What is Form I-864A and how is it different from I-864?

Form I-864A is a contract between the petitioning sponsor and a household member. It is not an affidavit of support. The household member signs it to make their income available to the sponsor's I-864 total. It is filed alongside the I-864, never as a standalone replacement.

Does the petitioner still need to file I-864 when a joint sponsor is filing?

Yes. Per the I-864 Instructions (edition 10/17/24), the petitioning sponsor must complete and submit a signed Form I-864 for the intending immigrant even if a joint sponsor will also file a separate I-864.

When can a petitioning sponsor use Form I-864EZ instead of I-864?

Three conditions must all be met: (1) you are the petitioning sponsor (not a joint or substitute sponsor), (2) you have exactly one qualifying petition (I-129F, I-130, I-600, or I-800), and (3) your individual income alone meets 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size without adding any household member income.

Edition 10/17/24Verified May 2026Not a law firm · Not legal advice

Form I-864 · Basis for Filing

I-864 vs. I-864EZ vs. I-864A: Which Affidavit of Support Form Do You Need (2026)

Three forms, very different purposes. Most sponsors file Form I-864. The simplified I-864EZ has narrow eligibility. Form I-864A is not an affidavit of support at all.

Quick answer

Most marriage-based green card filers: use Form I-864. Use I-864EZ only if your income alone passes the threshold and you have a single petition. Form I-864A is filed with your I-864 by your household members, not by you as an alternative.

Summary

Form I-864 is the default affidavit of support for all marriage-based green card filers. Form I-864EZ is a shorter version for petitioning sponsors who qualify on individual income alone with a single petition. Form I-864A is not an alternative affidavit; it is a contract signed by household members who are adding their income to the sponsor's total, filed alongside the I-864. Joint and substitute sponsors must always use Form I-864.

Form I-864	The standard affidavit of support. Required for all petitioning sponsors, all joint sponsors, and all substitute sponsors.
Form I-864EZ	Simplified version. Available only to petitioning sponsors (not joint or substitute sponsors) who are qualifying on individual income alone, have a single I-130/I-129F/I-600/I-800 petition, and do not need household member income.
Form I-864A	Not an affidavit of support. A contract signed by household members (spouse, adult child, parent, sibling, or certain dependents) who are adding their income to help the sponsor meet the 125% threshold. Filed with the I-864, not instead of it.
Joint and substitute sponsors	Must use Form I-864. I-864EZ is never available to joint or substitute sponsors.

What Part 1 of Form I-864 shows

Part 1, Items 1.a through 1.f, is where the sponsor declares the basis for filing. Items 1.d and 1.e are for joint sponsors.

Form I-864, Part 1 (Basis for Filing Affidavit of Support) : Items 1.a through 1.f as they appear on edition 10/17/24 — Form I-864, Part 1. Edition 10/17/24. Source: USCIS.

Verbatim -- Part 1, Items 1.d and 1.e (I-864 Instructions, edition 10/17/24)
“Item Number 1.d. Select this box if you are the only joint sponsor. Item Number 1.e. Select this box if you are either of two joint sponsors. NOTE: A joint sponsor does not have to be related to the intending immigrant. Indicate whether you are the only joint sponsor or one of two joint sponsors. Check with the petitioning sponsor or the intending immigrant if you are not certain.”

Side-by-side comparison

The three forms serve different roles. Only Form I-864 covers every scenario.

Topic	Form I-864	Form I-864EZ	Form I-864A
Who files it	Petitioning sponsor, joint sponsor, or substitute sponsor	Petitioning sponsor only	Household member adding income to sponsor's I-864
Income source requirement	Any qualifying income: wages, salary, self-employment, benefits	Individual income only. Cannot combine household member income.	N/A -- household member lists their own income for the I-864
Number of petitions	One or more I-130/I-129F/I-600/I-800 petitions	Exactly one qualifying petition	N/A -- not a petition-driven form
Standalone or companion?	Standalone affidavit	Standalone affidavit (when eligible)	Companion to I-864. Cannot be filed alone.
Available to joint sponsors?	Yes	No	No

When Form I-864EZ applies: all three conditions must be true

I-864EZ eligibility is narrower than it sounds. If any one condition is not met, use the full Form I-864 instead.

You are the petitioning sponsor

Not a joint sponsor or substitute sponsor. The petitioner is the U.S. citizen or permanent resident who filed the I-130 (or I-129F, I-600, or I-800) for the immigrant.

You have a single qualifying petition

One Form I-129F, I-130, I-600, or I-800 for the immigrant you are sponsoring. If you have filed multiple petitions, use I-864.

You qualify on your individual income alone

Your personal income meets 125% of the poverty guideline for your household size without adding any household member income. If you need to count a spouse's, parent's, or other household member's income, you need I-864 plus I-864A, not I-864EZ.

Common mistakes

These filing errors appear in RFEs and can delay the review.

01
Treating I-864A as an alternative affidavit of support
Form I-864A is not an affidavit of support. It is a contract between the petitioning sponsor and a household member. The household member signs it to make their income available to the sponsor's I-864 total. The I-864A is always filed alongside the I-864, never as a standalone replacement.
02
Joint sponsor attempting to use I-864EZ
Form I-864EZ is available only to petitioning sponsors. A joint sponsor must file Form I-864 even if their income comes entirely from wages and they have no complicating factors. There are no exceptions to this rule.
03
Petitioning sponsor skipping their own I-864 when a joint sponsor is filing
The petitioning sponsor must complete and submit a signed Form I-864 even if a joint sponsor is also filing. Per the I-864 Instructions (edition 10/17/24): 'The petitioning sponsor must complete and submit a signed Form I-864 for the intending immigrant even if a joint sponsor will be used.' The petitioner's form is not optional.
04
Using I-864EZ when household member income is needed
If your individual income alone does not meet the 125% threshold and you are relying on income from a household member (spouse, adult child, parent, or sibling), I-864EZ is not an option. You must use Form I-864 and the household member must complete Form I-864A.

Marriage-based filers: use Form I-864 in most cases

The typical marriage-based green card case involves a U.S. citizen petitioner sponsoring their foreign-national spouse. In that scenario:

Petitioner's income alone meets the threshold. I-864EZ may work if you have exactly one I-130 petition and no need for household member income. Many petitioners prefer the full I-864 regardless, since it is the more familiar form and the one software and attorneys typically use.
Petitioner's income falls short. Use Form I-864 plus either Form I-864A (for household member income) or a joint sponsor's separate I-864. The petitioner's I-864 is still required even when a joint sponsor also files.
A joint sponsor is stepping in. The joint sponsor files their own separate Form I-864. They cannot use I-864EZ. The petitioner still files their own I-864 alongside the joint sponsor's.
Immigrant spouse's income will be counted. If the immigrant spouse has income that will continue after obtaining lawful permanent resident status, that income is handled in Part 6 Items 8-14 of the petitioner's I-864, not through a separate affidavit. See the household member income page for the rules.

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Related guides

Form and pathway context

Frequently asked questions

Can I use I-864EZ if I am a joint sponsor?

No. Form I-864EZ is available only to petitioning sponsors. Joint and substitute sponsors must use Form I-864 regardless of their income type or number of petitions.

Do I need to file I-864A separately from the I-864?

Form I-864A is filed as a companion to Form I-864. It is signed by the household member (not by the petitioner), and it is submitted together with the petitioner's I-864. It cannot be filed as a standalone form.

What happens if I file I-864EZ but I was not eligible?

USCIS may issue an RFE (request for evidence) asking you to file a complete Form I-864. Filing the correct form in response to the RFE resolves this, but it can delay the case. Check eligibility carefully before choosing I-864EZ.

Is Form I-864A required when the immigrant spouse's income is counted?

Not always. Per the I-864 Instructions (edition 10/17/24, Part 6, Items 8-14): 'If you included the income of the intending immigrant who is your spouse..., 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.' Immigrant spouses counted for their own income generally do not need to sign an I-864A.

How do I know which form is current?

Always download the current edition directly from uscis.gov on the day you compile your packet. The edition date appears in the bottom-left corner of each form. USCIS rejects packets using outdated editions.

Key takeaways

✓
Form I-864 is the default. Use it if you are a petitioning sponsor, a joint sponsor, a substitute sponsor, or if your income alone does not meet the threshold.
✓
Form I-864EZ is only for petitioning sponsors with a single petition who qualify on their individual income alone. Joint and substitute sponsors cannot use it.
✓
Form I-864A is a companion contract, not an affidavit of support. Household members sign it to add their income to the petitioner's I-864 total. It is filed with the I-864, never as a standalone replacement.
✓
The petitioning sponsor must always file their own I-864 even when a joint sponsor is also filing a separate I-864.

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.

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