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Verified against the official USCIS Form I-864P poverty guidelines
✓ Affidavit of Support forms explained
I-864 vs I-864A vs I-864EZ: Which Form Do You File?
Three forms, one purpose — proving a sponsor’s income. Here’s exactly who files which, in plain English.
Edition check: All three forms are now the 08/24/26 edition. The older 10/17/24 edition of Form I-864 is no longer accepted — see what changed in the new I-864 edition.
All three forms support the same goal: showing that a sponsored immigrant has enough financial backing and won’t rely on public benefits. The one you file depends on how many people you’re sponsoring and whose income you’re counting — and that second question is usually settled by whether your own income is enough on its own. Start there:
Yourself (the sponsor)Always counted
1
SpouseIf married
0
Your dependent childrenUnmarried, under 21
0
Other tax dependentsAnyone on your tax return
0
Immigrants you are sponsoring nowOn this I-864
1
Previously sponsored immigrantsPrior I-864 still in effect
0
Total household size: 2
Usually the "total income" line on your most recent federal tax return, adjusted for your current salary.
Your result appears below as you type.
Your household size
Required income ( of poverty guidelines)
Your income
Margin
This tool applies the published USCIS Form I-864P figures to the numbers you entered. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for an attorney.
If your income clears the threshold alone, you are choosing between the I-864 and the short-form I-864EZ. If it falls short, you are almost certainly adding an I-864A or a joint sponsor. The sections below cover each case.
Quick answer: pick your situation
Your situation
Form to file
Why
You are the petitioner, sponsoring only ONE immigrant, and your income from your own salary or pension (shown on a W-2) alone meets the requirement
I-864EZ
Shortest version. No household members, no assets, no self-employment income.
The standard case — most sponsors, or any case that does not fit every EZ condition
I-864
The full Affidavit of Support. Handles multiple immigrants, assets, and combined income.
You need to add the income of someone in your household (or the immigrant) to qualify
I-864 + I-864A
The household member signs an I-864A to make their income countable and share liability.
A separate person is stepping in because you fall short on your own
Their own I-864 (joint sponsor)
A joint sponsor files a full I-864 and must qualify alone — never an I-864EZ.
Form I-864 — the full Affidavit of Support
This is the standard form, filed by the sponsor (usually the petitioner who filed Form I-130) for most family-based and some employment-based immigrants. It’s the one to use whenever your case involves more than one immigrant, uses assets to make up a shortfall, or combines income from more than one person. It requires 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size — see the current figures on the I-864P 2026 poverty guidelines chart, or read how much income you need to sponsor by scenario.
Form I-864EZ — the short version
The EZ is a genuinely simpler form, but the eligibility is strict. USCIS allows it only when all three of these are true:
You filed the underlying petition. That means Form I-129F (fiancé(e)), Form I-130 (relative), Form I-600 (orphan) or Form I-800 (Convention adoptee) — not only the I-130, which is the version most sites quote.
The relative you are sponsoring is the only person listed on that petition. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens — a spouse, child, or qualifying parent — always satisfy this, because each one has their own petition. A family-preference immigrant with relatives on the same petition immigrating with them, or within six months of them, does not.
Your qualifying income is entirely your own salary or pension, evidenced on one or more IRS Forms W-2. No assets, no household member’s income, nothing from anyone else.
You cannot use the EZ at all if you are self-employed, you are a joint sponsor, you are a substitute sponsor filing because the original petitioner died, you filed Form I-140 for the immigrant, or your salary and pension alone do not reach the threshold. Any of those, and you file the full I-864.
Submitting the wrong one of the two delays your case, so it is worth reading that list twice. Not sure your income alone is enough? Run your numbers in the calculator first.
Form I-864A — contract with a household member
Form I-864A isn’t a separate affidavit — it’s an add-on. When the sponsor’s own income falls short, a member of the sponsor’s household (such as a spouse or adult child living with them) can sign an I-864A so their income counts toward the total. It’s always filed together with the sponsor’s I-864, and the household member accepts joint financial responsibility by signing it.
This is different from bringing in a joint sponsor, who is a separate person meeting the full requirement on their own. If you’re still short even with household income, review using assets to bridge the gap.
A note on I-864W
Some immigrants don’t need an Affidavit of Support at all — for example, those who have already earned 40 qualifying quarters of work. In those cases a different request applies rather than the I-864. When in doubt, confirm your specific requirement on the official USCIS form page or with an attorney.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the shorter Form I-864EZ?
Only if all three are true. First, you are the person who filed (or is filing) the underlying petition — Form I-129F, I-130, I-600 or I-800 — for the relative you are sponsoring. Second, that relative is the only person listed on the petition. Third, the income you are using is based entirely on your own salary or pension and is shown on one or more IRS Forms W-2. If you are self-employed you cannot use the EZ at all, and neither can a joint sponsor, a substitute sponsor, or anyone relying on assets or a household member’s income.
What is the difference between Form I-864A and a joint sponsor?
An I-864A is signed by a member of your own household (for example, your spouse or an adult child living with you) so their income can be added to yours. A joint sponsor is a separate person who does not combine income with you at all — they must meet 125% of the poverty guidelines entirely on their own and file their own full Form I-864.
Is Form I-864A filed on its own?
No. Form I-864A is never a standalone affidavit. It is always filed together with a sponsor’s Form I-864, as a contract between the sponsor and the household member whose income is being used.
Which form does a joint sponsor use?
A joint sponsor always files a full Form I-864 (not I-864EZ), because they are sponsoring someone who is not their own petitioned relative and must document their income and status independently.
Which edition of these forms should I use?
All three — Forms I-864, I-864EZ, and I-864A — are now the 08/24/26 edition, published by USCIS on Aug. 31, 2026. Each carries the same 30-day grace period: the older 10/17/24 edition is still accepted if it is postmarked or electronically submitted on or before Sept. 30, 2026, and from Oct. 1, 2026 only the 08/24/26 edition is accepted. Download a fresh copy from uscis.gov and check the edition date printed at the bottom of each page.
Disclaimer: General information about USCIS Forms I-864, I-864A, and I-864EZ, not legal advice. Form editions change — the current edition of all three is 08/24/26 as of September 2, 2026. Form eligibility can hinge on details of your case — always confirm on the official form pages at uscis.gov/i-864 or with a licensed immigration attorney.