Do you earn enough to sponsor — and what paperwork proves it?
Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support, turns on two questions: does the sponsor's income clear the federal line for their household size, and can they document it? This toolkit answers both: a free income-requirement check using the official 2026 Form I-864P figures, and a print-ready evidence checklist matched to your situation — employed, self-employed, retired, using assets, or adding a joint sponsor.
100% client-side — your income and household details never leave this browser. No uploads, no accounts, no servers. Nothing here is transmitted anywhere.
Not legal advice. This is a planning aid built from public USCIS materials. Figures come from USCIS Form I-864P (guidelines effective March 1, 2026); verify current requirements at uscis.gov and with your own counsel before filing.
Form edition alert: since October 1, 2026, USCIS accepts only the 08/24/26 edition of Form I-864. The new edition also adds a release authorizing USCIS to request information from consumer reporting agencies — if you have a credit freeze, be ready to lift it if asked.
1 Income-requirement check always free
Count your household the way the Form I-864 instructions do: yourself, your dependents, the immigrants on this affidavit, and anyone you previously sponsored whose affidavit is still in effect. Do not count anyone twice.
2 Evidence checklist PRO
Tick every situation that applies. The checklist always starts with the documents every sponsor files, then adds the evidence for each situation — each item with its USCIS source cited. Items marked verify depend on your facts; confirm them against the Form I-864 instructions.
3 2026 thresholds at a glance
The 125% column — the line most sponsors must meet — from Form I-864P, effective March 1, 2026. For household sizes above 8, add the per-person amount shown. The full table, including the 100% active-duty column, is in the Pro print pack.
Source: USCIS, Form I-864P — HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support (uscis.gov/i-864p), cross-checked against the HHS 2026 Poverty Guidelines (Federal Register, January 2026).
4 Backup
Your calculator inputs and Pro status autosave in this browser only. Download a backup file before switching computers.
FAQ
Does my income or household data leave my browser?
No. Everything is computed and stored only in this browser's local storage. Nothing is uploaded to any server, and there are no accounts to create.
What is free and what is Pro?
Free, forever: the income-requirement check with its verdict, asset target, and joint-sponsor figures, plus 3 evidence checklists. Pro ($24 one-time) unlocks unlimited checklists and the print pack (your checklist plus the full 2026 Form I-864P threshold table on one document run).
Is this legal advice? Will USCIS accept my filing because this tool said so?
No. This is a planning aid, not legal advice, and no result here guarantees how USCIS or a consular officer will decide. Threshold figures are transcribed from USCIS Form I-864P and cross-checked against the HHS guidelines; checklist items cite the Form I-864 instructions and the USCIS filing checklist. Verify everything at uscis.gov and consider an immigration attorney for anything unusual.
Which edition of Form I-864 do I file?
The 08/24/26 edition. USCIS published it on August 31, 2026 and, after a 30-day grace period, accepts only that edition for filings on or after October 1, 2026. The edition date is printed at the bottom of every page of the form and instructions.
What changed in the new edition?
The 08/24/26 edition adds a privacy release: by signing, the sponsor authorizes USCIS to request information from one or more consumer reporting agencies (including credit reports) to help assess the affidavit. USCIS has not announced any minimum credit score. If you have a credit or security freeze, USCIS may be unable to get the information it wants — be ready to lift the freeze promptly if they ask. verify — see the alert on the USCIS Form I-864 page.
How do assets cover an income shortfall?
Your net assets (value minus anything you owe against them) must equal the shortfall times a factor: 3x if you are a U.S. citizen sponsoring a spouse or a child 18 or older, 5x in most other cases, and 1x for an orphan who will be adopted in the United States. The calculator works out your exact target. Assets generally must be convertible to cash within 12 months; the home you live in is generally not counted. verify — see the assets section of the Form I-864 instructions.
What must a joint sponsor qualify with?
A joint sponsor files their own Form I-864 and must independently meet the full 125% guideline for their own household size (counted with your immigrant(s) included), be at least 18, be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, and be domiciled in the U.S. or a U.S. territory or possession. The 100% active-duty column does not apply to joint sponsors.
Who counts in household size?
You (the sponsor), your dependents, the immigrants on this affidavit, and anyone you previously sponsored on a Form I-864 that is still in effect — plus, if you use their income, household members who sign Form I-864A. Never count the same person twice. The calculator covers the main count; verify edge cases in Part 5 of the Form I-864 instructions.