I-864P 2026: The Poverty Guidelines Chart for the Affidavit of Support
If you are sponsoring a relative for a green card, Form I-864 asks one question above all others: does your household income reach the line in Form I-864P? This page gives you the 2026 numbers, explains which column applies to you, and shows how to count your household so you read the right row.
The short version: for most sponsors in Pennsylvania and the rest of the continental United States, the 2026 minimum is $27,050 for a household of two, $34,150 for three, and $41,250 for four. Those figures are 125% of the federal poverty guidelines and have been in effect since March 1, 2026. Sponsors on active duty in the U.S. armed forces who are petitioning for a spouse or child need only 100%.
The 2026 I-864P Chart (48 States, D.C. and U.S. Territories)
This table applies in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and every state except Alaska and Hawaii. It also applies in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
| Sponsor's household size | 125%: most sponsors | 100%: active-duty military sponsoring a spouse or child |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $27,050 | $21,640 |
| 3 | $34,150 | $27,320 |
| 4 | $41,250 | $33,000 |
| 5 | $48,350 | $38,680 |
| 6 | $55,450 | $44,360 |
| 7 | $62,550 | $50,040 |
| 8 | $69,650 | $55,720 |
| Each additional person | add $7,100 | add $5,680 |
Source: USCIS, Form I-864P, 2026 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support, effective March 1, 2026.
Alaska and Hawaii
Sponsors who live in Alaska or Hawaii use higher figures.
| Household size | Alaska 125% | Alaska 100% | Hawaii 125% | Hawaii 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $33,813 | $27,050 | $31,113 | $24,890 |
| 3 | $42,688 | $34,150 | $39,275 | $31,420 |
| 4 | $51,563 | $41,250 | $47,438 | $37,950 |
| 5 | $60,438 | $48,350 | $55,600 | $44,480 |
| 6 | $69,313 | $55,450 | $63,763 | $51,010 |
| 7 | $78,188 | $62,550 | $71,925 | $57,540 |
| 8 | $87,063 | $69,650 | $80,088 | $64,070 |
| Each additional person | add $8,875 | add $7,100 | add $8,163 | add $6,530 |
Which Column Applies to You: 125% or 100%
The law sets the standard. A sponsor must show "the means to maintain an annual income equal to at least 125 percent of the Federal poverty line" (INA § 213A(f)(1)(E)). The one exception is a sponsor who is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, other than active duty for training, and is petitioning for a spouse or child. That sponsor needs only 100% (INA § 213A(f)(3)).
Joint sponsors are measured against the same 125% line for their own households. The 100% column is only for the active-duty sponsor's own petition for a spouse or child.
How to Count Your Household Size
Most mistakes on the I-864 happen here, not in the income math. The regulation, 8 C.F.R. § 213a.1, says your household includes:
- You, the sponsor.
- Your spouse.
- Your unmarried children under 21. A child who is already an adult under your state's law (18 in Pennsylvania) counts only if you claimed them as a dependent on your most recent federal tax return.
- Anyone else you claimed as a dependent on your most recent federal tax return, even if they do not live with you.
- Every immigrant you sponsored before whose affidavit of support is still in force.
- Every immigrant on this affidavit, even if they will not live with you.
You may also add relatives who live with you and whose income you want to count. They must sign Form I-864A. Adding them raises the household size by one, so their income has to more than cover the higher line.
A common example: a U.S. citizen married to a foreign spouse, with no children and no prior sponsorships, is a household of two. The 2026 minimum is $27,050. If the couple has one U.S. citizen child, the household is three and the minimum is $34,150.
There is one exception that helps. If the immigrant's spouse or child is already a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you do not count that spouse or child unless they are your dependent. A spouse or child of the immigrant who lives abroad and will not immigrate within six months may also be left out.
Which Year's Chart Applies
The Department of Health and Human Services publishes new poverty guidelines each January. Under 8 C.F.R. § 213a.1, USCIS and U.S. consulates "will begin to use updated guidelines on the first day of the second month after the date the guidelines are published in the Federal Register." That is why the 2026 chart took effect on March 1, 2026, not January 1.
The regulation also looks at the sponsor's expected income for the year the green card or immigrant visa application was filed, measured against the guidelines in effect when that application was filed (8 C.F.R. § 213a.2(c)(2)). If your case was filed in early 2026 and is decided after March 1, ask your lawyer which chart your file is being measured against before you decide you need a joint sponsor.
If Your Income Falls Short
You have three main options, and many families combine them:
- Count a household member's income. A relative who lives with you can sign Form I-864A and add their income to yours.
- Use assets. Savings, property and other assets can make up the gap. For the spouse of a U.S. citizen, or a child who is 18 or older, net assets must equal at least three times the shortfall. For most other relatives, it is five times.
- Add a joint sponsor. A U.S. citizen or permanent resident who meets the 125% line for their own household can sign a separate I-864. See our guide to joint sponsors in 2026.
For the full income rules, including which tax years count and how self-employment income is treated, read our guide to I-864 income requirements in 2026. If you are filing now, note that USCIS accepts only the 08/24/26 edition of Form I-864, which adds a credit report authorization. We explain it in our post on the new I-864 credit report rule.
What This Means for Lehigh Valley Families
A household of two needs $27,050, about $13 an hour for full-time work. Many sponsors in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton clear that easily on paper. Problems come from the details: a tax return that does not match the household size, a child claimed by the other parent, an older affidavit that is still in force, or a joint sponsor who counted their own household wrong. These are the issues that produce a Request for Evidence or a consular refusal under section 221(g). They are much easier to fix before filing than after.
How Lehigh Valley Immigration Law Can Help
We review the affidavit of support package before it is filed: household size, tax transcripts, joint sponsor documents and asset calculations. We work in English and Spanish. Call (484) 763-4984 or contact us online for a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the I-864P minimum income for a household of 2 in 2026?
$27,050 for most sponsors in the 48 contiguous states, D.C. and the U.S. territories. Active-duty military sponsors petitioning for a spouse or child need $21,640. In Alaska the figure is $33,813, and in Hawaii it is $31,113.
When did the 2026 poverty guidelines take effect for the I-864?
March 1, 2026. USCIS and consulates begin using new guidelines on the first day of the second month after HHS publishes them in the Federal Register.
Do I count the immigrant I am sponsoring in my household size?
Yes. Every immigrant on the affidavit counts, along with you, your spouse, your children, your tax dependents and anyone you sponsored before whose affidavit is still in force.
Does a joint sponsor use the same chart?
Yes. A joint sponsor must reach 125% of the poverty guidelines for their own household, which includes the immigrants they are sponsoring.
Can assets replace income on the I-864?
They can make up a shortfall. For the spouse of a U.S. citizen, or a child who is 18 or older, net assets must equal at least three times the gap between household income and the 125% line. For most other relatives, it is five times.