What is Form I-864?

Form I-864 is the affidavit of support. It is the document in which the person petitioning for a relative commits in writing, before the government, to support them so they do not depend on certain public benefits.

The instructions describe it as an enforceable contract. It is not a paperwork form: it is a promise with consequences, which is why it is worth reading in full before signing.

Form I-864 is not filed on its own. It accompanies the residence application that a family petition produces: the I-485 when the relative is in the United States, or the consular process when they are abroad. The official page says who it is handed to.

That is why it has no receipt notice of its own. What arrives is the I-485 notice or the consulate's correspondence.

According to the instructions, the person who filed the family petition signs it. When their income is not enough, another person can join as a joint sponsor, with their own form. Whether one is needed is a legal question and we do not answer it.

Income is compared against a government table, the I-864P, which changes every year. We write no figures here; the official table is linked below.

People almost always gather the most recent federal tax return, proof of current income (pay stubs, a letter from the employer) and proof of the signer's citizenship or residence. Sometimes, proof of assets.

The general list and the official sources live on the form's page; we do not repeat them here. Whether your evidence is enough is for the officer to decide, not us.

We ask about your household, your income and your status, one thing at a time, and transfer the answers onto the official form with technical checks: figures that do not add up, empty boxes, reversed dates.

You receive an unsigned PDF. You review it, sign it by hand and give it to your relative to include in their filing, or send it wherever that filing's instructions say.

Miscounting the people in the household: the form has its own rule for counting them. Adding a partner's income without the form that allows it. Signing without a date.

And sending only the first page of the tax return, or the wrong year's form. USCIS asks for the complete return, with its schedules.

Because it travels inside another filing, what follows is whatever follows in that filing: the I-485 receipt notice, or the consulate's steps. If the officer wants more proof of income, they ask for it by letter.

In the guide on what happens after you mail your form we explain that notice and what each USCIS letter means.

We are not a law firm and we do not give legal advice. We fill the form in with your answers; what obligations you take on by signing, and for how long, is exactly what a licensed attorney or a Department of Justice accredited representative can explain to you.