What Is Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support?

Form I-134, the Declaration of Financial Support, is a document you file with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to show that a foreign visitor has enough financial backing to cover a temporary stay in the United States without relying on public assistance. There is no filing fee.¹ Unlike Form I-864, which supports permanent immigration, the I-134 covers temporary situations only, and your responsibility as sponsor lasts only for the beneficiary’s authorized temporary stay.²

When You Need to File Form I-134

USCIS and the Department of State ask for Form I-134 in a handful of common situations. Someone applying for parole based on urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit files it alongside Form I-131. Nonimmigrants in B (visitor), F (student), or M (vocational student) status submit it when requesting an extension of stay or a change of status.² During consular processing, an officer interviewing a K-1 fiancé visa applicant may ask the U.S. citizen petitioner to submit one as proof of financial support.³

One boundary worth noting: certain parole programs use Form I-134A, not the standard I-134. That includes the Family Reunification Parole processes for nationals of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras.⁴ If you are filing under one of those programs, confirm which form applies before you start.

How Form I-134 Differs From Form I-864

This is where most confusion starts, because both forms are called affidavits or declarations of support in casual conversation. The differences matter.

Form I-134 supports temporary visitors. Form I-864 is required when someone is immigrating permanently, such as a family member sponsored for a green card.⁵

Form I-864 is a legally binding contract between the sponsor and the U.S. government, and the sponsored immigrant can sue to enforce it. Form I-134 is not that kind of contract between sponsor and beneficiary. It still carries real exposure, though: if the person you sponsor becomes a public charge, the government agency providing assistance may seek to recover those costs from you under Section 213 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.⁶

The income bar is different too. I-864 sponsors generally must show income at 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or 100% for active-duty military sponsoring a spouse or child. I-134 sponsors must show “sufficient financial resources,” and USCIS generally uses 100% of the guidelines as its benchmark.⁵

And the duration is very different. An I-864 obligation can run for years, ending only when the sponsored immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, earns 40 qualifying quarters of work, dies, or permanently departs. An I-134 obligation covers only the beneficiary’s authorized temporary stay.²

Who Can Sponsor Someone on Form I-134

You need a qualifying immigration status in the United States. The form asks you to select your status and provide proof.

U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals can show a birth certificate, naturalization certificate, citizenship certificate, consular report of birth abroad, or the biographic data page of a U.S. passport. Lawful permanent residents can submit a copy of both sides of their Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) or an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp in a passport or on Form I-94. Asylees can document their status with a copy of Form I-94 or other proof.²

How Much Income You Need to Show

Your job on the form is to show you can support the beneficiary during the authorized stay without either of you needing public assistance.² USCIS measures that against the Federal Poverty Guidelines, generally expecting household income at 100% of the guideline for your household size. Household size includes you, your dependents, and the person you are sponsoring.

The 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines for the 48 contiguous states are:⁷

Household of 2: $21,640 per year
Household of 3: $27,320 per year
Household of 4: $33,000 per year
Household of 5: $38,680 per year

Alaska and Hawaii use higher thresholds.

Using Assets to Fill an Income Gap

If your income alone falls short, you can supplement it with assets such as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, or real estate. For each asset, you must document the name of the asset holder, describe the asset, prove ownership, and show the basis for the claimed net cash value. Real estate requires proof of ownership, a recent appraisal by a licensed appraiser, and evidence of all outstanding loans secured against the property; the net value is the appraised value minus outstanding loan balances.²

Documents to Gather Before You File

Start by downloading the current edition of Form I-134 from the USCIS website. An outdated version can be rejected.⁸ The form itself asks for biographical information on both sponsor and beneficiary — full legal names, dates of birth, current addresses, and Social Security numbers where applicable.⁹ If names or dates don’t match your supporting documents, expect delays.

Alongside the form, you’ll need:

Your most recent federal income tax return (Form 1040). Enter the adjusted gross income from that return.
An employment verification letter on company letterhead stating the date and nature of employment, your salary, and whether the position is temporary or permanent.
A statement from an officer of your bank or financial institution that shows the date the account was opened, total deposits over the past year, and the present balance. This helps USCIS see a stable savings pattern rather than a recent deposit made just for the application.
Proof of your own immigration status, matched to your sponsor category as described above.²

You sign the form under penalty of perjury under U.S. law, using your full legal name. A missing or invalid signature causes USCIS to reject the declaration outright.²

Filing and What Happens Next

How you file depends on the benefit involved. For humanitarian parole, sponsors can file online through the myUSCIS portal at my.uscis.gov, creating an account and uploading the declaration and financial documents.¹⁰ Paper filing by mail is also available; follow the address instructions on the form, because filing to the wrong address can delay or reject your case.

After acceptance, USCIS issues a receipt notice with a tracking number so you can monitor the case online.¹⁰ Processing runs from several weeks to several months depending on caseload. Reviewers compare your income and assets against the poverty benchmark for your household size.

Requests for More Evidence

USCIS or the Department of State may ask for additional information or originals of documents you filed as copies. Respond promptly and completely. Failure to provide evidence of sufficient income or resources can result in denial of the beneficiary’s immigration benefit.²

If the Declaration Is Denied

If USCIS finds your financial standing insufficient, it issues a notice explaining the grounds. The beneficiary cannot proceed with the visa or parole request until an approved I-134 is on file. A denial isn’t necessarily the end: you can file a new I-134 with stronger documentation, or a different sponsor can file for the same beneficiary. Because there is no filing fee, resubmitting doesn’t cost anything.¹

How Long Your Obligation Lasts

Your obligation runs only for the duration of the beneficiary’s authorized temporary stay.² Once the person departs, their authorized stay expires, or they adjust to a different immigration status, the I-134 obligation ends. Under 8 U.S.C. § 1183, the undertaking terminates upon the individual’s permanent departure from the United States, their naturalization, or their death.⁶

That limited window is the biggest practical difference from Form I-864, whose obligation can stretch for years after arrival. When you complete the form, the section asking for the period you intend to provide support should match the beneficiary’s expected length of stay.

1
USCIS. G-1055 Fee Schedule
2
USCIS. Form I-134, Instructions for Declaration of Financial Support
3
U.S. Department of State. Nonimmigrant Visa for a Fiance(e) (K-1)
4
USCIS. Family Reunification Parole Processes
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1183a – Requirements for Sponsors Affidavit of Support
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1183 – Admission of Aliens on Giving Bond or Undertaking
7
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
8
USCIS. I-134, Declaration of Financial Support
9
USCIS. Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support
10
USCIS. Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole for Aliens Outside the United States