Essential survival tips for new employees at Georgia Tech
Social Security Number:
Absolutely the first thing to
get (if you do not have one) is
a Social Security Number - someone will take you to the
Atlanta Social Security Office to get the process started - may take something like
3 to 4 weeks until it is received. Until you have it, you cannot open a
bank account, get a driver's license, sign a lease, etc, etc.
You will need to bring with you:
passport, visa, Form I-94, for J-1 visa the form IAP-66. Make sure you get
a receipt.
Go to the Georgia Tech HRO
(Human Resources Office) to start the paperwork at Georgia
Tech. You need to bring your passport and visa and your PSF-file with you.
To get on payroll may also take two or three weeks or maybe even longer.
IMPORTANT!: As you will not be able to borrow money from the bank here in
Georgia without a credit history, remember to bring your VISA card and keep
a healthy bank account in your home country.
VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure that you are receiving a folder which will tell
you about the medical insurances options you have, the tax options (if they
do not tell you this, ASK!) and the pension schemes. You may attend an
orientation session organized by the OHR about the health insurance,
pension etc. IF, for any reason your employment conditions changes, make
doubly sure that your insurances etc. remain unchanged.
Driver's license
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: If you have a foreign driver's
license, you HAVE to change it
into an American/Georgia State one. There is an unusual rule in Georgia which states
that you have to
hand in your international/local driver's license in order to obtain an
American/Georgian one. What you
have to do thereafter is to contact your Embassy IMMEDIATELY and ask them to return your
driver's
license to you when they have received it from Georgia State - otherwise the Embassy
will return it to your home country, making it all so complicated when you return to
your own country.
Bank account:
The Wachovia Bank (close to School of Physics) is willing to open
an account for you before getting your Social Security Number, but you will
need to place a deposit. You will not get your VISA card or
checks for 3 to 4 weeks.
Buzz card:
If you plan to take the Marta, you can get a cheaper monthly card
at the post office in the student center. For this, you will need
a "Buzz Card" that can be obtained in the Buzz Card office in the
student center by showing you PSF and a photo ID (e.g.: passeport).
Parking:
If you want to park your car at Georgia Tech you need to go to the
Parking Office to
get a parking permit, allowing you to park in one of the parking lots on
Campus - if you park your car without a parking permit, you'll get a
ticket!!!!! The price of annual parking permit is approx. $300.00 from August 1
to July 31. Until you get a parking permit, you may use the visitors'
parking lot next to the Howey Building, but it'll cost you! If you are
lucky, you can sometimes find a spot on the west side of the Atlantic
1/2 block, between State and the parking garage - no permit required
there. Across State a Home Park residential sticker is required for
street parking.
Leaving Atlanta:
If you have collected a lot during your stay here, you will need a good and inexpensive shipping company to ferry your stuff back home. A good company is Panmet Group Inc. International Freight Forwarders. The contact person there is Kevin Triggs and the phone: (404)684-0118, cellphone: 678 614 1019 or freephone: 1-866-9PANMET. Also email PanmetKevin@aol.com. To give an indication of the cost: shipping just over 1 cu.meter cost $300.00 (in Jan. 2003). This company can ship anything, to anywhere from everywhere.
Guides, tourist info: There is a bunch of Atlanta and Georgia tour books in the CNS library, Predrag's office. Small fliers and maps are in Dorte's office.
Drivers license:
the closest subequatorial Atlanta location is 1296 Moreland Ave., count on 4-6
hours wait after you have picked the queue number. You need to have your
social security number already.
Go to the OIE
(Office of International Education, Savant Building)
as
soon as you arrive to get information about your J-1 status. You will
attend one of the orientation sessions organized by the OIE every Wednesday
at 2PM, Sheila K. Schulte (ext.#: 4-9167)
(information about repatriation when going for holidays or conferences or
indeed should you die). Here you will also be able to ask questions about
your payment of tax, medical insurance and Sheila will even help you with
questions about life in general!!! DO ATTEND.
If you are a researcher under a J-1 visa, you can claim exemption
of some taxes. Go to Payroll office and fill out a form.
If you are in doubt about anything ask Dorte - she has experienced
everything that can go wrong - been there and done it!! If she does not
know, she will find out.
svn: $Author: wwwcns $ --- $Date: 2008-02-29 17:44:59 -0500 (Fri, 29 Feb 2008) $