Affidavit of support is a legal contract between someone who is applying for the adjustment of status, and your sponsor. This contract is necessary to be provided with your application to the USCIS. It ascertains that you have adequate means to support you financially and would not become a public charge.
Affidavit of support for family
There are different affidavits of support documents for different types of application. One type is that required to be provided by you for immediate family members or close relations. If you are bringing your brothers and sisters, parents, fiancée and spouses, then you must accept the responsibility of financially supporting them until they become legal US residents or green card holders. For accepting the responsibility you have to sign the affidavit of support Form I-864. This form is for immigrant applicants of adjustment of status. The family members that you are sponsoring also include the orphans you are adopting from other countries. The preferences for family members are as follows:
- Unmarried of age children, daughters and sons, of a legal resident of United States. Of age means above twenty one years old.
- Second preference is given to the spouses of the permanent residents of United States. And the children without age limit.
- Third preference is given to the married children and their minor children of US permanent resident.
- Fourth preference is given to the brothers and sisters of the US permanent residents.
This affidavit of support contract lasts till your sponsored person has obtained the legal residency or has the credit or forty quarters of work. You can also provide the employment based support to your family members by filing USCIS Form I-140. If you have a significant interest in a business that is five percent or more then it will file the employment based immigrant petition for your family member.
Affidavit of support for other people
To provide affidavit of support to people other than family, you have to use other forms like USCIS Form I-134. The people who have been approved as self petitioning widows or battered children or spouses by the USCIS are exempt from the affidavit of support requirement. They will have to use other forms.
The requirements for the affidavit of support provider
There are certain requirements you have to fulfill to become a sponsor for someone. These are as follows:
- First of all you must be 18 years old or more.
- You must be a legal resident or green card holder.
- You must have a property and domicile in United States.
There are certain income requirements as well, such as:
Your household income should be 125 percent of the US poverty level of your household size. This means that if you have eight family members including you and the one you are sponsoring, your income should also be enough to support all members. You can add your savings and money accounts and other properties in your income. You may also count the assets of the relatives who are living with you and who you are sponsoring.