I-864 Poverty Guidelines: 2026 Income, Household Size, Sponsors

To sponsor a family member’s green card, the income shown on your Form I-864 must reach at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for your household size. For a two-person household in the 48 contiguous states in 2026, that means $27,050 a year. Active-duty military sponsors petitioning for a spouse or child only need to hit 100% of the guidelines, which is $21,640 for the same household. The I-864 poverty guidelines rise with each additional person in the household and are higher for sponsors living in Alaska or Hawaii.¹

USCIS publishes the required amounts each year on Form I-864P, drawing from the Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines. The 2026 figures took effect on March 1, 2026, and apply to sponsors living in any of the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.¹

2026 Income Requirements for the 48 Contiguous States

Household Size	100% (Active-Duty Military Sponsoring Spouse or Child)	125% (All Other Sponsors)
2	$21,640	$27,050
3	$27,320	$34,150
4	$33,000	$41,250
5	$38,680	$48,350
6	$44,360	$55,450
7	$50,040	$62,550
8	$55,720	$69,650
Each additional person	Add $5,680	Add $7,100

The 100% column applies only if you are an active-duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces sponsoring your spouse or child.² Every other sponsor uses the 125% column.

2026 Income Requirements for Alaska

Sponsors domiciled in Alaska face higher thresholds because the cost of living is higher.¹

Household Size	100% (Active-Duty Military)	125% (All Other Sponsors)
2	$27,050	$33,813
3	$34,150	$42,688
4	$41,250	$51,563
5	$48,350	$60,438
6	$55,450	$69,313
7	$62,550	$78,188
8	$69,650	$87,063
Each additional person	Add $7,100	Add $8,875

2026 Income Requirements for Hawaii

Household Size	100% (Active-Duty Military)	125% (All Other Sponsors)
2	$24,890	$31,113
3	$31,420	$39,275
4	$37,950	$47,438
5	$44,480	$55,600
6	$51,010	$63,763
7	$57,540	$71,925
8	$64,070	$80,088
Each additional person	Add $6,530	Add $8,163

How to Count Your Household Size

The threshold that applies to you depends entirely on your household size, so counting correctly matters. Start with one for yourself and add each of the following people, even those who don’t live with you:³

Your spouse, if you are married.
All unmarried children under 21, whether or not they are in your custody.
Anyone you claimed as a dependent on your most recent federal tax return, related or not.
The principal immigrant you are sponsoring, plus every accompanying family member covered by the same petition.
Anyone you previously sponsored on a still-active I-864.

Don’t double-count. A spouse who is also the immigrant you are sponsoring is one person, not two. The same is true for a child who could fit in more than one category.³

USCIS measures your income using the “Total Income” line on your most recent IRS Form 1040. That figure sits above the standard or itemized deductions, so it is higher than your adjusted gross income. You submit a copy of that return along with the IRS transcript or supporting W-2s.³

If Your Income Falls Short

Missing the threshold on your own doesn’t end the case. There are three ways to close the gap.

Count Assets

You can add the value of assets that could realistically be converted to cash within a year: savings, stocks, bonds, and equity in real estate other than your primary home. Household goods and your primary vehicle generally don’t count. The required asset value depends on who you are sponsoring:³

If you are sponsoring the spouse or child of a U.S. citizen, assets must be worth at least three times the income shortfall.
For all other family-based categories, assets must be worth at least five times the shortfall.

Real estate equity requires a professional appraisal and proof of ownership. The immigrant’s own assets can be counted too, as long as they will remain available after the green card is issued.

Add a Household Member’s Income

A relative who lives with you can pool their income with yours by signing Form I-864A, a separate contract with the government. The contributor must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and share your primary residence. Eligible relatives include a spouse, adult child, parent, or sibling.⁴ Adding someone this way also raises your household size by one, which bumps you up a row in the poverty guideline table.

Bring in a Joint Sponsor

A joint sponsor is a separate person who files their own I-864 and takes on the same legal obligations you do. They must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, at least 18, and living in the United States, but they do not need to be related to you or the immigrant. A joint sponsor has to meet the 125% threshold entirely on their own income for their household size plus the immigrants they are agreeing to support; they cannot combine income with the petitioner. A single case may use no more than two joint sponsors.³

When the I-864 Isn’t Required

Not every green card applicant needs an affidavit of support. An immigrant who has earned or been credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work under Social Security does not need a sponsor to file the I-864. Qualifying quarters can include work performed by the immigrant’s spouse during the marriage or by a parent while the immigrant was under 18. The Social Security Administration can verify the count.³

Everyone else follows the tables above. Check your row against your most recent Total Income, and if the numbers don’t line up, plan for assets, a household member contract, or a joint sponsor before you file.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
2
U.S. Department of State. I-864 Affidavit of Support FAQs
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member