A person seeking to immigrate to the United States must show, among other things, that they are financially capable. Immigration has its own ways to measure financial capacity, one of which is through an I-864 affidavit.


What is I-864?

An I-864 is an affidavit of support that comes with many family-based green card applications or family-based consular processing of immigrant visa applications. The affidavit will contain details about the petitioner’s income and tax information. This helps immigration determine financial capacity.

If the petitioner does not make enough money, there are steps that they can take to pave the way for the success of their application, namely submitting proof of assets or getting a joint sponsor.


Which One Should You Do?

Two options are available for petitioners to show financial capacity. Which one is the best course of action would depend on their personal preferences. The key question to ask is how much time, effort, and resources they are willing to spend to prove financial capacity.

Getting a joint sponsor is easier than showing proof of assets to immigration. The latter requires that the petitioner shows the value of their assets, as well as their ownership of the same. For example, to show proof of a car, they would have to submit a writeup of the car’s value, obtained from the car dealership. Proof of purchase of the car is also a requirement, as well as any pending auto loans with banks or lenders.

There is a lot of paperwork involved in showing proof of assets. An easier and faster route would be to get a joint sponsor, as long as the sponsor is a willing U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.


Who Should Be a Joint Sponsor?

Any U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident related to the petitioner, in general, can become a joint sponsor. However, it’s ideal that they meet the following criteria:

  • Has a regular job
  • Gets a W-2 every year
  • Single or married
  • Income is $40,000 or higher and is reflected on their tax returns and pay stubs.

A sponsor that meets all of these criteria can be a good joint sponsor and help make the process easier and much faster.