon 97207-8795
United States of America

Suite 350
1411 SW Morrison Street
in Downtown Portland

(503) 228-6346
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SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER INFO

Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN)

Normally, international students are not eligible to receive a Social Security Number (SSN). Instead, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will issue an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) which will serve as a substitute for all business and tax matters. Unfortunately, although the ITIN has the same format as the SSN, it is a different number sequence, and some businesses will not accept the ITIN unless it is explained clearly to them. Capstone provides a form that students can give to merchants to provide that explanation.

Social Security Numbers (SSN)

International students who receive working permits, of course, are eligible for Social Security Numbers.

However, even international students without a formal working permit can get a Social Security Number (SSN) if they are required to have one by some government agency. For example, some states use the SSN as their driver's license number (although the Social Security Administration is now asking that they change this policy). All a student needs to do is include the government form requiring a SSN with the information that the Social Security Administration normally needs to issue a new SSN.

Additionally, although international students are not permitted to hold most jobs, campus work-study jobs are permitted. Some work-study jobs which merely "trade" work hours for school expenses might not require an SSN, but where students actually are paid for their work they will need an SSN for work-study employment. In this case, a letter from the school identifying the eligible work-study student will enable the Social Security Administration to issue an SSN to them.

Some smaller schools without work-study programs might be tempted to write such letters stating that students are "eligible" for work-study without actually having any work-study jobs available, simply to "help" a student get an SSN. However, this might not be strictly legal, and could result in difficulty for the student and school at some later date. As a small school itself, Capstone only occasionally has work-study positions available . . . but it can happen.