I-864 Sponsor Income Requirements and Thresholds

To sign Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, a sponsor generally must show annual income of at least 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for their household size. In 2026, the I-864 sponsor income requirements start at $27,050 for a two-person household in the 48 contiguous states.¹ Active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces sponsoring a spouse or child qualify at the lower 100 percent threshold.² Sponsors who fall short can bridge the gap with assets, a joint sponsor, or a qualifying household member’s income.

2026 Income Thresholds

The floor is tied to the HHS Poverty Guidelines, which update each year and take effect on March 1 for immigration purposes.³ For sponsors in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, the 2026 figures are:¹

Household of 2: $27,050 at 125 percent, or $21,640 at 100 percent for military
Household of 3: $34,150 at 125 percent, or $27,320 at 100 percent for military
Household of 4: $41,250 at 125 percent, or $33,000 at 100 percent for military

Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures. A two-person Alaska household needs $33,813 at 125 percent; in Hawaii, $31,113.¹ Each additional household member adds roughly $7,100 to the threshold in the contiguous states.

How Household Size Is Counted

Household size determines which threshold applies, and it isn’t just the people under one roof. The count includes everyone the sponsor is financially responsible for, whether or not they share an address:

The sponsor, always, even when the petition is for someone else
The sponsor’s spouse, if they live with the sponsor
Anyone claimed as a dependent on the sponsor’s most recent federal tax return
The intending immigrant named on the petition
Any family members immigrating together with the primary beneficiary
Anyone else the sponsor previously sponsored on a still-active I-864

Every person added raises the bar. A sponsor who clears the two-person threshold comfortably can fall short once an accompanying spouse and children of the immigrant are factored in.

What Income Counts

The figure that matters is what appears on the sponsor’s most recent federal tax return. USCIS looks at adjusted gross income from the filed return, including wages, salaries, bonuses, and net self-employment earnings from Schedule C.⁴ Interest, dividends, rental income, and retirement distributions add to the total. Self-employed sponsors are measured on net profit after business expenses, not gross revenue.

The income also has to be current and expected to continue. A sponsor who earned $60,000 last year but is unemployed now will struggle even with a strong return. Recent pay stubs or an employment letter help show the money is still coming in. A sponsor whose income dropped since the last filing can submit up to three years of returns to show a longer history, though only the most recent year is required.⁴

Foreign income generally doesn’t help unless the sponsor can show it will continue after establishing a U.S. domicile. One-time windfalls and unemployment benefits carry little weight because USCIS is looking for stability.

Sponsors required to file taxes who didn’t must file all overdue returns with the IRS before submitting the I-864. A sponsor whose income was too low to require filing can attach a written explanation instead.⁴

Using Assets to Close a Shortfall

A sponsor whose income falls below the threshold can make up the difference with assets, but not dollar-for-dollar. In most cases, the total net value of qualifying assets must equal at least five times the gap between income and the required threshold.⁵ If a sponsor needs $27,050 and earns $22,050, the $5,000 gap requires $25,000 in qualifying assets.

A lower multiplier applies in two situations:

Three times the gap when a U.S. citizen sponsors a spouse or a child who is at least 18 years old⁴
One times the gap when the intending immigrant is an orphan who will acquire citizenship under INA section 320 after admission⁵

Qualifying assets have to be convertible to cash within a year without causing severe financial hardship. Savings, certificates of deposit, stocks, and real estate equity (market value minus any mortgage) all work. Assets held outside the United States count only if the sponsor can legally access and transfer them to the U.S. The intending immigrant’s own assets can also be included.

Joint Sponsors and Household Members

When income and assets together still fall short, two options remain.

Joint Sponsor

A joint sponsor is a separate person who takes on the same legal obligation as the primary sponsor. The joint sponsor must be at least 18, domiciled in the United States, and either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. They don’t need to be related to the immigrant. On their own (or combined with their own household members), they must independently meet the 125 percent income threshold.⁶ Both the primary sponsor and the joint sponsor stay liable.

Household Member Contribution With Form I-864A

Instead of bringing in a joint sponsor, the primary sponsor can combine income with an eligible household member using Form I-864A.⁷ Not everyone qualifies. An eligible household member must be at least 18 and fit one of these categories:

The sponsor’s spouse, who does not need to share the same address
A parent, child, adult son or daughter, or sibling who shares the sponsor’s principal residence
Any person the sponsor lawfully claimed as a dependent on their most recent tax return, even if that person lives elsewhere⁷

Signing the I-864A is not a casual favor. The household member makes a legally binding commitment to use their income and assets to support the sponsored immigrant, and the obligation is enforceable in the same way as the primary sponsor’s.

Other Sponsor Requirements Beyond Income

Meeting the income threshold alone isn’t enough. The primary sponsor must be the person who filed the immigrant visa petition (Form I-130 or I-140) for the immigrant, must be at least 18, and must be either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.⁶

The domicile requirement trips people up. The sponsor must be domiciled in the United States, meaning a principal residence here and plans to remain for the foreseeable future.⁴ A U.S. citizen living abroad can still qualify if they work for the U.S. government, certain American companies or organizations, or can show the stay abroad is temporary. Otherwise, a sponsor overseas must establish that they intend to reestablish U.S. domicile no later than the date the immigrant is admitted.

The Obligation Is Long-Lasting

Signing the I-864 is not just a paperwork moment tied to income at the time of filing. It is a binding contract with the federal government to financially support the immigrant, and it remains enforceable until the immigrant naturalizes, is credited with roughly ten years of qualifying work, permanently leaves the United States and loses lawful permanent resident status, or dies (or until the sponsor dies).³ Divorce does not end the obligation. A sponsor who meets the income threshold today should understand that the duty to maintain the immigrant at 125 percent of the poverty guidelines can extend for years.⁶

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
2
U.S. Department of State. 9 FAM 601.14 Affidavit of Support
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 U.S.C. 1183a – Requirements for Sponsor’s Affidavit of Support
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
5
eCFR. 8 CFR 213a.2 – Use of Affidavit of Support
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Affidavit of Support
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-864A Instructions