To sponsor an immigrant on Form I-864, you generally need to show income of at least 125 percent of the federal poverty line for your household size. For 2026, the I-864 income requirements start at $27,050 a year for a two-person household in the 48 contiguous states.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support Active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces sponsoring a spouse or child qualify at a lower 100 percent threshold. The numbers change every year when HHS updates its poverty guidelines, and an income even slightly below the cutoff will get the affidavit denied.
2026 Minimum Income by Household Size
The table below shows the minimum annual income for sponsors in the 48 contiguous states, D.C., and U.S. territories, effective March 1, 2026.2U.S. Department of State. I-864 Affidavit of Support FAQs
| Household Size | 100% (Active-Duty Military) | 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 smallest household on an I-864 is two, because the sponsor and the intending immigrant are always counted.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
Alaska and Hawaii have their own, higher tables. A sponsor in Alaska needs $33,812.50 for a two-person household at 125 percent; in Hawaii, that figure is $31,112.50.3HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines Detailed Tables Sponsors in either state should use the state-specific tables on the USCIS I-864P page.
Counting Your Household Size Correctly
Household size decides which row of the table applies to you, so miscounting is one of the fastest ways to lose an otherwise qualifying case. The I-864 instructions require you to include, no matter where they live:4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
- Yourself
- Your spouse
- Your dependent children under 21
- Anyone else claimed as a dependent on your most recent federal tax return
- Every immigrant you are sponsoring on this affidavit
- Any immigrant you previously sponsored on Form I-864 or I-864EZ whose obligation has not yet ended
That last item traps sponsors who signed an affidavit years ago for a different immigrant. If that person hasn’t naturalized or earned 40 qualifying work quarters, they still count in your household today. Officers cross-check filing history against the number you report, and a mismatch means a denial.
What Income Counts
USCIS uses the “Total Income” line on your most recent Form 1040, which is Line 9 on the current version.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA This is not your adjusted gross income and not your take-home pay. Total income sits above the line for retirement contributions, student loan interest, and similar deductions, so it will be higher than your AGI. Pulling the wrong number is a common way to understate what you actually qualify with.
Beyond wages, several other sources count toward that total:
- Social Security retirement and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- VA disability compensation and VA pensions
- Private pensions and retirement account distributions
- Alimony
- Rental income, dividends, and interest
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is the significant exclusion. Because SSI is itself a means-tested benefit, it cannot be counted toward the I-864 threshold. If SSI is a large share of what you receive, you will need to look at assets or a co-sponsor.
Current Income vs. Last Year’s Tax Return
The form asks for two figures: current annual income and income from the most recent tax return. If you recently started a better-paying job or got a raise, your current income may exceed what your return shows. USCIS may accept the higher current figure, but you have to back it up: an employer letter with your salary, job title, start date, and hours, plus pay stubs from the previous six months.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
Documents That Prove Your Income
At a minimum, you must submit either a complete copy of your most recent federal tax return or an IRS tax transcript.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA A photocopy of the return also requires every W-2 and 1099 that goes with it. A transcript skips the W-2/1099 requirement because the IRS data already includes them, unless you filed jointly and are claiming only your own income, in which case the W-2s and 1099s are still needed.
You can add returns from up to the three most recent tax years if that helps show stability, which is useful when last year alone looks borderline but your trend is upward.
Self-employed sponsors have to include the schedules they filed with their 1040: Schedule C for sole proprietorships, D for capital gains, E for rental or partnership income, or F for farming.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA Officers scrutinize self-employment income more carefully because it fluctuates, so three consistent years is more persuasive than one.
Making Up a Shortfall with Assets
If your income falls below the threshold, assets can close the gap, but not one-for-one. In most cases the net value of your assets must equal at least five times the shortfall between your income and the required minimum.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA So if the requirement is $27,050 and you earn $22,050, the $5,000 shortfall calls for $25,000 in qualifying assets.
Two exceptions reduce that multiplier:
- A U.S. citizen sponsoring a spouse or a child age 18 or older needs assets equal to only three times the shortfall.5U.S. Department of State. 9 FAM 601.14 – Affidavit of Support
- For orphan immigrants who will acquire citizenship after admission, assets need only equal the shortfall.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
Qualifying assets include savings, stocks, bonds, and CDs, along with anything else convertible to cash within a year. Real estate equity counts too, but you’ll need a professional appraisal and proof of your ownership share. Bank statements covering the previous 12 months help show you actually hold these assets rather than parking money briefly to clear the threshold.
Adding a Household Member’s Income
If income and assets together still fall short, a household member can combine their income with yours by signing Form I-864A, a separate contract that makes them jointly liable.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member They must be at least 18 and fall into one of these groups:
- Your spouse
- A parent, adult child, or sibling sharing your principal residence
- Anyone claimed as a dependent on your most recent tax return, even if they live elsewhere
- The intending immigrant, if they have lawful income that will continue after getting a green card and either share your residence or are your spouse
Each contributing household member signs a separate I-864A and accepts the same financial responsibility the sponsor has. Anyone signing should understand that agencies can pursue them for reimbursement if the sponsored immigrant later receives means-tested benefits.
Bringing in a Joint Sponsor
A joint sponsor is not the same as a household member. Rather than adding income to yours, a joint sponsor files a separate Form I-864 and must independently meet the 125-percent threshold for their own household plus the sponsored immigrant.2U.S. Department of State. I-864 Affidavit of Support FAQs They must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, but they don’t need any family relationship to the immigrant.
Liability with a joint sponsor is joint and several. The government can seek reimbursement from either sponsor for means-tested benefits the immigrant receives, without having to try one before the other. Students, retirees, and lower-income sponsors often use this route, and the joint sponsor should treat the commitment as seriously as co-signing a loan.
How Long the Obligation Lasts
Meeting the income requirement is not a one-time hurdle; signing the I-864 is a contract with the federal government that lasts until one of these events occurs:4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864 Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
- The sponsored immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen.
- The sponsored immigrant is credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work (about 10 years), provided they received no federal means-tested benefits during any qualifying quarter after December 31, 1996.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1183a – Requirements for Sponsors Affidavit of Support
- The sponsor or the sponsored immigrant dies.
- The sponsored immigrant loses lawful permanent resident status and leaves the United States.
Divorce does not end the obligation. USCIS is explicit on this point, and sponsored immigrants remain third-party beneficiaries who can enforce the affidavit in court after a marriage ends.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Affidavit of Support Understand that before you sign.