What is Form I-864A?
Form I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member, is a legally binding contract that allows a household member to combine their income and/or assets with the sponsor's to meet the financial requirements of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. Both the sponsor and the household member sign this form, making the household member jointly and severally liable for financially supporting the sponsored immigrant. This obligation continues until the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, earns 40 qualifying quarters of work, dies, or permanently departs the United States — and divorce does not end it.
What is Form I-864A used for?
The affidavit of support Form I-864A is used when a sponsor's income alone doesn't meet the minimum requirement (generally 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines). Its purposes include:
- Allowing a qualifying household member to add their income and/or assets to the sponsor's to meet the financial threshold.
- Creating a legally binding contract where the household member accepts joint responsibility for supporting the sponsored immigrant.
- Documenting the household member's employment, income, and assets for USCIS review.
How to fill out I-864A Step by Step
Follow these Form I-864A instructions:
1. Determine who completes the PDF form:
- The sponsor fills out Part 5 (Sponsor's Promise and Signature). The household member fills out Parts 1–4 and Part 6. Both must sign the form — it requires two signatures to be valid.
v2. Complete Part 1 — Basis for Filing:
- The household member selects their relationship to the sponsor: intending immigrant, spouse, parent, child, adult son/daughter, sibling, or dependent claimed on the sponsor's tax return.
- Indicate whether you have the same principal residence as the sponsor.
3. Complete Part 2 — Information About the Household Member:
- Enter the household member's full legal name, date of birth, A-number (if any), SSN, USCIS online account number (if any), country of birth, country of citizenship, and current address.
4. Complete Part 3 — Household Member's Employment:
- Enter current employment status, employer name and address, and annual income. If self-employed, provide the nature of the business.
5. Complete Part 4 — Federal Income Tax Information and Assets:
- Indicate whether you filed federal income tax returns for the most recent three years.
- Enter your adjusted gross income (AGI) for each of those three years.
- Attach a photocopy or transcript of your most recent federal income tax return.
- If assets are needed to meet the requirement, list cash, savings, investments, and real estate with their current values. Do not include assets belonging to the beneficiary.
6. Complete Part 5 — Sponsor's Promise and Signature:
- The sponsor (the person filing Form I-864) reads the obligations, prints their name, signs, and dates the form. Every Form I-864A must contain the sponsor's signature — a stamped or typewritten name is not accepted.
7. Complete Part 6 — Household Member's Promise and Signature:
- The household member carefully reads the legally binding obligations, prints their name, signs, and dates the form. This signature makes you jointly responsible for supporting the immigrant.
8. Complete Parts 7–8 (if applicable):
- Part 7: If an interpreter assisted you, they must provide their information and sign.
- Part 8: If someone else prepared the form, they must provide their information and sign.
9. Submit with Form I-864:
- Attach the completed Form I-864A to the sponsor's Form I-864. All 8 pages must be included. If more than one household member is contributing, each must complete and sign a separate Form I-864A.
Who is required to fill out Form I-864A?
Form I-864A is completed by a qualifying household member whose income and/or assets are being used to help the sponsor meet the financial requirements of Form I-864. A qualifying household member can be:
- The intending immigrant, if they live with the sponsor and can show their income will continue from a lawful source after obtaining permanent residence.
- A spouse, parent, child, adult son or daughter, or sibling of the sponsor who shares the same principal residence.
- Any other individual the sponsor has lawfully claimed as a dependent on their most recent federal income tax return — even if they don't live at the same address.
Each household member contributing income must complete a separate Form I-864A.
When is Form I-864A not required?
Form I-864A is not needed if the sponsor's income alone meets or exceeds 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (100% for active-duty military sponsors) on Form I-864.
It is also not needed if the intending immigrant has no accompanying spouse or children and the sponsor's income is sufficient on its own.
If a joint sponsor is used instead of a household member, the joint sponsor files their own Form I-864 — not Form I-864A.
When is Form I-864A due?
There is no fixed deadline for Form I-864A. It is submitted together with the sponsor's Form I-864 as part of the immigrant's green card application — either with Form I-485 (adjustment of status inside the U.S.) or through the National Visa Center (NVC) for consular processing abroad.
How to get a blank Form I-864A
To get a blank Form I-864A (PDF), you can access it through our platform. We have a USCIS-issued version pre-loaded in our editor, ready for you to fill out and download.
How to sign Form I-864A
Form I-864A requires two signatures — one from the sponsor (Part 5) and one from the household member (Part 6). Both must sign in ink with their full name. A stamped or typewritten name is not accepted. USCIS will accept a photocopied, faxed, or scanned copy of the original handwritten signature for filing purposes.
You can complete the form using PDF Guru's editor, then download and print it for both parties to sign before submitting.
Where to file Form I-864A?
I-864A form (PDF) is always filed together with the sponsor's Form I-864 — it cannot be submitted on its own. Where you send it depends on the immigrant's situation:
If the beneficiary is in the U.S. and filing Form I-485 (adjustment of status), include Form I-864A in the I-485 package mailed to the appropriate USCIS lockbox or filed online.
If the beneficiary is abroad and going through consular processing, submit Form I-864A with Form I-864 to the National Visa Center (NVC) when requested.
There is no filing fee for Form I-864A.
Other forms related to Form I-864A
Form I-864 – Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
The primary financial sponsorship form that Form I-864A supplements. The sponsor completes Form I-864 to accept financial responsibility for the immigrant, and Form I-864A is attached when a household member's income is needed to meet the requirements.
Who uses it: U.S. citizens and permanent residents sponsoring a relative for a green card.
Form I-485 – Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
The application an immigrant files to become a lawful permanent resident while already in the United States requires Form I-864 and Form I-864A (if applicable) to be submitted as part of the I-485 package and to demonstrate financial support.
Who uses it: Immigrants in the United States who are eligible to adjust their status to permanent resident.
Form I-864P – HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
Published annually by the Department of Health and Human Services, this form lists the minimum income thresholds a sponsor must meet — generally 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines based on household size. Used to determine whether the combined income on Forms I-864 and I-864A meets the requirement.
Who uses it: Sponsors and household members checking whether their combined income qualifies.
Form I-130 – Petition for Alien Relative
The initial petition that starts the family-based immigration process. Once Form I-130 is approved and the immigrant proceeds to the green card stage, Forms I-864 and I-864A are submitted as part of the financial support documentation.
Who uses it: U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents petitioning for a relative to immigrate.
Form G-28 – Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative
Filed by an attorney or accredited representative who is representing the sponsor, household member, or immigrant in the I-864A process.
Who uses it: Immigration attorneys or accredited representatives acting on behalf of any party in the case.
