Prepare Your USCIS Form I-134Affidavit of Support Application

An Affidavit of Support is a legal contract that allows a U.S. citizen to sponsor an immigrant family member or employee. The U.S. citizen sponsor pledges financial support by filling out the appropriate form, which is then filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by the sponsored immigrant.

Some immigrants seeking a visa or adjustment of status will need to file an Affidavit of Support using Form I-864. If you aren't required to submit this application, but you’re inadmissible because you lack the means to support yourself, you might still qualify using the Affidavit of Support Form I-134 instead.

Several pairs of hands clasped together. The support of a sponsor can help your immigration dreams become a reality. If you aren’t financially independent, you may still get a green card or visa using Form I-134, Affidavit of Support.

Do You Need Affidavit of Support Form I-134?

Immigrants who come to the United States on a visa or a green card need adequate financial resources to cover their living expenses. This helps ensure that they can get by independent of welfare or other government aid.

The law requires some immigrants to submit Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, either before or along with their other immigration paperwork. For example, green card applicants will typically need to file Form I-864 if they are:

• Applying under one of the family-based preference categories
• Applying as an employment-based immigrant if their visa petition was filed by a relative or a company primarily owned by a relative

You will not need to file Form I-864 if you can demonstrate that you:

• Have already worked 40 qualifying quarters, which is the equivalency of 10 years, in the United States
• Already qualify for automatic citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act

However, even if you are exempt from filing form I-864 for your visa or green card, you may still need a financial sponsor using form I-134.

Affidavit of Support Sponsor Requirements

A sponsor must meet specific requirements for the Affidavit of Support to be valid. For example, the USCIS will ask for proof of:

• A stable financial situation, including information about their bank accounts, assets, and employment
• An income that is at least 100% of the amounts listed in the Federal Poverty Guidelines according to their family size and state of residence
• The assurance of continued employment for the foreseeable future
• A willingness to use their financial resources to support the immigrant named on the affidavit

A sponsor’s responsibility is only terminated after the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen through naturalization, gains credit for 40 quarters of employment, or returns to their home country. In addition, if an individual is sponsoring their spouse, their financial responsibility cannot be terminated by divorce.

Can an Affidavit of Support Help a U.S. Visitor Visa Applicant?

Yes, an Affidavit of Support can also be used to help visa applicants. A person applying for a U.S. visitor visa will have to demonstrate that they can afford the trip. If they cannot prove financial independence, they will need to file an Affidavit of Support from a qualified sponsor.

This document shows that the sponsor is capable of and willing to provide financial assistance to the immigrant if necessary while in the United States.

Fees to File Affidavit of Support

Unlike many other USCIS applications, the U.S. government does not charge a filing fee for Form I-134.

If you file using FileRight.com, we charge an application package preparation fee of $95 for your Affidavit of Support. However, we're so confident in our system that we offer a full money-back guarantee. If USCIS denies your I-134 application, we’ll refund our fee.

You must file a signed Affidavit of Support application promptly because of the time-sensitive nature of the sponsor’s financial documents. If your affidavit expires and you need to begin the process again, you may be responsible for another $95 application preparation fee.

How FileRight Helps You Apply for an Affidavit of Support

FileRight will walk you through each application question, providing helpful explanations along the way. We also have a bilingual (English and Spanish) customer support team to answer your questions about our services and your USCIS petition.

Our software checks your application for errors and provides you with customized filing instructions. In addition, we make it easy for you to know where to send your application and what documents to include with it.

Click the "Start My Application" button above to begin our I-134 Application for Affidavit of Support Qualification Quiz. There, you can answer a few simple questions to find out whether this is the correct application for your situation.