Form I-864 · Field-by-Field Guide

I-864 Affidavit of Support:
Field-by-Field Breakdown

The I-864 is the form where sponsors prove they can financially support their immigrant spouse. Small errors — wrong household size, outdated income figures, miscounted prior obligations — are one of the top reasons USCIS issues a Request for Evidence. This guide covers the fields applicants get wrong most often.

Form

I-864 Affidavit of Support

Who completes it

The U.S. citizen / LPR sponsor

2026 income threshold

125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines

Household of 2

$27,050 minimum (125% FPG)

Where applicants most often go wrong

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Household Size Is Not Just Your Family

Part 5 asks you to count yourself, dependents, anyone you've previously sponsored on an I-864 who hasn't yet met certain milestones, and the immigrant you're sponsoring now. Most people undercount — and a lower household size makes your income look higher, which triggers an RFE.

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"Current Annual Income" ≠ Last Year's Taxes

Part 6, Item 7 asks for your current annual income — what you're earning right now, annualized. If you got a raise since filing your last tax return, use the new number. If you're self-employed, this is where it gets nuanced.

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Prior Sponsorships Count Against You

If you sponsored someone on an I-864 in the past and they haven't become a U.S. citizen, earned 40 qualifying quarters, or had their status end — they still count toward your household size. This catches sponsors by surprise.

Field-by-field guides

Part 5 · Item 1

Total Number of Persons in Household

Exactly who to include, who to exclude, and how to handle edge cases like college-age children and previously sponsored immigrants.

Part 5

Household Member Income

When household members' income counts, how to document it, and when USCIS requires them to file a separate I-864A.

Part 6 · Item 7

Current Annual Income

What 'current' means, how to calculate it from a pay stub, what to enter if you're self-employed or recently changed jobs.

Part 5 · Item 6

Prior I-864 Obligations

Whether previous sponsorships still count, how to determine if a prior obligation has ended, and how to document it if it has.

Part 6

Prior Year Income (Tax Returns)

Which years to include, what to do if your income has changed significantly, and how prior-year income interacts with current annual income.

Part 7

Assets

When assets can supplement income that falls short, how to calculate the asset threshold, and which assets USCIS accepts.

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I-864 Affidavit of Support: Field-by-Field Breakdown