Tips for Filing Form I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member
This tip sheet will help you complete Form I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member. Detailed Instructions for Filing Form I-864A (PDF, 250.14 KB) are also available. When filing Form I-864A, it is important to fill out the form completely and provide all required information with your initial filing. This will reduce processing delays and errors in communication.
Please read and follow the filing tips to ensure proper processing.
Note: All 8 pages of Form I-864A must be submitted.
Who completes this form?
The sponsor and a household member complete and sign this form. If either the sponsor or the household member is under guardianship, the guardian of that individual’s estate (financial affairs) may sign the form.
- In most cases, the sponsor must be the individual who filed the visa petition for the intending immigrant. By signing this form, the sponsor agrees to financially support the intending immigrant who is applying for either an immigrant visa or adjustment of status to become a lawful permanent resident.
- If the individual who filed the visa petition has died, a substitute sponsor may sign this form along with a household member.
- If there is a joint sponsor, the joint sponsor may sign this form along with a household member.
- By signing this form, a household member agrees to help the sponsor, substitute sponsor or joint sponsor financially support the intending immigrant because the sponsor, substitute sponsor or joint sponsor does not meet the income requirements to financially support the intending immigrant on his or her own.
- If the sponsor alone is unable to provide full financial support to the principal immigrant and his or her family members, the sponsor may include income from a household member by filing Form I-864A. The sponsor needs to submit taxes and W2’s if he or she is not using an IRS printout, or provide a reason for not filing taxes.
Submitting Evidence
The principal immigrant must submit one original Form I-864 and Form I-864A for his or her file along with supporting financial evidence of the sponsor’s and household member’s income. A Form I-864 or Form I-864A is considered original if it is signed in black ink.
The principal immigrant should submit photocopies of the completed Form I-864 and Form I-864A for each of the family members traveling with him or her. Copies of supporting financial documents are not required for the principal immigrant’s family members.
Tips on completing Form I-864A
| Section | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | The household member completes this section. |
| Part 1, Questions 6.a-7 | The household member provides his or her Place of Birth and Social Security Number, if you have one. |
| Part 2, Questions 1.a.-1.c. | The household member indicates the relationship to the sponsor (or, if appropriate, the joint sponsor or substitute sponsor). |
| Part 3, Questions 1.a.-2. And Part 4, Questions 1-3d |
The household member provides this employment information and current individual annual income. |
| In the beginning of Part 5 | The sponsor (or, if appropriate, a joint sponsor or substitute sponsor) must print their name and the number of intending immigrants being sponsored. This number should include all intending immigrants that were listed in Part 5, Questions 1.a-25 and those listed in Part 9, Additional Information (if any). |
| Part 5 | List only the intending immigrants that are being sponsored on Form I-864. |
| Part 5, Questions 31.a.-31.b. | The sponsor (or, as appropriate, a joint sponsor or substitute sponsor) must sign and date the form. The signature needs to be original (not a photocopy). |
| Part 6, Questions 6.a-6.c | The household member must print, sign and provide the date of signature in black ink. The signature needs to be original (not a photocopy). |