By FormGuard
Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, carries no USCIS filing fee of its own — but the package it travels with does, and the rules around fee waivers for that package are stricter in 2026 than they were a year ago.
This guide covers what sponsors and immigrants actually pay when submitting the I-864, when the $120 NVC fee applies versus when nothing is owed, who qualifies for a fee waiver on the accompanying I-485, and the three specific criteria USCIS uses to grant one. It also walks through the current form edition date, common rejection triggers, and a decision tree for choosing the right filing path.
1. The I-864 Has No Filing Fee — But Its Package Does
There is no separate filing fee for Form I-864 itself. The form is submitted with the I-485 or NVC packet, both of which carry their own fees. This is one of the most frequently misunderstood points in family-based immigration: sponsors sometimes hold off submitting the I-864 waiting to write a check that will never be requested for the affidavit alone.
The I-864 isn't filed by itself. It accompanies the immigrant's underlying petition or AOS application — typically Form I-485 (for adjustment of status inside the U.S.) or the National Visa Center packet (for consular processing abroad). That distinction determines whether you owe anything for the affidavit at all.
If the immigrant's case is handled through an overseas U.S. consulate, the National Visa Center charges $120 to process the Form I-864. That amount covers an entire family immigrating together, including any supplementary Form I-864A signed by household members. So for a family of four processing abroad, the NVC fee is still $120 total — not per person.
2. Fees Tied to the I-864 Package in 2026
The real fee exposure for most families comes from the application that rides alongside the I-864, not the affidavit itself. For 2026, the I-485 filing fee is $1,440 for adults. Children under 14 applying with a parent pay a reduced fee — always confirm the current fee schedule at uscis.gov/g-1055 before submitting, since USCIS updates it periodically.
Each application, petition, or request must be accompanied by the correct fee unless you are exempt or eligible for a fee waiver. If the fee is incorrect, your application will be rejected. A rejection — not a denial — means your case is sent back unfiled, your priority date is lost, and you must refile. Getting the fee exactly right is not optional.
The table below summarizes the fee landscape depending on how the immigrant's case is processed:
| Filing Route | I-864 Fee | Fee Owed To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjustment of Status (I-485, inside U.S.) | $0 | N/A | I-864 fee subsumed in I-485 fee ($1,440 adults, 2026) |
| Consular Processing (NVC/CEAC, outside U.S.) | $120 | National Visa Center | Flat fee covers whole family immigrating together |
| I-864A (Household Member Contract) | $0 | N/A | Filed with I-864; no separate fee |
3. Fee Waivers in 2026: The Three Qualifying Criteria
General fee waivers are available for eligible forms for requestors who demonstrate an inability to pay. Conditional fee waivers are available for eligible forms for requestors who demonstrate an inability to pay and meet certain conditions. The governing policy is USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part B, Chapter 4, Fee Waivers and Fee Exemptions.
A person demonstrates an inability to pay by establishing at least one of the following criteria: (i) receipt of a means-tested benefit as defined in § 106.1(f)(3) at the time of filing; (ii) household income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines at the time of filing; or (iii) extreme financial hardship due to extraordinary expenses or other circumstances that render the individual unable to pay the fee.
If you are requesting a fee waiver with Form I-912, you may mail in a paper version of Form I-912 with the form you are requesting a fee waiver for. For certain eligible forms, you may upload your completed PDF of Form I-912 using your USCIS online account. Note that for most forms, you cannot request a fee waiver when filing online — a paper submission is typically required.
There is one critical wrinkle introduced in 2025 that carries into 2026: on July 4, 2025, the president signed H.R.-1, Pub. L. 119-21. The law created additional fees for certain immigration forms, and these fees cannot be waived or reduced. However, you may still request a waiver of the separate DHS regulatory fee. In practice, that means a filer may receive a fee waiver on the USCIS filing fee component while still owing the mandatory statutory fee.
4. What "Fee Waiver" Does and Does Not Cover
If someone filed a Form I-864 for you, that person may still be responsible for supporting you. However, USCIS will consider that person's income or assets in deciding whether you are eligible for a fee waiver only if that person is currently a member of your household. This catches sponsors off guard: a non-resident petitioner's income does not automatically count against the immigrant's fee waiver claim.
The receipt of public benefits does not negatively affect the review of the fee waiver request. That's an important protection. An immigrant who has received public assistance is not automatically disqualified from requesting a fee waiver on that basis alone.
A fee waiver means that USCIS requires a fee for a form but waives the requirement for an individual due to their inability to pay. If you request a fee waiver and show you are eligible, you will not need to pay the filing fee. However, if USCIS finds that you are not eligible, it may reject your fee waiver request and underlying application or petition. There is no appeal of a denied fee waiver request under 8 CFR 106, so accuracy and documentation on Form I-912 matter enormously.
5. The I-864's Current Edition Date and Why It Matters
The current edition of Form I-864 is dated 03/13/26. Starting June 1, 2026, USCIS accepts only the 03/13/26 edition. Until that date, the 03/09/23 edition was also accepted. Since today is June 30, 2026, only the 03/13/26 edition is now valid. If you complete and print the form to mail it, make sure that the form edition date and page numbers are visible at the bottom of all pages and that all pages are from the same form edition. Mixing pages from different editions is a common and easily avoidable rejection trigger.
The I-864 is governed by USCIS Policy Manual Volume 8, Part G, Chapter 6 — the chapter specifically addressing the Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA. The law concerning the affidavit of support is found in Sections 212(a)(4) and 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The provisions are codified in Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations at 8 CFR 213a. Always pull the form directly from uscis.gov to ensure you have the edition bearing the 03/13/26 date at the bottom of every page.
6. Common Rejection Triggers (Decision Tree)
The I-864 is not approved or denied independently — USCIS or the NVC reviews Form I-864 as part of the overall green card process, which can take eight to ten months or more after the underlying petition is approved. The form must meet all requirements before the green card case can move forward. A problem with the I-864 stalls the entire case.
The decision tree below helps sponsors identify which filing path applies and flag key risk points before submitting:
Beyond the fee and edition-date issues, don't forget to sign your form — USCIS will reject any unsigned form. Unsigned affidavits are among the most avoidable grounds for rejection. Failure to provide the required tax return or evidence that filing wasn't required will delay action on the relative's application for permanent residence. If this information is not provided, this will result in denial of an immigrant visa or adjustment of status.
Divorce does not terminate your obligations under Form I-864. Sponsors who sign under the assumption that a future breakup frees them from the contract are mistaken — the sponsor's financial responsibility usually lasts until the applicant either becomes a U.S. citizen, or can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work (usually 10 years) under the Social Security Act.
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Check your USCIS form for filing errors
We help immigrants and sponsors check USCIS forms for filing errors before submission. We publish guides on USCIS forms, edition dates, RFEs, and processing times, updated as USCIS policy changes.
Get started →Frequently asked questions
Does Form I-864 have its own USCIS filing fee in 2026?
No. Form I-864 carries no standalone USCIS filing fee. When filed with an I-485 (adjustment of status inside the U.S.), the I-864 is included at no additional charge beyond the I-485 fee itself, which is $1,440 for adults in 2026. When the case is processed through the National Visa Center for consular processing abroad, NVC charges a flat $120 fee to process the affidavit of support packet — and that $120 covers the entire immigrating family, not each individual. Always confirm the current fee at uscis.gov/g-1055 before submitting, since USCIS updates its fee schedule periodically.
Can the immigrant — not the sponsor — request a fee waiver for the I-485 that includes the I-864?
Yes, the immigrant is the applicant on the I-485 and is the party who may file Form I-912 to request a fee waiver on that application. Under USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part B, Chapter 4, eligibility requires demonstrating at least one of three criteria: current receipt of a means-tested public benefit, household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or extreme financial hardship. Importantly, USCIS will only count a sponsor's income against the immigrant's fee waiver claim if that sponsor currently lives in the same household. Receipt of public benefits alone does not disqualify the immigrant from requesting a fee waiver.
What happens if I submit the wrong edition of Form I-864?
As of June 1, 2026, USCIS accepts only the edition dated 03/13/26. Submitting an older edition — such as the previously accepted 03/09/23 version — after that cutoff will result in rejection of the affidavit. A rejection means the entire application package is returned unfiled; you don't lose the case permanently, but you lose time and potentially your priority date position. To avoid this, always download Form I-864 directly from uscis.gov immediately before filing, check that the edition date "03/13/26" appears at the bottom of every page, and make sure all pages are from the same edition — mixing pages from different editions is also a rejection trigger.
Are there any mandatory fees related to the I-864 package that cannot be waived at all?
Yes. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.-1, Pub. L. 119-21), signed on July 4, 2025, created additional mandatory fees for certain immigration benefit requests. USCIS cannot waive these statutory fees under any circumstances, even if a filer is otherwise approved for a general fee waiver on the separate USCIS regulatory filing fee. In practice, this means a filer can submit Form I-912 to waive the USCIS-set component of a fee while still owing the H.R.-1 statutory fee separately. Submitting a fee waiver request without the required H.R.-1 payment will result in rejection. Check the current USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055, edition 05/29/26) to identify which fees fall under this category for your specific form.