{"id":638,"date":"2025-10-28T17:02:49","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T22:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalizatestag.wpenginepowered.com\/?page_id=638"},"modified":"2026-03-06T10:43:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T15:43:22","slug":"affidavit-of-support-under-section-213a-of-the-ina","status":"publish","type":"custom-practice","link":"https:\/\/legalizateya.com\/en\/practice-areas\/affidavit-of-support-under-section-213a-of-the-ina\/","title":{"rendered":"Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA [Form I-864]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ensure your relative&#8217;s financial support during their immigration process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<strong>Affidavit of Support (Form I-864)<\/strong>&nbsp;is an essential document in many family immigration processes. Its purpose is to demonstrate that the sponsored immigrant has&nbsp;<strong>sufficient financial support in the United States<\/strong>, preventing them from becoming a public charge.<br><br>Filing this form correctly is a mandatory requirement in most&nbsp;<strong>permanent residence (Green Card)<\/strong>&nbsp;applications based on family ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Table of Contents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is Form I-864?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who must file this affidavit?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sponsor financial requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Required supporting documents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Differences between the I-864 and other similar forms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common mistakes when filing Form I-864<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Legal advice with Legal\u00edzate Ya<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\ud83d\udcde Contact us today<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Form I-864?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)<\/strong>, is a legal and binding commitment through which the&nbsp;<strong>sponsor becomes financially responsible<\/strong>&nbsp;for the immigrant seeking to obtain permanent residence in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By signing this form, the sponsor declares to the government that they possess&nbsp;<strong>sufficient income and economic resources<\/strong>&nbsp;to support the immigrant and are willing to offer financial support, if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who must file this affidavit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally, the&nbsp;<strong>petitioner who filed the principal application (e.g., Form I-130 or I-129F)<\/strong>&nbsp;must also file Form I-864.<br>Additionally, in certain cases, a&nbsp;<strong>joint sponsor<\/strong>&nbsp;may be required if the petitioner alone does not meet the economic requirements demanded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Form I-864 is required in the following scenarios:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Family petitions for\u00a0<strong>spouses, children, parents, or siblings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adjustment of status (Form I-485)<\/strong>\u00a0cases or\u00a0<strong>consular processing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Petitions where the sponsor must guarantee the immigrant&#8217;s financial backing until they naturalize, accumulate 40 quarters of work, or permanently leave the U.S.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sponsor financial requirements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The sponsor must meet the&nbsp;<strong>minimum income levels<\/strong>&nbsp;established by the&nbsp;<strong>Federal Poverty Guidelines<\/strong>, which vary based on household size and state of residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally speaking, the sponsor must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Be a\u00a0<strong>U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a\u00a0<strong>domicile in the United States<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Demonstrate income equivalent to\u00a0<strong>125% of the federal poverty level<\/strong>\u00a0(100% if on active duty in the Armed Forces and sponsoring a spouse or children).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Submit recent tax returns and W-2 forms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When personal income is insufficient,&nbsp;<strong>financial assets<\/strong>&nbsp;(such as savings, real estate, or investments) or the support of a&nbsp;<strong>joint sponsor<\/strong>&nbsp;may be included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Required supporting documents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When filing Form I-864, the following documents must be attached:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Copy of the\u00a0<strong>most recent federal tax return<\/strong>\u00a0(Form 1040) and W-2 or 1099 forms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proof of current income<\/strong>, such as pay stubs or an employment letter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proof of sponsor&#8217;s immigration status or citizenship<\/strong>\u00a0(copy of passport, naturalization certificate, or Green Card).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Documents proving the family relationship<\/strong>\u00a0with the sponsored immigrant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the case of a joint sponsor, equivalent forms and financial documents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Differences between the I-864 and other similar forms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important not to confuse Form&nbsp;<strong>I-864<\/strong>&nbsp;with other related forms, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Form I-864A:<\/strong>\u00a0Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Form I-864EZ:<\/strong>\u00a0Simplified version for certain individual sponsorship cases.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Form I-134:<\/strong>\u00a0Declaration of Financial Support (commonly used for non-immigrant visas or humanitarian processes).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The I-864 is the only one that&nbsp;<strong>creates a legally enforceable obligation<\/strong>&nbsp;before immigration or judicial authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common mistakes when filing Form I-864<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Not meeting the\u00a0<strong>minimum income requirements<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Omitting\u00a0<strong>original signatures or updated financial documents<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not including\u00a0<strong>all pages of the form<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using incomplete or outdated tax information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Filing the incorrect form based on the case type (I-864, I-864A, or I-864EZ).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>An error on this form can&nbsp;<strong>significantly delay the approval of permanent residence<\/strong>&nbsp;or cause a rejection by the consulate or USCIS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legal advice with Legal\u00edzate Ya<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At&nbsp;<strong>Legal\u00edzate Ya<\/strong>, we understand that the Affidavit of Support is much more than an administrative requirement: it represents a legal and moral commitment to your relative.<br>Our team will help you&nbsp;<strong>evaluate your financial eligibility<\/strong>, gather the correct documentation, and file your Form I-864 completely and accurately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have over&nbsp;<strong>30 years of combined experience<\/strong>&nbsp;in immigration law, helping families reunite and obtain their legal residence without complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcde Contact us today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you need help completing your\u00a0<strong>Form I-864<\/strong>\u00a0or determining if you qualify as a sponsor?<br>Call us today at\u00a0<strong>(956) 725-9714<\/strong>\u00a0or visit\u00a0<strong><a href=\"\/en\">www.legalizateya.com\/en<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to schedule a consultation with our legal team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Legal\u00edzate Ya \u2014 Your ally at every step of the immigration process.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3>Financial sponsorship for permanent residence<\/h3>\n<p>Filing this form correctly is a mandatory requirement in most <strong>family-based Green Card<\/strong> applications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-638","1":"custom-practice","2":"type-custom-practice","3":"status-publish","5":"practice-categories-immigration-forms-renewals","6":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Affidavit of financial sponsorship under Section 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