Glacier Resources
Who Needs a Glacier Account?
All foreign national employees being paid or receiving funds through UW-Madison payroll must create and maintain a Glacier individual record for payroll and taxation purposes. This includes Resident Aliens and Nonresident Aliens.
A foreign national employee is any non U.S. citizen on payroll, regardless of tax status.
How Do I Get a Glacier Account?
When you self-identify as a foreign national on the W-4 form in your MyUW portal , you will receive two instructive emails. One from support@online-tax.net (Glacier) and one from uwhradministration@ohr.wisc.edu (UW Administration). Read the emails carefully and follow instructions to create and update your individual record. Be sure to check your junk mail folder for the emails. Glacier accounts are created every Tuesday and Thursday. There may be a delay in receiving the emails depending on the timing of when you are identified as foreign national.
If you do not receive your Glacier emails 5 days before your appointment starts, confirm with your department that your paid appointment has been entered in the system. If your appointment is in the system and you have not received your Glacier emails yet, send an email to glacier@ohr.wisc.edu and request an account.
What is the Deadline for Completing My Glacier Account?
The Glacier record should be completed, printed, and all documents submitted to 21 N. Park Street, Suite 5101 within 5 days of your paid appointment start date. We recommend you wait until you have arrived in Madison to complete the Glacier entry and deliver all materials.
Following your initial Glacier entry, you will need to submit all Glacier-generated reports and tax treaty forms, along with your immigration document photocopies, to the Office of Human Resources Payroll Services, located at 21 N. Park Street, Suite 5101.
We do not recommend emailing Glacier documents, as they contain sensitive data.
How to Obtain a Social Security Number (SSN)
Note: You will be paid on schedule without an SSN.
You must be in the United States for 30 days before you can apply for a Social Security Number (SSN).
- Obtain an electronic copy of your appointment letter or offer of employment.
- If you are in the United States, begin the process online by completing the form on the Social Security Administration (SSA) website to Request Social Security number for the first time.
- For student employment positions, begin the process online by requesting a Social Security Letter from the ISS website. You will receive a letter from the ISS Office addressed to the Social Security Administration stating that you are authorized to work on campus.
- You will need to go to the Social Security Administration Office in person to deliver your documents and complete the application process. Bring the following documents:
- Letter from the ISS Office for Student Help, or Appointment letter
- Passport
- I-94 Arrival/Departure Record
- Form I-20/DS-2019 or document that applies to your visa type
The Social Security Administration Office is located at 6011 Odana Road, Madison WI, 53719. If you are traveling by bus, use Google Maps or visit the Madison Metro Transit web page to plan your trip.
- While you are at the Social Security Administration Office, request an application receipt for your records.
- You should receive your Social Security card in the mail in approximately 2–3 weeks.
- Once you obtain your SSN, you will need to log into Glacier, enter your SSN into your Glacier account, then once again print, sign and submit all Glacier-generated forms to the UW–Madison Office of Human Resources Payroll Services, Suite 5101, 21 N. Park Street, Madison WI 53715. Please note that you should never send documents with sensitive data such as your Social Security Number via email, as email is not secure.
If you do not receive your Social Security card within the time indicated on your receipt, call the Social Security Administration Office to follow up at 866-770-2262 or 800-772-1213.
How to Obtain a Tax Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
Note: You will be paid on schedule without an ITIN.
Only apply for an ITIN if you do not already have a Social Security Number (SSN).
Only apply for an ITIN if your appointment is one of the following: Post-Doctoral Fellow (does not mean Research Associates) or Trainee; Graduate Intern/Trainee, Fellow, Scholar, Trainee or Advanced Opportunity Fellow.
To apply for an ITIN, go to Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and select “How do I apply for an ITIN”?
When Do I Need to Update My Glacier Account?
Employees must update Glacier with any changes to your status. This includes changes in visa type, extended immigration status, additional paid relationship types such as a fellowship with UW-Madison and new departure dates.
How can I terminate my Glacier account?
If you will not be employed by, receive income from, or be enrolled at the University of Wisconsin during the remainder of the current or following calendar year you should follow these steps:
- Update the email and mailing addresses in your Glacier account and your permanent mailing address in your My UW portal under the Work Record tab in Personal Information. Coordinate with your department to update the email address in your My UW portal.
- Make sure the immigration information in your Glacier account reflects the status and expiration date which applied WHILE YOU WERE receiving income through UW payroll system. Do not change your immigration status or end date. Do NOT include any status pertaining to U.S. presence after you left the UW. Do not change or remove your relationship or income information. Do not check ‘no payments’ even if you are no longer receiving income from the UW–Madison, this field is internal use only.
- Update your final U.S. DEPARTURE date to reflect when you have/will depart and remain outside the U.S. for 365 days or more.
- Contact your Glacier account administrator (glacier@ohr.wisc.edu) if you will not be enrolled at or in a payment relationship with the University of Wisconsin during the remainder of the current or next calendar year.
To Access Your Glacier Account
Log into your Glacier account at www.online-tax.net. If you do not remember your login or password, select LOGIN NOW then FORGOT LOGIN. When prompted for your email address, enter the one where this email was sent. Once in the system, you can change the email address associated with your Glacier account to a permanent address.
Terms
- Foreign National: An individual who is not a citizen of the US.
- Glacier: Tax compliance software for international individuals on UW Payroll, including resident aliens, permanent residents and nonresident aliens.
- Immigration Documents: In addition to the Visa, individuals working on campus will need the appropriate document according to their status to verify work eligibility e.g. F1 (I20), J1 (DS2019), H1B employee (I797), F2 or J2(EAD card) are examples of required immigration documents for internationals on payroll.
- International: An individual who is not a US Citizen.
- Payroll: This is the payment system for the majority of students and employees of UW Madison.
- Visa: An endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to enter, leave, or stay for a specified period of time in a country but does not grant work eligibility.