In order to sponsor a foreign national for a non-immigrant visa, an immigrant visa, or a green card through marriage, you will need to meet certain income requirements. The government wants to make sure the foreign national doesn’t have a high likelihood of becoming a “public charge”. The income amount determined is based on several factors but the most important one is that you meet a certain percentage of the poverty line – 100% or 125%, depending on which petition you are filing. However, there are two alternatives that will help you meet the requirement that don’t depend on your income. Assets or joint sponsors.
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If you are sponsoring a spouse, fiancé, or a family member on a non-immigrant visa like a K-1 or K-2, you’ll need to meet 100% of the poverty guidelines for the Affidavit of Support for Form I-134. This amount changes depending on which state you live in, how many foreign nationals you are sponsoring, and how many are in your household.
Keep in mind, when you go to adjust status and apply for a green card, you’ll need to meet 125% of the poverty guidelines.
We’ve built a handy visa income requirement calculator to quickly determine how much you should earn to qualify.
Immigrant (CR-1/AOS) Sponsor’s Income Requirement
If you are sponsoring a spouse or other family member for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status through marriage, you will need to meet 125% of the poverty guideline when filling out the Affidavit of Support, Form I-864. Again, check our visa income requirement calculator for an exact income amount you’ll need to meet.
Using Assets In Lieu of Income
If your income doesn’t match up, but have enough assets, you may be able to use them to qualify but this varies depending on if you’re a U.S. citizen, a green card holder, or a joint sponsor. For U.S. citizens, qualified assets up to at least three times your income might qualify. For example, if your income requirement is $20,000, you will need $60,000 in verifiable assets to use them in place of income. This rule is different for green card holders and joint sponsors, who require five times the assets to income. In the example above, if the sponsor is a green card holder or a joint sponsor, they would need $100,000 of assets in lieu of a $20,000 income.
Do you have equity in your house? It may qualify as an asset.
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What kinds of assets can I use?
Real Estate
If you have equity in your house or own it outright and it’s in the US, you can use it if you have a deed and or loan payoff amount along with an appraisal. If you owe money on your house, the loan balance would be deducted from the appraisal amount to determine the asset’s value.
Vehicles
You can use your vehicle if you have at least two vehicles. You cannot use your primary vehicle. To use a vehicle, you’ll need the title (of at least two, although only one will be used) and KBB value.
Cash in the Bank
If you have cash in the bank, and the account is in the USA, you can use it as an asset.
Stocks/Bonds/Retirement Accounts
Stocks, IRAs or 401k accounts, bonds and other investments that are in the USA can be used. You will need statements showing the value and ownership.
Life Insurance
If you have a life insurance policy with a cash surrender value, you may use it as an asset.
Musical Instruments/Jewelry/Miscellany
You will need receipts proving you purchased the asset, and an appraisal proving its value.
Using a Joint Sponsor
If you have a friend or family member who is willing to be held jointly responsible for the intended immigrant(s) you are sponsoring, you may use them as a joint sponsor if:
They are domiciled in the United States
They are a US citizen or lawful permanent resident
They meet 125% of the poverty guideline regardless of active duty
They meet the entire income requirement on their own (Cannot combine multiple joint sponsors to meet poverty level)
They are 18 or older
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Related Resources:
Alternatives to Meeting the Visa Income Requirement
Affidavit of Support F.A.Q.
Disclaimer: The contents of this post were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publishing. Immigration is constantly changing, and old information often becomes outdated, including procedures, timelines, prices, and more. Take note of the publish date. For archival purposes, these posts will remain published, even if new information renders them obsolete. Do not make important life decisions based on this content. No part of this post should be considered legal advice, as RapidVisa is not a law firm. This content is provided free of charge for informational purposes only. If anything herein conflicts with an official government website, the official government website shall prevail.
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What is the minimum income for affidavit support? ›
I-864P, 2024 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
| Sponsor's Household Size | 100% of HHS Poverty Guidelines* | 125% of HHS Poverty Guidelines* |
|---|
| For sponsors on active duty in the U.S. armed forces who are petitioning for their spouse or child | For all other sponsors |
| 2 | $20,440 | $25,550 |
| 3 | $25,820 | $32,275 |
| 4 | $31,200 | $39,000 |
5 more rowsMar 1, 2024
A K-3 spousal visa is an excellent option for foreign national spouses who need to travel abroad after entering the United States, as well as remain united and live in the United States while their marriage visa is being processed. As stated above, the K-3 visa is in addition to the CR1 visa, not in replacement.
What is the minimum income to sponsor an immigrant in 2024? ›
For a household of 2 (such as a U.S. citizen sponsoring a spouse, individual child, or one parent), the amount has gone from $24,650 to $25,550. For a family of 8, get ready to prove $69,500 in income or assets. For even larger families, the amount goes up by $6,725 for every additional mouth to feed.
What are the alternatives of visa? ›
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As stated previously, you must submit an IRS transcript or copy of your Federal individual income tax return for the most recent tax year. If you choose to rely on income from the three most recent tax years, you must submit an IRS transcript or copy of your Federal individual income tax return.
Who is the substitute sponsor for the Affidavit of support? ›
The substitute sponsor must be the spouse, parent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sibling, child (at least 18 years of age), son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild of the sponsored applicant, or the legal guardian of the sponsored applicant.
How much income do you need to sponsor an immigrant? ›
$22,887 a year is the most common amount of money that a person needs to be a green card sponsor. This amount of money is for someone who is not an active duty member of the military. This amount also is accurate if the sponsor is only sponsoring one person.
Can I get a fiancé visa without meeting? ›
4. Physical Meeting Requirement. Another requirement for the K1 visa is that you and your fiancé must have met in person within the last 2-years prior to filing the K1 visa paperwork. This means that you must provide evidence demonstrating that you've actually physically met each other within the last 2 years.
Current I-129F processing times are averaging between 4.5 and 19 months, with most service centers processing them within 10.5 to 16.5 months. Given these processing time differences, K-3 petitions may be up to three months faster than an I-130 petition (or much more if processed through the Nebraska Service Center).
Is it easier to get a fiancé visa or a spouse visa? ›
Citizens, the K1 Fiance Visa is still quicker and simpler for unmarried international couples seeking to get married. Marriage Visas generally take between 5-7 months from the time the I-130 Petition is filed at a USCIS Service Center to the day a Marriage Visa is issued. First, the Petition is filed with the USCIS.
What happens if you don't make enough money to sponsor an immigrant? ›
If you do not meet the financial qualifications at that time, you still must file a Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, and accept responsibility, but you and your relative also must find other individuals who meet the requirements and are willing to make this commitment by filing affidavits of support.
What is the income requirement for I-130 approval? ›
2024 Minimum Annual Income Requirements for Most Sponsors: 125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines
| Number of people in your household (including yourself and your spouse)* | For sponsors in the 48 contiguous states, D.C., and U.S. territories | For sponsors in Hawaii |
|---|
| 2 | $25,550 | $29,375 |
| 3 | $32,275 | $37,113 |
| 4 | $39,000 | $44,850 |
| 5 | $45,725 | $52,588 |
4 more rowsWhen completing Form I-864, USCIS typically asks for your adjusted gross income (AGI), not your net income. Your AGI is your total income minus specific deductions allowed by the IRS, such as contributions to retirement accounts or student loan interest payments.
What is the alternative to the F1 visa? ›
A J1 visa is issued to students who need to obtain practical training that is not available in their home country to complete their academic program. J-1 student status allows for similar employment as the F1 visa, with similar restrictions, as long as permission is given by the exchange visitor program sponsor.
How can I get visa immediately? ›
File an Expedite Request
In certain extreme circ*mstances, an applicant may be able to speed up their visa processing by filing an “expedite request” with USCIS. An expedite request is a formal request made to USCIS to accelerate the processing of an immigration application or petition.
Is K1 or k2 visa faster? ›
Application Process and Timeline for Fiancé(e) and Spousal Visa. If your main goal is to get to the U.S. as quickly as possible, then the K-1 fiancé(e) visa is likely the fastest option. But if your goal is to get an actual green card as soon as possible, then a marriage-based visa will be quicker.
What is the easiest U.S. immigrant visa? ›
Green Card Opportunities in Family-Sponsored Visa Categories
For the family-based side of immigration, the absolute fastest way to qualify is as either the spouse, unmarried child under 21 years of age, or parent of a U.S. citizen who's over age 21.
