Who you must count
- Yourself — the sponsor is always counted.
- Your spouse — even if they don't live with you or have their own income.
- Your unmarried children under 21 — unless they are emancipated.
- Anyone you claim as a dependent on your most recent federal tax return, regardless of where they live.
- Every immigrant you are sponsoring on this I-864, including derivative family members immigrating with the principal applicant.
- Anyone you sponsored on a previous I-864 whose obligation is still in effect (it ends when they become a U.S. citizen, earn 40 quarters of work, leave the U.S. permanently, or die).
Who you do not count
- Roommates or relatives who live with you but are not your tax dependents.
- Children over 21 who are not your tax dependents.
- Parents or siblings who live with you, unless claimed as dependents (though they can add income via Form I-864A).
- An ex-spouse.
Common mistakes
The most frequent error is double-counting the immigrant spouse: if you are sponsoring your husband or wife, they count once as the sponsored immigrant — the "spouse" line and the "immigrant" line refer to the same person, counted a single time. Another common mistake is forgetting derivative children immigrating with the principal beneficiary, which undercounts the household and understates the requirement. Finally, sponsors often forget people they sponsored years ago; a prior I-864 obligation typically lasts until the immigrant naturalizes or accumulates 10 years of work.
Once you know your household size, use the I-864 income calculator to check your income against the 2026 guidelines.