Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support, is the legally binding promise that a family-based green card applicant won’t become a public financial burden. It’s required for nearly every family-sponsored immigrant visa or adjustment of status case, and getting the income math wrong is one of the most common reasons these cases stall at the National Visa Center or USCIS. Here’s what the 2026 numbers actually require, and when you need more than just the petitioner’s own income.
The income threshold: 125% of the poverty guideline
The core rule: the sponsor’s household income must be at or above 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for their household size, using the current year’s Form I-864P figures published by USCIS. The one exception is active-duty U.S. military sponsoring their own spouse or child, who only need to meet 100% of the guideline.
Per the 2026 I-864P guidelines (for the 48 contiguous states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands):
| Household size | 125% threshold (2026) |
|---|---|
| 2 | $27,050 |
| 3 | $34,150 |
| 4 | $41,250 |
Alaska and Hawaii have their own higher figures. “Household size” is broader than who lives with the sponsor — it includes the sponsor, their spouse, dependent children, anyone else claimed as a dependent on the sponsor’s tax return, and the immigrant(s) being sponsored. Always check the current Form I-864P table on uscis.gov before filing, since these figures update annually with the federal poverty guidelines.
When you need a joint sponsor
If the petitioning sponsor’s income alone doesn’t clear the threshold, a few options exist — but they work differently:
- Joint sponsor: A separate individual (doesn’t need to be a relative) who independently meets the income requirement for their own household size and files their own complete Form I-864. A joint sponsor takes on joint and several liability — meaning the government can pursue either the petitioner or the joint sponsor for the full support obligation, not half each. A principal immigrant can have up to two joint sponsors if different sponsors are covering different accompanying family members.
- Form I-864A: Used when the extra income is already inside the sponsor’s own household — a working spouse or adult child, for example. That household member signs I-864A, a contract with the sponsor, rather than filing an independent affidavit.
- Assets: Significant liquid assets (cash, stocks, property minus debt) can substitute for a shortfall in income, generally at a multiple of the gap — your specific case may require three to five times the deficiency depending on the immigrant’s relationship to the sponsor.
The petitioning sponsor must file their own I-864 regardless of whether a joint sponsor is involved — a joint sponsor supplements the petitioner’s affidavit, it doesn’t replace it.
How long the obligation lasts
This surprises a lot of sponsors: the I-864 support obligation is a long-term legal commitment, not a one-time paperwork step. It only ends when the sponsored immigrant:
- becomes a U.S. citizen,
- earns 40 qualifying quarters of work (roughly 10 years of covered employment),
- dies, or
- permanently departs the United States.
Divorce does not end it. A sponsor who divorces the immigrant they sponsored can still be pursued for support obligations under the affidavit until one of the four conditions above is met. This is worth understanding clearly before signing — it’s a real, enforceable financial commitment, not a formality for the visa file.
Form I-864EZ: the shorter version
A simplified I-864EZ exists but applies narrowly: only when the sponsor personally filed the underlying Form I-130 petition, the sponsored relative is the only person on that I-130, and the sponsor is relying solely on their own salaried or hourly income (no self-employment, assets, or household member income). Most cases with any complexity will need the full I-864.
Practical checklist before filing
- Confirm your household size definition matches USCIS’s broader definition, not just who lives with you.
- Pull the current year’s I-864P table — don’t reuse last year’s figures.
- If you’re close to the line, decide early whether a joint sponsor or I-864A household-member income is the cleaner path; gathering a joint sponsor’s tax transcripts takes time.
- Keep copies of everything — the obligation persists for years, and you may need to produce records well after the green card is approved.
VisaMet’s document screening checks affidavit-of-support packages against current income thresholds before submission — join the waitlist for early access.
Sources: USCIS Form I-864P — Poverty Guidelines · USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support · USCIS Form I-864A instructions
This is general preparation guidance, not legal advice. Confirm the current year’s income figures on uscis.gov/i-864p and consult an immigration attorney for your specific household and sponsorship situation.