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Verified against the official USCIS Form I-864P poverty guidelines
✓ Verified against uscis.gov on September 12, 2026
New Form I-864 Edition 08/24/26
USCIS published a new Affidavit of Support on August 31, 2026. The old edition is still accepted until September 30, 2026 — here is what changed and what you actually need to do.
The short version: The current edition of Form I-864 is 08/24/26. USCIS is running a 30-day grace period: the older 10/17/24 edition is still accepted if it is postmarked or electronically submitted on or before September 30, 2026. From October 1, 2026, only the 08/24/26 edition is accepted. Download a fresh form from uscis.gov/i-864.
Form edition changes are usually routine, and most of this one is. The part worth reading is the new privacy release covering consumer credit information — that is a genuine change in what you are signing. The deadline itself is ordinary: USCIS gave the customary transition window, so an affidavit already prepared on the 10/17/24 edition does not have to be thrown away if you can post it before the cutoff.
Your income requirement has not changed. Those figures come from Form I-864P and remain the ones effective March 1, 2026. Only the form itself is new — so if you are redoing paperwork anyway, this is a good moment to confirm you still clear the threshold:
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.
Which editions are current
Form
Current edition
What it is
Form I-864
08/24/26
The full Affidavit of Support.
Form I-864EZ
08/24/26
The short version, for petitioners who qualify.
Form I-864A
08/24/26
Contract with a household member.
The edition date is printed at the bottom of every page of the form and its instructions. If you are unsure which version you have, that is where to look.
What USCIS actually said
Rather than paraphrase, here are the operative points from the USCIS notice:
USCIS published the 08/24/26 edition on August 31, 2026 and is providing a 30-day grace period during which it will still accept the 10/17/24 edition.
Beginning October 1, 2026, USCIS will only accept the 08/24/26 edition, and will not process a 10/17/24 edition postmarked or electronically submitted on or after that date.
USCIS does not reject Form I-485 if it is filed with a previous edition of Form I-864. Where an out-of-date edition is submitted on or after October 1, 2026, USCIS follows 8 CFR 103.2(b)(8) — the failure-to-submit-initial-evidence procedure, which normally means a request for evidence rather than a rejection.
The 08/24/26 edition includes a privacy release that authorizes USCIS to request information from one or more consumer reporting agencies.
The credit-report authorization, in plain terms
This is the substantive change, and it is worth being precise about it rather than alarmed by it.
By signing the 08/24/26 edition, a sponsor authorizes USCIS to request their information from consumer reporting agencies — the credit bureaus. USCIS has not said it will pull a report in every case, and it has not published a credit-score threshold. There is no indication that a particular score qualifies or disqualifies a sponsor. The income test is still the income test: 125% of the poverty guidelines for your household size.
What USCIS did flag is an access problem. In its own words, if a sponsor has a credit or security freeze on their file, USCIS may not be able to obtain the information it needs to assess whether the affidavit is sufficient. Its guidance is that a sponsor should respond promptly to any request to release that freeze, so the case is not delayed.
Practical takeaway: You do not need to unfreeze your credit before filing. But if you have freezes in place — and many people set one up years ago after a data breach and forgot — find out which bureaus, and make sure you can lift them quickly if USCIS asks. A frozen file that nobody notices for six weeks is a delay you can avoid.
What to do now
Download the form again. Do not reuse a blank PDF you saved earlier this year. Get it from uscis.gov/i-864.
Check the bottom of the page. Every page you submit should read 08/24/26. USCIS warns that a package mixing pages from different editions may be rejected.
If your form is prepared but not mailed, check your timing. Posted on or before September 30, 2026, the 10/17/24 edition is still accepted. Going out on or after October 1, 2026, redo it on 08/24/26.
If you already mailed it, you are almost certainly fine. The postmark or electronic submission date governs, and anything inside the grace period stands.
Locate any credit freezes. Check whether you have freezes at Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, and know how to lift them.
Re-run your numbers only if your income or household changed. The thresholds themselves did not move.
Who needs which form. The I-864 / I-864A / I-864EZ split works the same way — see which form you file.
Joint sponsor rules. A joint sponsor still has to meet the full requirement alone. See the joint sponsor guide.
Supporting documents. The evidence you gather is unchanged — see the documents checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current edition of Form I-864?
The current edition is 08/24/26. USCIS published it on Aug. 31, 2026. You can confirm the edition date printed at the bottom of each page of the form and instructions. Forms I-864EZ and I-864A are also now the 08/24/26 edition.
Is there a grace period for the old I-864 edition?
Yes. USCIS is providing a 30-day grace period during which it will still accept the 10/17/24 edition. Beginning Oct. 1, 2026, USCIS will only accept the 08/24/26 edition, and will not process a 10/17/24 edition postmarked or electronically submitted on or after that date. So an affidavit on the old edition that is postmarked by Sept. 30, 2026 is still accepted.
I already mailed my I-864 on the old edition. Is it a problem?
Almost certainly not. What matters is the postmark or electronic submission date. Anything postmarked on or before Sept. 30, 2026 falls inside the grace period and the 10/17/24 edition is still accepted. Separately, USCIS has said it does not reject Form I-485 because it was filed with a previous edition of Form I-864 — if the edition is out of date, USCIS follows its normal initial-evidence procedure under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(8), which means a request for evidence rather than an outright rejection.
My package is ready but not mailed. Should I redo it on the new edition?
If you can mail it before Oct. 1, 2026, the old edition is still accepted and you do not have to redo it. If it will go out on or after Oct. 1, use the 08/24/26 edition. If you have the time either way, using the current edition avoids the question entirely.
Does the new I-864 edition mean USCIS will check my credit?
The 08/24/26 edition includes a privacy release that authorizes USCIS to request information from one or more consumer reporting agencies. USCIS has not said it will pull a credit report in every case. The practical point in the USCIS notice is about access: if a sponsor has a credit freeze or security freeze on their file, USCIS may not be able to obtain the information it needs to assess the affidavit.
Should I lift a credit freeze before filing the I-864?
USCIS advises that a sponsor should respond promptly to any request to release a credit or security freeze, to avoid delays. You do not need to remove a freeze pre-emptively, but you should know which bureaus you have frozen and be ready to lift them quickly if asked.
Did the I-864 income requirements change with the new edition?
No. The income thresholds come from Form I-864P, the HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support, which is separate from the form edition. The current I-864P figures remain those effective March 1, 2026, and are unchanged by this form update.
Can I still use a blank I-864 PDF I downloaded earlier?
No, unless it already shows 08/24/26 at the bottom of the page. Download a fresh copy from uscis.gov. USCIS also warns that every page you submit must come from the same form edition — a package mixing pages from two editions can be rejected.
Disclaimer: This page summarizes a USCIS form update and is general information, not legal advice. Form editions and filing rules can change again, and USCIS guidance governs. Confirm the current edition on the official page at uscis.gov/i-864 before you file, or consult a licensed immigration attorney.