By FormGuard
As of July 2026, the current edition of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA, is dated 10/17/24 — and USCIS can reject your entire filing if any page shows a different edition date or if pages are mixed from multiple editions.
This post tells you exactly where to find the edition date on the form, how to verify you have the right version before you mail anything, what happens when you submit a wrong edition, and which common I-864 errors are triggering rejections and RFEs in 2026. We also walk through the four I-864 family variants so you know which one applies to your case.
What is the current edition date of Form I-864?
The current Form I-864 carries the edition date 10/17/24 — that is October 17, 2024 in mm/dd/yy format. Dates on USCIS forms are listed in mm/dd/yy format, and if you complete and print the form to mail it, you must 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.
If you complete and print this 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. If any of the form's pages are missing or are from a different form edition, USCIS may reject your form. That rejection happens at intake — before adjudication even begins — meaning you'll need to refile the entire package.
The only safe source for the current edition is the official USCIS form page at uscis.gov/i-864. Third-party sites, PDF archives, and legal document services sometimes host outdated editions. Always re-download the form immediately before printing, and never use a copy that has been sitting on your desktop for months.
Where exactly do I find the edition date on the form?
The edition date is printed in the lower-left corner of every page of Form I-864. It reads "Edition [date]" in small type. The OMB control number (1615-0075) appears alongside it. If you're printing from the USCIS PDF, both items should be visible without any manual entry — they're embedded in the form's footer.
When assembling your packet, flip through every single page after printing and confirm the footer is legible. Faint ink, paper jams, or printer scaling settings (anything other than 100% / actual size) can cut off the footer. Make sure you are using the current edition of Form I-864. The most current edition is available on the USCIS website, and USCIS will reject any outdated editions of the form.
Joint sponsors are a common source of edition-date mismatches. If you have a joint sponsor, they must download and complete the form independently — don't forward them a PDF you downloaded weeks earlier. Both the primary sponsor's I-864 and the joint sponsor's I-864 must use the same current edition. If you have a joint sponsor, they must also complete Form I-864.
Which I-864 variant do I need — and what are they?
There are four forms in the I-864 family. Using the wrong one is a filing error that can cause rejection or an RFE. Here's how they differ:
| Form | Who Uses It | When Required |
|---|---|---|
| I-864 | Petitioning sponsor, joint sponsor, or substitute sponsor | Nearly all family-based green card cases; some employment-based cases where a relative is the petitioner |
| I-864A | Household member whose income the sponsor is counting | Required when the sponsor uses a household member's income to meet the 125% threshold |
| I-864EZ | Petitioning sponsor relying only on their own employment income | Simplified alternative to the full I-864; not available to joint sponsors or when assets are used |
| I-864W | Discontinued | This form was eliminated by the Public Charge Final Rule. Do not use it. |
USCIS removed references to Form I-864W, Request for Exemption for Intending Immigrant's Affidavit of Support, which was discontinued by the Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds Rule and is no longer used. If you come across references to the I-864W on older websites, ignore them.
What are the financial requirements the I-864 must demonstrate?
You must show on the affidavit that you have enough income and/or assets to maintain the intending immigrants and the rest of your household at 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (or 100 percent if you are on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or U.S. Coast Guard and sponsoring your spouse or child).
Petitioners must meet a minimum income level, called the Federal Poverty Guidelines, in order to financially sponsor a visa applicant. The Poverty Guidelines in effect on the filing date of an Affidavit of Support are used to determine whether the income requirement is met. That means the poverty guidelines that apply are the ones active on the day you file — not the ones in effect when you started preparing the packet, which matters if you've been assembling documents for several months.
If income falls short, sponsors have options. If you cannot meet the minimum income requirements using your earned income, you may add the cash value of your assets. This includes money in savings accounts, stocks, bonds, and property. To determine the amount of assets required to qualify, subtract your household income from the minimum income requirement (125% of the poverty level for your family size). You must prove the cash value of your assets is worth five times this difference. For U.S. citizen sponsors sponsoring a spouse or adult child, that multiplier drops to three times the difference.
An affidavit of support is a legally enforceable contract, and the sponsor's responsibility usually lasts until the family member or other individual either becomes a U.S. citizen, or is credited with 40 quarters of work (usually 10 years). Divorce does not terminate your obligations under Form I-864. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of sponsorship.
What does USCIS Policy Manual Vol. 8, Part G, Chapter 6 say about I-864 adjudication?
The primary policy authority governing I-864 adjudication is USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part G, Chapter 6 (8 USCIS-PM G.6), available at uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-g-chapter-6. 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 (CFR) at 8 CFR 213a.
A December 2024 technical update to the Policy Manual is particularly important for 2026 filers. This technical update incorporates changes consistent with the newest form editions of the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485) and Confirmation of Valid Offer or Request for Job Portability Under INA Section 204(j) (Form I-485 Supplement J), published on December 10, 2024. This update removes certain references to the Request for Exemption for Intending Immigrant's Affidavit of Support (Form I-864W), directs applicants how to request an exemption from the Form I-864 requirement when filing their adjustment of status application, and updates references to the newly retitled Form I-485, Supplement J. If you're working from guidance you printed before early 2025, update your reference materials.
The Policy Manual also addresses accompanying and following-to-join derivatives. If the principal applicant is required to have a Form I-864, then the following-to-join spouse or child must also have a Form I-864. Each following-to-join spouse or child requires a Form I-864, independent of the principal applicant's Form I-864, at the time of adjustment of status or consular processing.
What rejections and RFE triggers should I watch for in 2026?
Edition-date errors cause outright rejections, not RFEs — the package is returned before anyone reviews it on the merits. USCIS regularly updates its forms. Filing with an outdated form edition results in rejection (not even an RFE — just a returned filing). A rejection still costs you time, and if your I-864 signature is more than one year old by the time you refile, you'll need a fresh signature — or the whole form redone.
Beyond edition-date errors, the following are documented common rejection and RFE triggers for Form I-864 in 2026:
- Missing signature. If your affidavit is not signed, or if the signature is not valid, USCIS will reject your affidavit. As of July 10, 2026, a signature defect found at any point during adjudication can result in a denial — not just a rejection — and USCIS retains the fee.
- Pages from different editions. USCIS may reject any filing where pages don't all carry the same edition date in the footer.
- Missing I-864A. If you are using the income of other household members to qualify, then each household member who is accepting legal responsibility for supporting your relative must complete a separate Form I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member. Omitting the I-864A when household income is being counted is a common and costly error.
- Missing or insufficient tax documentation. Family-based green card applications require the sponsor to prove they meet income requirements. Sponsors must document income and assets on Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, and failure to include the right supporting documents is a frequent RFE trigger. Incomplete tax returns, missing pay stubs, or misunderstanding the public charge rule can all create problems.
- Joint sponsor income combined incorrectly. A joint sponsor must independently meet the 125% threshold. The joint sponsor must demonstrate income or assets that independently meet the requirements to support the sponsored immigrant(s). It is not sufficient for the combination of incomes of the primary sponsor, sponsored immigrant and joint sponsor to meet the threshold.
- Sponsor signature more than one year old. Form I-864 must be submitted within one year of the sponsor's signature. If submitted after a year, a new I-864 form will be required.
The stakes in 2026 are higher than in prior years. A defective I-864 can cause an I-485 denial, and under the 2025 NTA guidance, denials now more frequently lead to immigration court — especially for applicants with past overstays. Getting the edition date and the packet structure right from the start is not a formality — it's case protection.
About FormGuard: 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.
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
Where do I find the edition date on Form I-864 and what does it look like?
The edition date appears in the lower-left corner of every page of Form I-864, printed in small type in mm/dd/yy format alongside the OMB control number 1615-0075. As of July 2026, the current edition date is 10/17/24. After printing, flip through all pages to confirm the footer is fully legible — printer scaling settings or low ink can cut it off. If even one page shows a different date or is missing the footer, reprint that page from the freshly downloaded USCIS PDF before assembling the packet.
What happens if I file the I-864 with an outdated edition date?
USCIS will reject your filing at intake — the package is returned to you without being processed, which is distinct from a denial but still causes significant delay. Filing with an outdated form edition results in rejection, not an RFE, meaning you don't get a chance to fix it while the case is pending. Once rejected, you must refile the entire packet. If the sponsor's signature on the original I-864 is then more than one year old by the time you refile, USCIS requires a new signature — and potentially a fully re-completed form. Always download Form I-864 directly from uscis.gov/i-864 immediately before printing.
Do all pages of the I-864 packet need to show the same edition date?
Yes. USCIS states explicitly that if any of the form's pages are missing or are from a different form edition, it may reject the form. This becomes a real problem when sponsors print some pages on one date, lose a page, and reprint from a different downloaded copy weeks later — or when a joint sponsor uses a PDF emailed by the primary sponsor rather than downloading fresh from USCIS. Every page of every I-864 and I-864A in the packet must carry the same current edition date. The simplest safeguard is to download the form, print the entire form in one session at 100% scale, and staple it immediately.
My income is borderline — can I add assets or use a joint sponsor, and how do those affect the I-864?
Yes, both options are available. If your income falls short of 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size, you can supplement with assets: bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and real property all count, but the total cash value of those assets must equal at least five times the gap between your income and the required threshold (three times for a U.S. citizen sponsor sponsoring a spouse or adult child). Alternatively, a joint sponsor can file a completely separate I-864 — but the joint sponsor must independently meet the 125% threshold on their own income and household size; you cannot combine the primary sponsor's and joint sponsor's incomes to reach the minimum. Mixing up a joint sponsor and a household member using Form I-864A is one of the most documented RFE triggers, so confirm which structure applies to your situation before filing.