US Announces Minimum Income Needed To Sponsor Family for Green Card

• USCIS published revised federal poverty guidelines for Form I-864, setting new minimum income requirements for sponsors of family-based green card applicants
• The updated 2026 thresholds took effect on 1 March and apply to all pending and newly filed affidavits of support nationwide
• Sponsors in the 48 contiguous states must earn a minimum of $27,050 for a household of 2, with Alaska and Hawaii facing higher requirements

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released updated federal poverty guidelines governing Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support required in family-based immigration cases, establishing the minimum income a sponsor must earn to lawfully bring a relative to the United States as a permanent resident.

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The new thresholds took effect on 1 March 2026 and cover all affidavits of support that were either pending or freshly submitted from that date onwards.

2026 income requirements for sponsors

Under US immigration law, a sponsor's household income must reach at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines published annually by the Department of Health and Human Services. The precise figure depends on household size and geographic location.

For sponsors residing in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the 2026 minimums are as follows: a household of 2 requires $27,050; a household of 3 requires $34,150; a household of 4 requires $41,250; a household of 5 requires $48,350; a household of 6 requires $55,450; a household of 7 requires $62,550; and a household of 8 requires $69,650. Sponsors must add $7,100 for each additional person beyond eight.

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Hawaii carries higher benchmarks. Sponsors there must show earnings of at least $31,113 for a household of 2, rising to $39,275 for three, $47,438 for four, $55,600 for five, $63,763 for six, $71,925 for seven, and $80,088 for eight. An additional $8,163 applies for each person beyond that count. Separate thresholds for Alaska were also set above the contiguous states baseline.

Options for sponsors who fall short

Sponsors whose income does not reach the required 125% threshold are not automatically barred from proceeding. Federal rules permit a primary sponsor to bring in a joint sponsor, combine income from other household members by filing Form I-864A, or supplement earnings with qualifying personal assets to bridge the shortfall.

USCIS also used the update to remind petitioners of ongoing financial obligations. If a sponsored immigrant draws on federal or state means-tested public benefits after arriving in the United States, such as Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or Medicaid, the sponsoring individual may be required to repay those costs.

Non-cash assistance programmes and emergency services, including emergency medical treatment, school nutrition schemes, and disaster relief, are excluded from this liability rule.

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Full details of the revised guidelines are available on the official USCIS Form I-864P page.

US introduces visa restrictions targeting birth tourism

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the US government had announced a new visa restriction policy aimed at ending commercial birth tourism networks.

The policy targets foreign nationals and organised syndicates that profit from helping pregnant women travel to America to give birth.

Source: YEN.com.gh