Checklist for Visiting Scholars

CHECKLIST FOR VISITING SCHOLARS

I.  Social Security Number

Social Security Office

4527 Nolensville Pike

Nashville, TN 37211

Directions: From I-65 South, take Exit 78A (Harding Place). Go east on Harding Place and turn right at Nolensville Pike. Take a right at the Lowe’s Hardware. The Social Security Office is in the brown building behind the Lowe’s.

To apply for a SSN, you will need to bring the following:

1.  Passport

2.  Visa

3.  I-20

4.  Letter from ISSS or Sponsoring Agency/Appointment Letter

5.  Proof of your address in Nashville

6.  Verification of employment (job letter)

*Please expect a wait time of at least one hour when you go to the SSN Office. You must get a number from the computer when you arrive and be sure to have all documentation with you. The earlier in the day you arrive the less time you will have to wait.

II.  Bank Account

·  F and J-visa holders do not need a Social Security number to open a bank account or for most other financial transactions.

·  When you go to open a checking account take the following items with you:

1.  Home Address (your checks will be mailed to this address & have this address printed on them)

2.  Student ID with Student ID Number

3.  Passport and I-20 or SSN and driver’s license

Banks in close proximity to campus:

AmSouth Bank Bank of America

www.amsouth.com www.bankofamerica.com

Telephone Banking: 615-748-2401 Locations:

Locations: *1634 Church Street

*1604 21st Ave. S. *1013 16th Ave. S.

*3021 West End Ave. *2121 Blakemore Ave.

First Tennessee SunTrust Bank

www.firsttennessee.com www.suntrust.com

Locations: Locations:

*2511 West End Ave. *1715 West End Ave.

*2306 21st Ave. S. *1026 17th Ave. S.

*4014 Hillsboro Rd. *1605 21st Ave. S.

III.  Temporary Address (Departmental)

·  In order to open a bank account upon arrival and apply for a Social Security Card Visiting Scholars will need an address. If appropriate provide the Visiting Scholar with your departmental address and mailbox for use until they establish a Nashville address.

IV.  Office Space

·  Arrange with the department sponsor details regarding office space location. Ensure that the space is suitable with internet accessible computer and telephone. Make sure that the visiting scholar knows prior to his or her arrival where their office will be located.

V.  Cell Phones

Some visiting scholars choose to have a cell phone instead of, or in addition to, their home telephone. There are two types of cell phones, those with pre-paid minutes and those which require you to sign a contract. Contracts provide you with a certain amount of minutes per month for a specific cost. If you plan to stay in the United States for an extended period of time (at least a year) it may be cheaper to sign a contract.

Pre-Paid Phones

Pre-paid phones can be purchased from places such as:

·  Best Buy

·  Target

·  Walmart

·  Most major cell phone carriers (such as Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, Cingular)

Cell Phones

There are several providers of cellular phones in the Nashville area; call or check their web sites to locate a dealer near you.

·  Cingular 866.246.4852

·  Verizon Wireless 800.922.0204

·  Sprint PCS 800.480.4PCS or 800.480.4727

·  T-Mobile 800.866.2453

VI.  VUnet ID & email address

·  Contact either ITS Partner Support (6-4877) or your Local Support Person

·  The scholar will not have any HR (Human Resources) or SR (Student Records) data fields because he or she will not be registered for classes or employed by Vanderbilt

·  Partner Support or the LSP should be told that this person will be a special source entry (usually without a SSN) and will be able to issue the scholar a temporary id number

·  You will need to provide Partner Support or the LSP with the following:

1.  Scholar’s first and last name

2.  Date of birth

·  With this information Partner Support or the LSP with issue a VUnet account and temporary SSN for 6 months which can be extended by contacting Partner Support or the LSP again.

·  Once the account is setup, go to the ITS webpage: http://its.vanderbilt.edu/ and select Supportà Passwords à e-password home (https://jprod.its.vanderbilt.edu/apps1/its-epassword/main.html)

·  Here you can activate the VUnet ID, and you will need to following:

1.  First Name

2.  Last Name

3.  Date of Birth

4.  Temporary Social Security Number

·  The page will then prompt you to answer 3 security questions and create a password

·  After all the data fields are entered the VUnet ID and email address will be generated on a printable page

VII.  Commodore Card/ID Card

Commodore Card Office
184 Sarratt Student Center
Nashville, TN 37240
(615) 322-2273

M-F 8:30-4:00

·  Visit the Commodore Card Office Monday through Friday with the following items:

1.  Appointment/Invitation Letter

2.  Photo ID

·  They copy the appropriate documents, take your picture, and give you an ID that day.

VIII.  Student Recreation Center

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/CampusRecreation/

·  Visiting scholars are considered to be faculty/staff in terms of membership for the Rec Center

·  They can sign up for either a full or limited membership (access until 2pm on weekdays and full access weekends) and the cost is for the semester only.

1.  Full membership: $208

2.  Limited membership: $109

IX.  Library Access

·  Office of University Librarian, Pat Johnson (2-3478)