After you submit your visa application, you may need to collect documents showing your petitioner has the ability to financially support you in the United States. You will submit these documents to NVC in Step 6.
Petitioners are required to submit an Affidavit of Support form and evidence of their income. The Affidavit of Support form, also called the I-864, is legally required for most family-based and some employment-based immigrants. It is a legal contract between the petitioner (sponsor) of an immigrant visa applicant and the U.S. government. Generally, the following intending immigrants need an Affidavit of Support:
There is a detailed explanation of who needs an Affidavit of Support and who is exempt below. You can also review the instructions for each form (I-864EZ, I-864, I-864A, and I-864W) on USCIS’s website. Please be advised that Customer Service Representatives at NVC cannot advise you which Affidavit of Support form you should fill out. Please use the information below and the instructions on the forms to determine which form best meets your needs.
To gather the required financial documents, your petitioner (the person who filed the petition on your behalf) must do the following:
There are several Affidavit of Support forms. Each form applies to different people – and in some cases, the immigrant visa applicant will complete a form. The table below will help your petitioner determine which Affidavit of Support form to complete.
For more information about Affidavit of Support requirements and forms, review Affidavit of Support on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. You can also find answers to frequently asked questions on this website. Use the information in these FAQs and on this website with, not instead of, the detailed instructions for the Affidavit of Support forms on USCIS’s website.
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| You filed an employment petition (Form I-140 or I-526) and you own five percent or more of the business entity that filed the petition. | Complete Form I-864, and bring it to the interview. You do not need to submit it to the NVC. See tips for completing I-864 |
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| You filed an employment petition (Form I-140 or I-526) and you own less than five percent of the business entity that filed the petition. | You do not need to complete an Affidavit of Support form. Continue to the next step. |
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| The applicant you are sponsoring has earned or can be credited with at least 40 eligible quarters under the Social Security Act. | Complete Form I-864W See tips for completing I-864W |
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| You are a U.S. citizen and you are sponsoring a natural or adopted child, other than a stepchild, who is under 18 years old. | Complete Form I-864W See tips for completing I-864W |
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| You are a self-petitioning widow(er). | Complete Form I-864W See tips for completing I-864W |
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| You are a self-petitioning battered spouse or child. | Complete Form I-864W See tips for completing I-864W |
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| You are sponsoring a child who will become a U.S. citizen immediately upon entry under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA). | Complete Form I-864W See tips for completing I-864W |
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All three of the following are true:
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Complete Form I-864EZ See tips for completing I-864EZ |
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| If none of the above apply and you meet the minimum income requirement. | Complete Form I-864 See tips for completing I-864 |
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| If none of the above apply and you are using the income of other household members to meet the minimum income requirement. | The sponsor must complete Form I-864 and each household member must complete Form I-864A See tips for completing I-864 and tips for completing I-864A |
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If none of the above apply and:
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The sponsor and the joint sponsor must each complete Form I-864 See tips for completing I-864 |
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After your financial sponsor(s) complete the Affidavit of Support form, they should gather supporting evidence of their income. This will be submitted to NVC in Step 6. Additional supporting evidence may be requested by the consular officer at the visa interview. Review the table below to determine what supporting financial evidence to collect with the Affidavit of Support. Remember that each financial sponsor – your petitioner, any joint sponsors, and any household members – must submit an Affidavit of Support, proof of income, and proof of their legal status and domicile in the United States.
| Financial Evidence | Description | |||||||||
| IRS Tax Transcript | If you completed Form I-864, I-864A, or I-864EZ submit an IRS tax transcript from the most recent tax year. 
Extensions: If you filed an extension for the most recent tax year, submit a photocopy of your IRS Form 4868 |
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| Evidence of income | If you completed Form I-864, I-864A, or I-864EZ and the income reported on this form or your tax return reflects income below the poverty guidelines for the year the form was submitted, submit evidence of your income. This can include the following documents:
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| Proof of relationship | If you completed Form I-864A, submit evidence that proves your relationship to the sponsor (the person who filed Form I-864). You can prove your relationship by submitting a photocopy of one of the documents below:
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| Proof of domicile | If you completed Form I-864, I-864A, or I-864EZ and your mailing address and/or place of residence is not in the United States, but your country of domicile is the United States, write an explanation and provide documentary evidence indicating how you meet the domicile requirement. Review our FAQs to learn more about domicile. | |||||||||
| Proof of U.S. status | If you completed Form I-864 as a joint sponsor, submit proof that you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or Lawful Permanent Resident. You can do this by submitting a photocopy of one of the following documents:
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| Social Security Administration (SSA) Earnings Statement | If the principal applicant completed Form I-864W because he or she can be credited with 40 eligible quarters under the Social Security Act, submit his or her SSA Earnings Statement showing the coverage. You can obtain an SSA Earnings Statement online at http://ssa.gov/myaccount. You can also call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 for more information. |
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| Proof of Assets | If you submitted Form I-864 or I-864A and you used assets to meet the minimum income requirements, submit a photocopy of proof you own your assets. Proof can take any form as long as it:
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(PDF - 509 KB) or write and sign a statement indicating you filed an extension.