Steps for Newly Hired Foreign Nationals

This resource is intended for any foreign national receiving funding from WashU, such as salary, hourly wages, stipends, fellowships and assistantships. Foreign nationals newly hired by WashU or who will receive a payment from WashU must complete these steps.

Step 1:

Know your work authorization start & end dates

U.S. employers must verify that all foreign nationals are legally authorized to work or receive payment in the U.S. It is crucial that you know the specific type of immigration status you hold. Your status determines whether you are allowed to work or receive payments while at WashU. Additionally, be aware of your work authorization start and end dates, as these dates dictate when you can legally begin and end work.

Starting work before or after your authorized dates will violate your immigration status. Therefore, it is essential to know these dates before accepting a position or completing any paperwork with WashU. To ensure compliance, verify your work authorization dates and understand your immigration status. If you have questions or need assistance, consult with OISS.

Step 2

Complete immigration check-in with OISS

Step 3:

Activate your WUSTL Key & create your WashU email

Every student, faculty, and staff member has a WUSTL Key credential (login ID & password) for use of university systems.

For students: The process of getting your WUSTL Key starts with an activation email that is sent to you from Office of the University Registrar. It will allow you to create your WUSTL Key and WashU email. You will use your WUSTL key to login to WebSTAC and all other WUSTL Key enabled applications.

For new foreign national employees who are not WashU students: Once your department initiates your hire in Workday and your offer is accepted, Identity Management System (IDM) sends a system generated email that has WUSTL Key instructions. Full onboarding instructions can be found on the Workday New Hire Onboarding page.

Check your WashU email regularly. All university communications are sent to your WashU email address.

Step 4:

Apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

Your SSN never expires. Foreign nationals who already have an SSN should skip this step and proceed to step 5.

Only apply for an ITIN if you are NOT eligible for an SSN. See the OISS Social Security resource to determine if you are eligible.

Step 5:

Complete onboarding steps in Workday

If you are a foreign national who is hired to work at WashU, or you have been approved to receive any form of funding from WashU in a non-employee role, your hiring department or your Departmental HR Partner will enter your information in Workday, WashU’s integrated administrative system for human resources and finance.

Please reference the Workday onboarding email you will receive to complete your Workday onboarding process. You must complete all tasks including Form I-9 (if applicable), pay elections and benefit elections. You can view a complete list in the Workday onboarding tutorial.

An overview of this process for employees is online on the Welcome Staff page. Generally, this overview is designed for employees in faculty and staff roles, not student workers.

Step 6:

Complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification

This information only applies to employees who are classified as wage earners, not stipend or scholarship recipients. If you are unsure about the coding of your role in Workday, reach out to your department administrator.

Form I-9 is a federal requirement used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for every individual they hire for employment in the U.S. This includes U.S. citizens and noncitizens. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form. The employee completes Section 1, which must be completed NO LATER THAN your 1st day of work. The employer (a representative from Wash-U’s I-9 team) must examine the identity and work authorization documents and complete Section 2.

After you complete Section 1 of the Form I-9, you will receive an email notification with instructions on how to schedule your appointment to complete the Form I-9 with a member of the I-9 team in Human Resources. Complete this step no later than your 3rd day of work.

• Learn more about completing Form I-9 from USCIS.
• See I-9 List of Acceptable Documents (PDF) that establish identity and employment authorization.
• If you have questions about the Form I-9, you can contact the I-9 team via email at either medcampusi9@wustl.edu or danforthcampusi9@wustl.edu.

Step 7:

Complete FNIS (Foreign National Information System)

A key part of the foreign national payroll process is submitting data via the secure FNIS website. All foreign nationals receiving funding from WashU, such as salary, hourly wages, stipends, fellowships, and assistantships, must complete FNIS. See FNIS Instructions to learn more about FNIS and to review step-by-step instructions.

You will need to review and update your FNIS information annually.

Step 8:

Confirm all necessary onboarding steps have been completed in Workday

View complete details and instructions to complete new hire onboarding in Workday (WashU’s online Human Resources platform).

Step 9:

Learn about U.S. income tax and your obligations

See the OISS resource on Filing Taxes in the U.S.

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Disclaimer statement

The Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) provides resources and content for general informational and educational purposes only. This information does not replace advice from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or a qualified tax professional. The information provided is subject to change. If your immigration status has changed in the past year or you have a complex tax situation, please consult the IRS or a qualified tax accountant.

WashU employees, including FNIS Support and OISS staff, are not authorized or qualified to provide tax-related advice or address individual tax questions beyond the general information available on university websites. For personalized assistance with tax obligations or filing, students and scholars are encouraged to seek personalized advice from a qualified tax professional at their own discretion and expense.