Interpreting Government Regulations

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Interpreting Government Regulations
SOCIAL SECURITY

DMV
TAXES
Lynn Dunyk and Viktoria Kolesnikova Slutzker
Center for International Services, Syracuse
University
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Interpreting Government Regulations
SOCIAL SECURITY
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Government Regulations Social Security Number
Fall 2004 Changes in the issuance of social
security numbers (SSN) state that you can apply
for a SSN once you have obtained an offer of
employment on campus. If you do not currently
have an offer of employment, you are not eligible
to apply for a SSN.
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Slutzker Center Best Practices SSN and Student
Employment

• ATTEND A SEMINAR
• HAVE PROMISE OF A JOB
• DOCUMENTS ORIGINALS COPIES
• COMPLETE THE I-9 PAPERWORK
• RETURN FOR EMPLOYER CERTIFICATION LETTER
• GO TO SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE

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Student Employment Employer Certification Letter
EMPLOYER CERTIFICATION LETTER http//internation
al.syr.edu/documents/su_ssn_certjun05.pdf
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After Social Security Administration
2 COPIES OF RECEIPT 2 COPIES OF SOCIAL SECURITY
CARD
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SSN Verification

• NOTIFICATION FROM HUMAN RESOURSES THAT CARDS ARE
  MISSING
• SEND EMAIL TO STUDENTS REQUESTING COPIES OF THEIR
  CARDS
• TERMINATION FROM POSITION IF CARD IS NOT RECEIVED
  BY DEADLINE

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Interpreting Government Regulations
DMV
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Government Regulations DMV
New York State DMV Identification Document
Requirement change of time remaining on
I-20/DS-2019 for application
Regulation Individuals with an immigration
designation of D/S (duration of status) need to
have an immigration document (i.e. I-20 or
DS-2019) that is valid at least 6 months into the
future as one of their forms of identification.
Look at the expiration date of your I-20 or
DS-2019 must have 6 more months remaining! In
addition, the document must have been issued for
a period of at least 12 months.
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Identification Documents for DL /PERMIT /STATE ID

• International Students/Scholars need to present
  documents that
• Count for 4 points and a Social Security card (a
  total of 6 points)
• Or documents that count for 6 points and the SSA
  letter if cannot obtain a Social Security card

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Identification Documents for DL /PERMIT /STATE ID
What if I dont have a Social Security Number?
Step 1 Go to the Social Security Administration
office located in the Federal Building in
downtown Syracuse (100 South Clinton street 4th
floor). Explain that you would like to apply for
a driver's license/ learner permit/state ID and
that your visa type is "___. Request a letter
which explains to the DMV that SSN's are not
issued for the purpose of obtaining a driver's
license. Step 2 Bring this letter to the DMV
within 30 days of issuance along with other
necessary documents. NB! Unfortunately, you are
caught between two separate administrations. Each
has its own operating rules.
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Identification Documents for DL /PERMIT /STATE ID
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Identification Documents for DL /PERMIT /STATE ID
Additional documents that are accepted as proof
of identity http//www.nysdmv.com/idlicense.htm
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Acceptable documents for proof of identity
OPT/Academic Training

• Present a new I-20 reflecting the OPT approval to
  the DMV officer.
• Before completion of studies ? DMV will
  consider application based on the
• OPT end date on the I-20.
• If a student applies while on OPT ? the DMV
  will not consider application
• unless a student presents a valid EAD card.
• The visitor status expiration date on the
  drivers license will then reflect
• the EAD card end date.
• Students in J-1 status undertaking academic
  training need to present an
• updated DS-2019 indicating a period of
  approved academic training.

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Additional New York State DMV Regulations
Students may drive legally in New York with a
valid foreign drivers license and a certified
translation of the license or a current
International Driving Permit.
Students with a NYS leaner permit but no foreign
drivers license must be operating a vehicle with
a supervising driver who holds a valid drivers
license and is 21 or older.
Students with a drivers license from any nation
other than Canada must follow the steps for New
Drivers Obtain a Learner Permit.
Foreign drivers license must be surrendered to
the DMV road test examiner.
Submit a request in writing not to destroy
foreign DL.
Liability insurance coverage must remain in
effect while the registration is valid, even if
the vehicle is not used (except motorcycles).
Vehicle registration will be suspended if you
have a lapse of insurance.
Seat belts, hands-free cell phone device, no
driving while intoxicated.
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Slutzker Center Best Practices
Slutzker Center Best Practices

• Informational Assistance HANDOUT
  WEBSITE PAGE
• 
  Topics

• Seminars Driving in the US 1-2/semester
• Collaboration with NYS DMV office

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Interpreting Government Regulations
TAXES
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IRS Regulations

• The United States tax system requires every
  nonimmigrant present in the U.S. in 2005,
  whether you worked or not, to file a form with
  the Internal Revenue Service.
• This applies to every nonimmigrant in F-1, F-2,
  J-1, J-2, M-1, M-2, Q-1 and Q-2 status.
• Deadline for filing Form 8843 is June 15, 2006

• No work in 2005
• Income only from scholarships/other sources not
  subject to withholding
• Spouse/dependent of a nonimmigrant (File
  Separately)

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IRS Regulations
FIRST STEP Determine residency status for
federal tax purposes

• If a STUDENT spends MORE THAN 5 YEARS in the
  United States in F or J status, he/she will be
  considered a resident alien and must be taxed
  like a U.S. citizen.
• Any part of a calendar year counts as full year.
• Immediate family members of a student, spouse or
  unmarried children under the age of 21 who reside
  with a student) are counted as students for the
  purpose of determining residency.

• If a TEACHER or TRAINEE in a "J" or "Q" visa
  status is present in the U.S. for MORE THAN 2 OUT
  OF THE LAST 6 YEARS, he/she will be considered a
  resident alien.

Not required to file Form 8843 No assistance
provided by the Slutzker Center No access to
CINTAX tax software to generate federal tax
returns Directed to School of Management VITA
Program
RESIDENT ALIENS
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Social Security and ITIN

• ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
  is needed ONLY for people WITHOUT a Social
  Security Number who are eligible to be claimed as
  dependents on a U.S. income tax return.
• Only nonresident aliens from a very limited
  number of countries may claim an exemption for
  their dependents on their U.S. income tax return
  (Form 1040NR).
• Filing ONLY 8843 and not claimed as dependent ?no
  SSN/ITIN needed.
• If you or your dependents do not yet have an
  ITIN, you should attach Form W-7 to your tax
  form.

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Slutzker Center Best Practices
TAX HELP OBJECTIVE

• Provide as much SELF-HELP informational
  assistance as possible
• No individual tax advising
• Eliminate paper-based forms
• Alleviate federal tax worries by providing access
  to tax software

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Slutzker Center Best Practices

• TAX SEMINARS every March Federal and NYS
  representatives
• INFORMATIONAL DISPLAY in the Slutzker Center
  sample forms filled out, limited number of
  paper-based forms and publications
• Periodic announcements and tax updates in weekly
  electronic newsletter
• Web content TAX PAGE AND MENU
• http//international.sy
  r.edu/tax101.htm
• Free access to federal tax software CINTAX

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Slutzker Center Best Practices CINTAX software

• COMPLETE THE CINTAX PASSWORD REQUEST FORM
• http//international.syr.edu/form_cintax_password_
  request.htm
• COPY INFORMATION TO AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET
• REPLY TO STUDENT VIA EMAIL WITH INSTRUCTIONS
  (given to us by CINTAX)
• STUDENT FOLLOWS PRODEDURES PROVIDED BY CINTAX
• FOR 2005 TAX YEAR approximately 770 students
  utilized CINTAX

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Ordering CINTAX Software

• https//www.arcticintl.com/cintaxorder.asp

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Internal Tax Knowledge Management Initiative
Current Project Initiative Launch an internal
tax knowledge management initiative to record
knowledge related to tax issues in a structured
and easily accessible way for easy information
sharing and access by staff members.

• Web-based accessible by staff members
• Structured Knowledge Base
• Tax announcement templates for electronic
  newsletter
• List of informational sources to update web
  pages, links, forms, etc.
• Detailed Tax Timetable

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Interpreting Government Regulations
QUESTIONS ???