Form I-864 · Part 6, Items 8-14
I-864 Household Member Income (Part 6, Items 8-14): When to Add It and How in 2026
Items 8-14 are only needed when your individual income in Item 7 falls below the 125% Federal Poverty Guidelines threshold for your household size. If Item 7 passes, leave this section blank.
You, the U.S. citizen or permanent resident, are the sponsor filing this form. Your spouse is the person being sponsored.
Most marriage-based sponsors
Check Item 7 first. If it clears the threshold, Items 8-14 stay blank.
For a household of 2 in 2026, the threshold is $27,050/year at 125%. If your individual income exceeds that, this section does not apply to you.
Summary
For most marriage-based sponsors, Part 6, Items 8-14 stay blank: if your individual annual income in Item 7 already clears the 125% poverty guideline threshold for your household size, the instructions say you do not need to add anyone else's income. If Item 7 falls short, Items 8-14 let you add the income of a household member -- but each person whose income you include must either complete Form I-864A or meet the immigrant-spouse exception.
| When to complete | Only if Part 6, Item 7 (your individual income) falls below the 125% poverty guideline threshold for your household size. If Item 7 passes on its own, leave Items 8-14 blank. |
| What to enter | Name, relationship, and current annual income for each household member whose income you are using. Item 12 is the running total of Items 7 through 11. |
| I-864A requirement | Most household members must complete Form I-864A. Exception: the immigrant you are sponsoring who is also your spouse does not need I-864A unless they have children immigrating with them. |
| Illegal income bar | Income from illegal acts cannot be counted even if taxes were paid on it. The instructions cite illegal gambling and drug sales as examples. |
| Active-duty military | If you are on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or Coast Guard sponsoring your spouse or child, the threshold is 100% of the poverty guidelines (not 125%). |
| Item 12 total | Add Items 7 through 11. This is the figure USCIS compares to the Federal Poverty Guidelines (Form I-864P) for your household size. |
Scope of this page
This page covers standard household member income scenarios: adding your immigrant spouse's income, adding income from a U.S.-based spouse, parent, or adult child, and the I-864A requirements for each. Consult an immigration attorney before completing Items 8-14 if: (1) any household member's income comes from illegal sources, even partially; (2) the immigrant's income comes from work tied to a visa status that will not carry over after they receive their green card; or (3) any household member's residency or dependency status is in dispute.
What the USCIS instructions say
Verbatim from the I-864 Instructions, edition 10/17/24, Part 6, Items 8-14.
Verbatim from Form I-864 Instructions, edition 10/17/24, Part 6, Items 8-14
“Item Numbers 8. - 14. Current Annual Household Income. This section is used to determine the sponsor's household income. If your individual annual income listed in Item Number 7. is greater than 125 percent (or 100 percent if you are on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or U.S. Coast Guard and sponsoring your spouse or child) of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size from Part 5., Item Number 8., you do not need to include any other household member's income. See Form I-864P for information on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.”
The instructions also include an explicit bar on illegal income:
Verbatim from Form I-864 Instructions, edition 10/17/24, Part 6
“You, as the sponsor, may not rely on a household member's income from illegal acts, such as proceeds from illegal gambling or drug sales, to meet the income requirement even if the household member paid taxes on that income.”
The illegal income bar is absolute. It does not matter whether taxes were paid on the income or whether the household member has otherwise clean finances. If illegal income is the reason Item 12 falls short, a joint sponsor is required. That amount cannot be rescued by any other paperwork.
When do Items 8-14 apply?
Items 8-14 are conditional. They only apply when your individual income in Item 7 falls below the poverty guideline threshold. The threshold depends on your household size from Part 5, Item 8.
Item 7 clears the threshold
Leave Items 8-14 blank. Per the I-864 Instructions, you do not need to include any other household member's income. Items 13 and 14 (I-864A checkboxes) are also not needed.
Item 7 falls short
Complete Items 8-11 for each household member whose income you are adding. Item 12 is the running total. Items 13 and 14 are checkboxes about I-864A completion. Each household member listed must meet the I-864A requirements or the immigrant-spouse exception.
2026 income thresholds (125% FPG, 48 contiguous states and D.C.)
| Household size | 125% threshold |
|---|---|
| 2 (sponsor + spouse) | $27,050 |
| 3 | $34,150 |
| 4 | $41,250 |
| 5 | $48,350 |
Source: 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines, 125%, effective March 1, 2026. Each additional person adds $7,100.
Who can be listed in Items 8-11?
Only household members in the categories defined in Part 5 are eligible. Each category has different I-864A requirements. The verbatim rules are below, followed by plain-English summaries.
Rule 1 covers your U.S.-based household members, who must complete I-864A. Rules 2 and 3 cover the person you are sponsoring (called “intending immigrant” in USCIS language), with different requirements depending on whether that person is your spouse.
Rule 1: verbatim from I-864 Instructions, edition 10/17/24, Part 6
“If you included the income of your spouse listed in Part 5., Item Number 3., any child listed in Part 5., Item Number 4., any dependent listed in Part 5., Item Number 5., or any siblings, parents, or adult children listed in Part 5., Item Number 7., each one of these individuals must be over 18 years of age and must complete Form I-864A.”
Rule 2: verbatim from I-864 Instructions, edition 10/17/24, Part 6
“If you included the income of the intending immigrant who is your spouse (he or she would be counted in Part 5., Item Number 1.), you must provide evidence that his/her income will continue from the current source after obtaining lawful permanent resident status. He or she does not need to complete Form I-864A unless he or she has accompanying children.”
Rule 3: verbatim from I-864 Instructions, edition 10/17/24, Part 6
“If you included the income of the intending immigrant who is not your spouse, (he or she would be counted on Part 5., Item Number 1.), evidence that his or her income will continue from a lawful source after obtaining lawful permanent resident status must be provided and the intending immigrant must provide evidence that he or she is living in your residence. He or she does not need to complete Form I-864A, unless he or she has an accompanying spouse or children.”
Your U.S.-based household members (family members and dependents)
Your spouse (listed in Part 5, Item 3), your children (Part 5, Item 4), your dependents (Part 5, Item 5), or your siblings, parents, or adult children (Part 5, Item 7)
The immigrant you are sponsoring, who is also your spouse
The person you are sponsoring who is counted in Part 5, Item 1, and who is also your spouse
The immigrant you are sponsoring, who is not your spouse
The person you are sponsoring who is counted in Part 5, Item 1, but is not your spouse (for example, a parent or sibling you are sponsoring)
How to complete Items 8-14: step by step
- 01
Check Item 7 first -- most sponsors stop here
Compare your Item 7 figure to the 125% poverty guideline for your household size from the I-864P table. If Item 7 alone clears the threshold, leave Items 8-14 blank. You do not need to add anyone else's income.
Example: Individual income of $35,000, household of 2, 2026 threshold of $27,050: Item 7 passes. Items 8-14 are not needed. - 02
Identify which household members' income you want to include
Only household members in the six counting categories (the same people counted in Part 5) can be listed. A roommate or housemate who is not your legal spouse, child, dependent, or listed relative is not eligible. Each person listed in Items 8-11 must have lawful income.
Example: Your spouse earns $18,000. Your live-in sibling earns $25,000 but is not your tax dependent. Only the spouse's income is eligible. - 03
Determine the I-864A requirement for each person
U.S.-based household members who are 18 or older must complete Form I-864A -- this is a separate contract between you and them. The exception is the immigrant you are sponsoring (listed in Part 5, Item 1): if that immigrant is your spouse, no I-864A is needed unless they have children immigrating with them.
Example: Immigrant spouse earns $12,000/year: no I-864A. U.S.-based parent earns $20,000: parent must complete I-864A. - 04
For immigrant-spouse income, gather continuing-source evidence
If you are counting the income of the immigrant you are sponsoring who is also your spouse, you must provide evidence that their income will continue from the same source after they receive their green card. An employer letter stating their position, salary, and that the job is expected to continue is a common form of this evidence.
Example: Immigrant spouse works remotely for a foreign company that will retain them after the green card. Employer letter confirming continued employment: attach it. - 05
Enter each person's name, relationship, and current annual income in Items 8-11
Use the same income rules as Item 7: pre-tax annual income from lawful sources. Do not include income from illegal acts. Items 8-11 have space for four household members; if you need to list more, the form's Additional Information section on the continuation pages provides space for additional entries and their income should be included in your Item 12 total.
Example: Person 1: Jane Doe, Spouse, $18,000. Person 2: Robert Smith (parent), $22,000. Item 12 total: $35,000 (Item 7) + $18,000 + $22,000 = $75,000. - 06
Calculate Item 12: your total household income
Item 12 is the sum of Item 7 (your individual income) plus Items 8 through 11 (household member incomes). This is the figure USCIS compares to the poverty guideline. If Item 12 meets or exceeds the threshold, Items 13 and 14 are checkboxes about I-864A completion.
Example: Item 7: $25,000. Item 8 (spouse): $10,000. Item 12 total: $35,000. Threshold for household of 2: $27,050. Item 12 passes.
Walk-through by situation
Item 7 alone clears the threshold
Situation: Your individual income in Item 7 is above the 125% poverty guideline for your household size.
What to do: Leave Items 8-14 blank. No further action needed in this section.
Adding immigrant-spouse income (no accompanying children)
Situation: Your individual income falls short. The person you are sponsoring is your spouse and they have income. They have no children immigrating with them.
What to do: Enter their name, relationship (Spouse), and income in Item 8. Attach evidence their income continues from the same source after they receive their green card. No I-864A required.
Adding immigrant-spouse income (with accompanying children)
Situation: Your individual income falls short. The person you are sponsoring is your spouse and they have income. They have children immigrating with them.
What to do: Enter their name, relationship, and income in Item 8. They must complete Form I-864A. Attach continuing-income evidence.
Adding U.S.-based household member income
Situation: Your individual income falls short. A parent, sibling, or adult child living with you has income you want to include.
What to do: They must be 18 or older. Enter their name, relationship, and income in Items 8-11. They must complete Form I-864A. Include their income documentation.
Common mistakes on Part 6, Items 8-14
These errors appear on rejection notices and RFEs. Each has a specific cause and fix.
- 01
Adding household member income when Item 7 already passes
Items 8-14 are only needed when your individual income falls below the threshold. If Item 7 already clears 125% of the poverty guideline for your household size, do not add household member income. Adding unnecessary income here is not harmful, but leaving the I-864A out when you have listed someone creates an immediate rejection.
- 02
Including immigrant-spouse income without continuing-source evidence
If you list your immigrant spouse's income in Items 8-11 to supplement your own, you must attach evidence that their income will continue from the same source after they receive their green card. Omitting this evidence causes a Request for Evidence (RFE). An employer letter stating the position and expected continuation is a common form of this evidence.
- 03
Forgetting Form I-864A for U.S.-based household members
Every U.S.-based household member whose income you include -- your spouse, parent, sibling, adult child, or non-relative dependent over 18 -- must complete a separate Form I-864A. Missing I-864As cause rejection. The only exception is the immigrant you are sponsoring who is also your spouse (and who has no accompanying children).
- 04
Including income from a person under 18
The I-864 Instructions (edition 10/17/24, Part 6) state that each household member whose income you include must be over 18 years of age to complete Form I-864A. A child under 18 cannot sign I-864A, so their income cannot be included in Items 8-11.
- 05
Using a roommate's income
Only household members in the six counting categories from Part 5 are eligible. A roommate, housemate, or co-residing person who is not your legal spouse, child, dependent, or listed relative does not qualify -- even if they contribute to household expenses. Including a non-qualifying person's income and omitting their I-864A causes a rejection.
Marriage-based sponsors: what Items 8-14 typically look like
In a standard marriage-based green card case, the sponsor is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and the immigrant is their spouse. Whether Items 8-14 are needed depends entirely on whether Item 7 clears the $27,050 threshold (2026, household of 2).
Standard case: using immigrant-spouse income to supplement
How the situation changes
- Item 7 alone passes $27,050 (household of 2). Items 8-14 can stay blank. No I-864A needed and no household member income to add.
- Item 7 falls short and you add your immigrant spouse's income. No I-864A needed. You must attach evidence their income continues from the same employer after they get their green card. An employer letter is a common form of this evidence.
- Item 7 falls short and you add a U.S.-based family member's income. That person must be 18 or older and must complete Form I-864A. Their income is entered in Items 8-11.
- Item 7 + all household member income still falls short. A joint sponsor filing a separate I-864 is required. The joint sponsor has their own Part 5 and Part 6 on their separate affidavit.
Not sure if your household income is enough?
Our software checks your Item 7 income against the poverty guidelines for your household size, walks through Items 8-14 if needed, and builds the complete affidavit packet for you.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to complete Items 8-14 if my income in Item 7 already meets the requirement?
No. The I-864 Instructions (edition 10/17/24, Part 6) state: 'If your individual annual income listed in Item Number 7. is greater than 125 percent ... of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size from Part 5., Item Number 8., you do not need to include any other household member's income.' Leave Items 8-14 at zero or blank if Item 7 passes.
Does my immigrant spouse need to complete Form I-864A if I include their income?
Not in the standard case. The I-864 Instructions (edition 10/17/24, Part 6) state that an intending immigrant who is your spouse does not need to complete Form I-864A unless they have accompanying children. If your immigrant spouse has children immigrating with them, Form I-864A is required. If there are no accompanying children, Form I-864A is not required -- but you must still provide evidence that their income will continue from the same source after they receive their green card.
What evidence shows an immigrant spouse's income will continue after the green card?
The I-864 Instructions (edition 10/17/24, Part 6) require evidence that income 'will continue from the current source after obtaining lawful permanent resident status.' In practice, a letter from the employer stating the position, salary, and expected continuation is a common form of this evidence. A current pay stub supports the letter. If the immigrant is self-employed, evidence of the continuing business (business registration, client contracts, recent invoices) serves a similar purpose. USCIS wants to see that the income source does not disappear when the immigrant's visa status changes.
Can I include my parent's income if they live with me?
Yes, if your parent is in your household size (listed in Part 5, Item 7) and is 18 or older. They must complete Form I-864A, which is a contract between you and them committing their income to supporting the sponsored immigrant. Enter their name, relationship, and current annual income in Items 8-11 and file the completed I-864A with your I-864.
Can I include a roommate's income?
No. Only household members in the six categories defined in the I-864 Instructions (your spouse, children, dependents, and certain relatives) can contribute income to Items 8-11. A roommate or housemate who does not fall into one of those categories is not eligible, regardless of how much they contribute to shared household expenses.
What happens if Items 8-14 still don't meet the income requirement?
If neither your individual income (Item 7) nor your total household income (Item 12) meets the 125% Federal Poverty Guidelines threshold, a joint sponsor is required. The joint sponsor files a separate I-864 using their own household size and income. They do not combine their income with yours on the same form -- they file their own affidavit of support. Your I-864 with the insufficient income is still filed; the joint sponsor's I-864 supplements it. Joint sponsors must be domiciled in the United States. If your prospective joint sponsor lives abroad, speak with an immigration attorney before proceeding.
Key takeaways
- ✓
Skip Items 8-14 entirely if your Item 7 individual income already meets the 125% poverty guideline threshold for your household size.
- ✓
The immigrant you are sponsoring who is also your spouse does not need to complete Form I-864A (unless they have children immigrating with them). All other household members whose income you include must be 18 or older and must complete I-864A.
- ✓
If you use your immigrant spouse's income, attach evidence their income will continue from the same employer or source after they receive their green card.
- ✓
Income from illegal acts cannot be included even if taxes were paid. This bar applies even when the household member has an otherwise clean income history.
- ✓
If Item 12 (total household income) still falls short, a joint sponsor filing a separate I-864 is the path forward -- not adding more people to Items 8-11.
This page is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Green Card Genius is self-help immigration software, not a law firm, and does not provide legal representation. Immigration law and USCIS policy change frequently. For advice on a specific case, consult a licensed immigration attorney. Form I-864, edition 10/17/24. Last verified May 2026.
Continue reading
- 01Form I-864 Affidavit of Support: Complete 2026 Guide
- 02What If the Petitioner's Income Is Too Low? Joint Sponsor Options
- 03I-864 Current Annual Income (Part 6, Item 7): What to Enter in 2026
- 04I-864 Part 5, Item 1: Total Number of Persons in Household (2026)
- 05I-864 Income Calculator: Green Card Affidavit of Support (2026)
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