Please read the pages in this section first.

General Guidelines

Steps to Payment:

1. Gather Information.

2. Determine the location of the activity.

3. Determine visa type, income type and payment eligibility for activities exclusively:

• INSIDE the U.S.
• OUTSIDE the U.S.

4. What are the tax reporting/withholding requirements?

5. What is a TIN?

6. What is an ITIN?

7. Request Payment

Forms, Rules, and Publications

Glossary

Contacts

SUGGESTED FORMAL INVITATION LETTER
PRINTED ON YOUR DEPARMENTAL LETTERHEAD
FOR CANADIANS WITHOUT A VISA and
With a Taxpayer Identification Number

[Date]

Dear [name of visitor]:

We are pleased that you will be visiting the University of Washington to speak at [name of school or program or event] on [Date(s)]. To show our appreciation for your willingness to participate in this event, we would like to offer you a modest $[amount] honoraria (provided you have not received such payments from more than five US institutions in the previous six months). In addition, we would like to offer reimbursement of travel expenses related to your visit to the University of Washington (UW). This amount will include [give specifics on what your department will pay including any restrictions on airfare etc and what arrangements will be handled by the UW].

In order to receive payment of honoraria and/or reimbursement of travel expenses, you will need to give your passport (or your driver's license and one other valid government issued document) to [name of person] for photocopying during your visit at the UW.

Please be aware that payments of honoraria are subject to US Federal Tax withholding of 30%. Because the US - Canada Tax Treaty has an independent contractor article, you may apply for exemption from double taxation between your tax country and the United States under Article XIV. To apply for this benefit you will be required to complete IRS Form 8233. The completed IRS Form 8233 will be sent by the UW to the IRS. If the application is not rejected by the IRS within ten days, then no withholding will be taken from your check. You will need a US Social Security Number (SSN) or US Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in order to qualify for this tax treaty benefit. In order to have your honoraria check available during your visit IRS Form 8233 must be received by [name of person] three weeks prior to your visit. The UW will mail IRS Form 1042-S to you showing the honoraria amount paid no later than March 15 of next year for your records. If for some reason you do not receive IRS Form 1042-S by April 1 of next year, please contact:

To be reimbursed for your travel expenses, you will need to keep all receipts for travel expenses and give the originals to [name of person]. Any reimbursements, other than per diem and mileage that do not have receipts will be added to your honoraria payment as taxable income.

{Thank you paragraph, logistics necessary and other information you wish to impart}

Sincerely,

Encl: IRS Form 8233