To my surprise, one of the big mysteries to petitioners for alien relatives is the Affidavit of Support. Essentially, the Affidavit of Support is a legal contract between the petitioner for an immigrant visa applicant and the U.S. Government. The purpose of the Affidavit of Support is to make sure that the petitioner is able to provide adequate funds to provide the applicant with financial support. The Affidavit of Support is a mechanism to ensure that the immigrant will not become a public charge after entering the U.S.
How much do you have to make to qualify as a sponsor? That will depend on your household size. The sponsor must make a household income of 125% of the U.S. poverty level of their household size. You can use the chart below to help calculate the required income.
Who should be the sponsor for the immigrant? Well the person who filed an immigrant visa petition for alien relative usually must be the sponsor. The sponsor must also be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. The sponsor must have a place of residence in the United States or a territory or possession of the United States.
If the petitioner does not make enough income to qualify as a sponsor, the petitioner may find a joint sponsor. A joint sponsor must be willing to accept legal responsibility for supporting the family member with the petitioner and must meet all the same requirements as the petitioner (meaning the joint sponsor must reach the 125% income requirement alone and cannot combine incomes to meet the income requirement) . The joint sponsor does not need to be related to the immigrant alien.
