How much money is required to sponsor somebody for U.S. immigration?

 

The U.S. immigration system allocates about 480,000 visa numbers for family-based immigration every year. The number seems high, but it is hardly enough to meet the need for family unification. To sponsor a family member to come to the United States, one must also provide proof of financial support and execute a document called Affidavit of Support (Form I-864). This document is an agreement between the sponsor and the U.S. government certifying that the sponsor agrees to provide financial support for the immigrant beneficiaries and also that the sponsor has sufficient resources to do so.

So, how much money is required to sponsor somebody for U.S. immigration? Every year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishes the poverty guidelines for mainland America and also Alaska and Hawaii. For U.S. immigration purposes, the sponsor's household income must generally be at or above 125% of the U.S. poverty line for their particular household size.

For example, as shown by the 2023 guidelines below, for a household size of 3, the sponsor's annual income must be at least US$31,075 in most states and U.S. territories except Alaska and Hawaii, which have higher income requirements. The household size includes the total number of immigrants being sponsored and also the sponsor and his/her dependents.

Size of Household	48 Contiguous States,D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands,Guam & CNMI	Alaska	Hawaii
125% of Poverty Line (U.S. dollars)
2	24,650	30,800	28,350
3	31,075	38,838	35,738
4	37,500	46,875	43,125
5	43,925	54,913	50,513
6	50,350	62,950	57,900
7	56,775	70.988	65,288
8	63,200	79,025	72,675
	Add $6,425 for each additional person	Add $8,038 for each additional person	Add $7,387 for each additional person

Normally, the petitioner must act as the sponsor in the I-864 form.  If the petitioner's income level is insufficient, a joint sponsor may provide additional financial support.  Both the petitioner and beneficiary may also use their assets such as real estate, stocks, bonds, cash, etc., to meet the I-864 requirements. 

The financial sponsor must be either a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Another lesser-known requirement is that the sponsor must be domiciled in the United States. It basically means that the sponsor must regard the United States as his or her permanent home.  

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)