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People Experience
  2. International Tax
  3. Working without a Social Security Number

Working without a Social Security Number

International persons who have proof of employment eligibility (employment authorization) may begin work without a Social Security Number (SSN).  These employees must apply for an SSN, however, and be able to provide the number immediately upon receipt (or no later than 90 days after hire). 

International employees who do not have an SSN will be assigned a temporary Placeholder Number (PHN) by the International Tax Office (ITO). 

Once the SSN is obtained, the international employee must do the following:

  1. Update their GLACIER account with the SSN number. They will need to notify the ITO that this has been done so that a new tax analysis can be performed and if necessary, new tax forms can be generated.  It is not necessary to re-send the immigration documents if the immigration information has not changed.

  2. Email I9@vanderbilt.edu to update their I-9 information.

  3. Sign and return any tax forms necessary for tax treaty exemptions to ITO@vanderbilt.edu .

  4. International students should also notify the Registrar's Office. Failure to notify the Registrar's Office could result in being locked out of systems that require a VUnetID for access.