Affidavit of Support (Form I-864): Income Requirements & Guide (2026)

If you are sponsoring someone for a family-based or marriage-based green card, you must file Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. This is a legally binding contract with the U.S. government where you promise that the immigrant will not rely on public benefits — and that you will reimburse the government if they do.

The I-864 is one of the most common sources of Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and denials. Getting it right the first time saves months.

Who must file Form I-864?

The I-864 is required for:

• All family-based green card petitions (I-130)
• All employment-based petitions filed by a relative or where a relative owns 5%+ of the sponsoring employer
• Diversity visa lottery winners

The I-864 is not required for:

• Self-petitioning VAWA applicants
• EB-2 NIW self-petitioners
• EB-1A self-petitioners
• Asylum and refugee adjustees
• T-visa and U-visa applicants

2026 income requirements

You must demonstrate income at or above 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (100% for active-duty military sponsoring a spouse or child).

HHS Poverty Guidelines (2026) — 48 contiguous states

Alaska and Hawaii have higher thresholds. Check the USCIS I-864P page for the current numbers.

How to calculate household size

Your household size includes all of the following:

1. Yourself (the sponsor)
2. Your spouse (even if they are not immigrating)
3. Your dependent children (under 21, unmarried)
4. Anyone you claimed as a dependent on your most recent tax return
5. Anyone you previously sponsored on Form I-864 whose obligation is still active
6. The immigrant(s) you are currently sponsoring

A common mistake: forgetting to count a prior sponsored immigrant whose obligation has not ended.

What income counts

USCIS looks at your current individual annual income — what you expect to earn this calendar year from all lawful sources:

• Salary and wages (W-2 income)
• Self-employment income (Schedule C, K-1)
• Retirement income (pensions, Social Security)
• Investment income (dividends, interest, rental income)
• Alimony or child support received

Income from the following does not count:

• Public benefits (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, TANF)
• Unemployment compensation
• Income earned abroad that is not reported on U.S. taxes

Household member income

Other household members can contribute their income to help you meet the threshold by filing Form I-864A (Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member). The household member must live with you and be willing to accept legal responsibility.

Required documents

Tax returns

Include IRS transcripts or copies of your three most recent federal tax returns (2023, 2024, 2025). After April 15, 2026, your 2025 return is required.

Use IRS Form 4506-T to request free transcripts from the IRS, or download them from your IRS online account.

Employment evidence

• W-2s for the most recent tax year
• Recent pay stubs (2–3 most recent)
• Employment verification letter on company letterhead (job title, salary, start date)
• Self-employed: Schedule C or K-1, bank statements, business license

If using assets

• Bank statements (6 most recent months)
• Brokerage or investment account statements
• Real estate appraisals and mortgage statements (to show equity)
• Vehicle titles and valuations (if claiming vehicles as assets)

Using assets to fill the income gap

If your income is below the threshold, you can supplement with assets. The asset value must be:

Example: You need $27,050 and earn $20,000. The gap is $7,050. If sponsoring a spouse, you need $7,050 in qualifying assets. If sponsoring a sibling, you need $21,150 (3 × $7,050).

Qualifying assets must be convertible to cash within 12 months: savings accounts, stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, and real estate equity (market value minus mortgage balance).

Joint sponsors

If you cannot meet the income requirement through your own income, household member income, or assets, you need a joint sponsor.

A joint sponsor must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
• Be at least 18 years old
• Live in the United States
• Meet the 125% income threshold independently (for their own household size plus the immigrant)
• File a separate, complete Form I-864

The joint sponsor does not need to be related to you or the immigrant. They take on the same legally binding financial obligation as the primary sponsor.

The legal obligation

The I-864 creates a legally enforceable contract. The sponsor agrees to:

• Maintain the immigrant at or above 125% of the poverty guidelines
• Reimburse any government agency that provides means-tested public benefits to the immigrant

This obligation lasts until the immigrant:

• Becomes a U.S. citizen through naturalization
• Is credited with 40 qualifying quarters of Social Security work (approximately 10 years)
• Permanently departs the United States
• Dies

Divorce does not end the obligation. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of immigration sponsorship.

Common mistakes that trigger RFEs

1. Wrong household size — forgetting to count previously sponsored immigrants
2. Missing tax return — not including the most recent year
3. Income below threshold with no joint sponsor or assets — filing anyway and hoping
4. Unsigned form — the I-864 must be signed in ink
5. Expired tax data — using 2023 income when filing after April 15, 2026, without a 2025 return
6. Joint sponsor not meeting the threshold independently — their income is evaluated against their own household size plus the immigrant

Form I-864 vs. I-864EZ vs. I-134