USCIS Announces Changes to Sponsorship Form
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has unveiled changes that enable officials to request credit reports from individuals sponsoring family members for a green card. These updates were implemented with the latest edition of Form I-864, also known as the affidavit of support, starting in August.
Changes to Form I-864
The revised form now includes a privacy release, allowing USCIS to seek information from consumer agencies. However, further details on the application of this information remain undisclosed. Xiao Wang, CEO of immigration service provider Boundless, highlights that sponsors have traditionally needed to meet specific income and asset requirements. The new change could expand the criteria considered during application reviews.
Financial Requirements for Sponsors
Sponsors must already meet certain financial criteria under USCIS rules. This includes proving that household income is at least 125% above the U.S. poverty level for the household size, which accounts for the sponsor, dependents, relatives living at home, and the immigrant being sponsored. For sponsors serving in active U.S. military duty supporting a spouse or child, the threshold is lower, set at 100% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Financial capacity is typically demonstrated through documents such as a federal income tax return copy, along with supporting documents like birth certificates, passports, or green cards.
Impact of Credit Report Request
The potential implications of requesting credit reports are unclear. USCIS advises sponsors to act promptly in responding to any requests to release credit or security freezes, noting that these may prevent access to necessary information.
While minimum credit scores have not been specified, the information accessed might be used to assess sponsors’ financial sufficiency. Law firm Arce Immigration Law suggests that further guidance is needed to determine how this information will be applied.
Boundless advises families to remain cautious about assumptions until clear standards are established. Meeting traditional income and asset benchmarks provided clarity for families, but the reliance on consumer reports introduces uncertainties.
Observations on Information Usage
Brian Hunt, a counsel at Fragomen, indicates the changes require sponsors to permit USCIS access to their credit scores during sponsorship applications. Although there is speculation about using this information to compare sponsors’ credit scores with immigrant reliance on government benefits, exact usage remains unknown.