Holiday Travel Tips, ISSO Online Check In, Tax Treaty Memo from Payroll, Employment over Break, and more!

Dec. 06, 2011

1 – Announcements: ISSO Online Check-In and Tax Treaty Memo from Payroll Office

2 – Reminders: Holiday Travel Tips and Reminder to F and J Students About Employment Over Winter Break

3 – ISSO Open Mic: December Submissions Due by December 31st!

4 - Workshops: December Employment Workshops, Today starting at 3pm!


1 - Announcements: ISSO Online Check-In and Tax Treaty Memo from Payroll Office

How to Prepare for ISSO Online Check-In for the Spring 2012 semester:

 

Plan Ahead!

Please give yourself enough time to complete spring 2012 Check-In, especially if you are traveling outside of the U.S. 

If you are traveling outside of the U.S., you first need to re-enter the U.S. before checking-in.  (Exceptions: students on approved study abroad or approved research abroad/off campus).

If you are remaining in the U.S. over break, you may check-in beginning the first week of January.

Review Check-In Procedures!

 

Take 5 minutes to review the ISSO Check-In webpage to remind yourself how and when to complete ISSO Online Check-In for the spring 2012 semester.

NEW Check-In Assistance Sidebar!

 

ISSO has created a Check-In Assistance sidebar on the ISSO Check-In webpage.  The Check-In Assistance sidebar includes check-in FAQs, the 3 steps to completing check-in, a list of docs required for online check-in, browser requirements, scanning instructions, etc.  So take a look!

NEW Check-In Help Sessions!

If you encounter difficulty with competing check-in in January, drop by a Check-In Help Session on January 17th, 18th and 19th from 10am-2pm in Vershbow computer classroom (Goldfarb Library, 2nd floor).  You can drop by at any time and stay as long or as little as you like between the scheduled hours.  An ISSO staff member will be available during these Help Sessions to help you troubleshoot the issue. 

We greatly appreciate your continued assistance in meeting SEVIS reporting requirements for the spring 2012 semester!

The ISSO Team

Brandeis Payroll Office Guidance on Completing Tax Treaty Forms for 2012


Please see below for memo from Brandeis Payroll Office.  If you have any questions, contact Payroll, not the ISSO.

Treaty Benefits:  Per IRS regulations, if you wish to claim treaty benefits beginning January 1, 2012, you must sign a new Form 8233 and /or W-8BEN. Tax forms for 2012 will be available for your signature on Wednesday December 7th  and Thursday, December 8th on the second floor of 60 Turner Street between the hours of 2-4PM.

Please be advised that if you are currently being paid by Brandeis University, and have an active treaty in our system, we are able to produce Form 8233, W8-BEN and W-4 for 2012 without having you complete a new Foreign Information Form. Please note that treaties signed after December 17, 2011 will not be processed in time for the first payroll cycle in January 2012. Any taxes that are withheld as a result of not singing the treaty will not be refunded. Rather, you may request a refund when you file your 2012 personal tax return with the IRS. 

If you have not applied for treaty benefits previously, but want to apply for 2012, you will have to complete a Foreign National Information Form which is available on our website at http://www.brandeis.edu/financialaffairs/forms/payroll-forms.html. You must also attach a copy of your I-94 Form, a copy of your US visa, passport, and I-20 or IAP66. The Payroll Office will process your forms, produce an 8233 Form, W-4 and/or W8-BEN for the new calendar year and contact you to sign the new forms. You will receive an e-mail once your paperwork has been analyzed to determine if you are treaty eligible.

Please note that if you have previously applied for treaty benefits and were not eligible, do not submit a new Foreign Information Form, or come to sign new forms for 2012.  Taxes will be withheld as they were in 2011.

As always, please notify the payroll office of any change in your immigration status and of any extensions to your visa.

Please contact the Payroll Office at 6-4454, 6-4475 or 6-4476 if you have any questions. Thank you for your cooperation!

 2 - Reminders: Tips for Travel and Reminder to F and J Students about Employment Over Winter Break


Tips for Travel 

http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/isso/travel/tips_travel.pdf
All students traveling over the holidays, please see the above link.  Safe travels!

Important Reminder to F and J Students About Employment Over Winter Break

If you will be staying in the United States for all or part of your Winter Break (December 22nd to January 16th), here is some information about employment to keep in mind:

F and J regulations allow students to work over 20 hours per week on campus during vacation periods.  This means that you may be able to work over 20 hours a week on campus between the dates of December 22nd and January 16th which is the official university vacation period.  Students interested in finding on-campus employment can visit the Office of Student Financial Services website for a list of available on campus jobs:

https://careers.brandeis.edu/studentjobs/


Please note that J students who are interested in working on campus must have written employment permission from the ISSO (and program sponsor) before beginning any employment.  Please contact Kate Amaral at the ISSO (kamaral@brandeis.edu) for any questions about on campus employment during break. 

F and J students interested in working off-campus during the winter break should understand that any off-campus employment should be directly related to your declared major and program of study.  Undergraduates who have not yet declared a major are not eligible for off-campus employment.  In addition, F-1 students must complete one academic year as a full-time student (both a fall and a spring semester) prior to becoming eligible for off-campus employment authorization. 

Remember:  ALL off-campus employment (paid or unpaid) requires authorization prior to starting the employment.  International students interested in pursuing off-campus employment during the winter break should consult with the ISSO to discuss their options before starting any employment.

If you are wishing to pursue a winter break opportunity such as volunteering or participating in a job shadowing experience, please first contact the ISSO to make sure that you do not need employment permission before beginning any such activity.

The ISSO staff wishes you luck with final exams and papers and hopes that all enjoy a well-deserved winter break!

3- ISSO Open Mic

December Submissions Due by December 31st!

December Topic: What are the biggest differences/similarities between your home country and the U.S.?

Email isso@brandeis.edu by end of the month with your submissions.

Feel free to include a photo!

In your email, indicate if you would like your submission to be anonymous or not!

Past submissions: http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/isso/openmic/index.html

 

4-Workshops

December Employment Workshops


Today, Tuesday 12/6
Monday, December 12

All Fall 2011 Employment Workshops will cover Curricular Practical Training (CPT, for F1 Visa holders) starting at 3pm, Optional Practical Training (OPT, for F1 Visa holders) from 3:30pm-4:30, and Academic Training (AT, for J1 Visa holders) starting at 4:30pm until 5pm. Workshops will be in the conference room of Kutz 215.