Tips for Filing Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA

This tip sheet will help you complete Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA. Detailed Instructions for Affidavit of Support (PDF, 265.05 KB) are also available. When filing Form I-864, it is important to fill out the form completely and provide all required information with your initial filing. This will reduce processing delays and errors in communication.

Please read and follow the filing tips to ensure proper processing.

Note: All 12 pages of Form I-864 must be submitted.

Who completes this form? The sponsor of an intending immigrant fills out and signs this form in black ink. If the sponsor is under guardianship, the guardian of that sponsor’s estate (financial affairs) may sign the form.

• As the person completing Form I-864, you are the sponsor (or, as appropriate, a substitute sponsor or joint sponsor). By signing this form, you agree to financially support an immigrant who applies for either an immigrant visa or adjustment of status to become a lawful permanent resident.
• In most cases, the sponsor must be the individual who filed the visa petition for the intending immigrant.
• If the individual who filed the visa petition cannot sign this form because the individual has died, a substitute sponsor may sign this form.
• If the individual who filed the visa petitioner or a substitute sponsor signs this form, but is unable to meet the financial requirements, another individual must also sign a separate form as a joint sponsor to meet the financial requirements.
• Each sponsor needs to submit taxes and W2’s if he or she is not using an IRS printout, or provide a reason for not filing taxes.
• The principal immigrant is the intending immigrant who is the beneficiary of the immigrant visa petition.
• Family members are the principal immigrant’s spouse and minor children, who intend to travel with the principal immigrant or within six months of the principal immigrant’s arrival in the United States.
• Household members are the spouse or other relatives who live in the sponsor’s residence, who are already supported by the sponsor and/or who will contribute income to the financial sponsorship of the principal immigrant and his or her family members.

What you will need

In order to complete this form, you should have the following information available:

• The principal immigrant’s name and address,
• The names of the principal immigrant’s family members and their relationship to the principal immigrant,
• Your employer and annual income,
• The annual income of any household members who intend to contribute to the financial sponsorship of the principal immigrant, and
• Information about anyone you may have previously financially sponsored on a Form I-864.

Submitting Evidence

The principal immigrant must submit one original Form I-864 for his or her file along with supporting financial evidence of the sponsor’s income. A Form I-864 is considered original if it is signed in black ink.

The principal immigrant should also submit photocopies of the completed Form I-864 for each family member traveling with him or her. Copies of supporting financial documents are not required for the principal immigrant’s family members.

Tips on completing Form I-864

List only the principal immigrant and his or her family members you are sponsoring. Only include family members you are sponsoring who will be immigrating at the same time or within six months of the principal immigrant’s arrival in the United States.

There may be multiple financial sponsors who each sponsor different family members. You should only include those you have agreed to sponsor.

You must provide the name, relationship and current income of any other household member whose income will be considered to support the principal immigrant and any family members listed in Part 3.

These household members must share the same principal residence as the financial sponsor, and must also complete Form I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member.

You do not need to list any household member’s income in Part 6 if that household member does not intend to provide financial support to the principal immigrant.