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Berkeley International Office (BIO) |
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Process for New International Students
Guidelines for Maintaining F-1 & J-1 Visa Status
Social Security Number
Annual Tax Filing Requirement
The Berkeley International Office (BIO) provides advising and assistance to the international community at UC Berkeley. You should consider BIO as your primary non-academic information source while a student at Berkeley. BIO can provide information and assistance with:
- Immigration matters
- Personal and cultural issues
- Information on living in Berkeley
- Taxes
- Work authorization permits
- Financial aid
The BIO staff can provide experienced and friendly advice in the form of:
- Workshops
- Personal advising by appointment
- Drop-in advising (for 5-10 minute answers)
- Information flyers (in front of the office)
- BIO web site for information, news, and updates
BIO Contact Information:
BOP is located on the first floor of the International House.
2299 Piedmont Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94720-2321
Phone: 510-642-2818
Fax: 510-643-7289
E-mail: internationaloffice@berkeley.edu
Web: http://internationaloffice.berkeley.edu
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Process for New International Students
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All new international students are required to check-in with the BIO office and attend an orientation program. Failure to do so can result in serious problems with immigration. International student orientation information will be sent with your visa document and will be available on the BIO web site at http://internationaloffice.berkeley.edu. Orientation programs will be held on-campus at International House and at Haas. We recommend that you subscribe to the International Student Listserv, an e-mail digest of immigration news, special events and announcements, financial aid deadlines, workshop dates, and other information of interest to the University's international student community. Subscription instructions will be included with your visa document and at the BIO orientation programs.
Note: Any time you fill out US government forms or apply for US government issued documents, be consistent with your complete name as it appears in your passport. This includes your Certificate of Eligibility, visa application, US entry forms, Social Security, and so on. Even small variations in the use of your name can create problems.
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Guidelines for Maintaining F-1 & J-1 Visa Status
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| | 1. Keep a valid passport at all times. Contact your home government embassy or consulate regarding passport renewal if your passport will expire within the next six months.
2. Make sure your visa document (I-20 for F-1; DS 2019 for J-1 students) is valid and up-to-date at all times. If an extension of your stay is needed, you must contact BIO and extend your visa document before the current end date arrives.
3. Register for a full-time course load (8 units minimum) every semester. Contact the office before changing your registration status or reducing the number of enrolled units below the minimum.
4. If you are an F-1 or J-1 visa holder and travel out of the US with plans to re-enter, you must have a valid F-1 or J-1 visa stamp in your passport and your visa document (I-20 or DS-2019) must have a current travel endorsement. See the BIO web site or information flyers regarding travel and re-entry to the US.
5. Do not work off-campus without a work permit. Work permission must be obtained through BIO before any employment may begin.
6. J-1 students must obtain work permission for on-campus work. F-1 students do not need work permission for on-campus work. On-campus employment is limited to 20 hours per week during the academic year, but may be full-time during the summer break.
7. Keep your local residential address, phone number, and email address up-to-date on your Bear Facts account. |
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Social Security Number
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A Social Security Number (SSN) must be obtained by anyone who works in the US, including non-immigrants, such as students on F-1 or J-1 visas. The SSN can only be obtained by F-1 students once they have been granted work permission and have found a job. J-1 students may apply for a Social Security Number once they have received work approval.
The SSN is also used by banks and other businesses for credit checks, financial transactions, and other uses. An SSN is not required to open basic bank accounts. Because of its financial uses, you should be very careful about where and to whom you give your SSN.
Do not apply for an SSN until at least two weeks after the beginning of the semester. To apply, you will need your immigration documents, verification of employment (for F-1 visa holders) and confirmation of your authorization from BIO. For Social Security application instructions and documents, please be sure to attend an BIO check-in meeting.
Most non-immigrants (including F-1 and J-1 students) should not have Social Security payments (FICA) deducted from their paychecks, nor are non-immigrants eligible to receive any Social Security benefits. Usually, employers automatically deduct these taxes from your salary. You can claim a refund of these deducted taxes. Talk to the human resource or payroll department in your company (at your summer internship or other job) and let them know that, due to your visa status, you do not have to pay social security tax and Medicare payments. J-2 dependents who work, however, are expected to pay these taxes. You may also refer to IRS publication 519, "US Tax Guide for Aliens."
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Annual Tax Filing Requirement
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Everyone in the US, including foreign citizens, has to submit an income tax statement to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) each year. Thus, as an international student, you have to file a tax return every year, even if you did not work or earn any money while in the US. F-2 and J-2 dependents also need to file an income tax statement each year, regardless of whether or not they have worked in the US. BIO will hold workshops before the submission date. Remember, you will still need to submit a tax filing in the country in which you worked before coming to the US, if that country doesn't have an agreement for single filing with the US. Check the BIO web site for tax information or consult your tax advisor if there is any doubt.
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