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Instructions For Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of The INA
Instructions For Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of The INA
Form I-864EZ, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA, is a shorter version of Form I-864, Affidavit of
Support Under Section 213A of the INA, designed for cases that meet certain criteria. Form I-864 or Form I-864EZ is
legally required for many family-based immigrants to show that the intending immigrant has adequate means of financial
support and is unlikely to become a public charge.
You may use Form I-864EZ if ALL the following conditions apply:
1. You are the person who filed or is filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for a relative being sponsored;
2. The relative you are sponsoring is the only person listed on Form I-130; and
3. The income you are using to qualify is based entirely on your salary or pension and is shown on one or more Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-2s provided by your employers or former employers.
Do not use Form I-864EZ if any of the following conditions apply. Instead, you must complete and submit Form I-864.
1. The relative you are sponsoring is not the only person immigrating based upon the underlying visa petition;
2. You filed or are filing Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, for the immigrant you are sponsoring;
3. You are a joint sponsor; or
4. You are a substitute sponsor filing because the original Form I-130 petitioner is deceased.
This affidavit is a contract between a sponsor and the U.S. Government. The person completing and signing this affidavit
is the sponsor. By signing Form I-864EZ, you are agreeing to use your income and resources to support the intending
immigrant named in this affidavit, if it becomes necessary. You must show on this affidavit that you have enough income
to ensure that the sponsored immigrant will not have to rely on means-tested public benefits for support in the United
States.
In most cases, the submission of this affidavit will make the sponsored immigrant ineligible for Federal, state, or local
means-tested public benefits, because an agency that provides means-tested public benefits will consider your income and
resources available to the sponsored immigrant in determining eligibility for the program.
If the immigrant sponsored in this affidavit does receive a Federal, state, or local means-tested public benefit, the agency
providing the benefit may require you to repay the cost of those benefits. That agency can sue you if you do not repay the
cost of the benefits provided.
General Instructions
USCIS provides forms free of charge through the USCIS Web site. In order to view, print, or fill out our forms, you
should use the latest version of Adobe Reader, which you can download for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader/. If you
do not have Internet access, you may call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 and ask that
we mail a form to you. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833.
Signature. Each affidavit must be properly signed and filed. For all signatures on this affidavit, USCIS will not accept a
stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature. If you are under 14 years of age, your parent or legal guardian may
sign the affidavit on your behalf. A legal guardian may also sign for a mentally incompetent person.
If you are under guardianship, your legal guardian may print your name and sign Form I-864 for you. Legal guardian
includes any person who is appointed and authorized by law to protect your estate as a result of your incapacity. The
legal guardian must present proof of the appointment as legal guardian of your estate and a copy of an order from the
appointing court or agency specifically permitting the guardian to make your income and assets available for the support
of the sponsored immigrant.
Evidence. At the time of filing, you must submit all evidence and supporting documentation listed in the Specific
Instructions section of these Instructions.
Copies. You may submit legible photocopies of documents requested, unless the instructions specifically state that you
must submit an original document. USCIS may request an original document at the time of filing or at any time during
processing of an application, petition, or request. If you submit original documents when not required, the documents
may remain a part of the record, and USCIS will not automatically return them to you.
Translations. If you submit a document with information in a foreign language, you must also submit a full English
translation. The translator must sign a certification that the English language translation is complete and accurate, and that
he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
Specific Instructions
Form I-864EZ is divided into nine parts. The information below will help you fill out the affidavit.
Part 1. Qualifying to Use Form I-864EZ
You may use Form I-864EZ if the statements in Item Numbers 1.a. - 1.c. are all true. If you do not select Yes for all
three boxes, you do NOT qualify to use Form I-864 EZ and therefore must use Form I-864. Submission of the incorrect
affidavit will delay processing.
Item Number l.a. Select Yes if you are the petitioner who is filing or who has already filed Form I-130, Petition for
Alien Relative; Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fianc(e); Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate
Relative; or Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition.
Item Number l.b. Select Yes if you are using only your own earned or retirement income that you can document with
an IRS Form W-2. If you are self-employed, you must select No to the question and you cannot use Form I-864EZ.
Item Number l.c. The term immigrating with in this statement means on the same visa petition. Thus, if the person
you are sponsoring is an immediate relative (spouse, child, or certain parents of U.S. citizens), you can automatically
select Yes for this box because every immediate relative has his or her own visa petition. If the person you are
sponsoring is a family-based preference immigrant, and the family members listed on the same visa petition are
immigrating with or within six months of the sponsored immigrant, you must select No for this box, and you cannot use
Form I-864EZ.
Part 2. Information About the Immigrant You Are Sponsoring (Intending Immigrant)
Item Numbers 1.a. - 1.c. Name of Immigrant. Provide the full name of the immigrant you are sponsoring.
Item Numbers 2.a. - 2.i. Mailing Address. Provide the mailing address of the immigrant you are sponsoring.
Item Number 3. Daytime Telephone Number. Provide the daytime telephone number of the immigrant you are
sponsoring.
Item Number 4. Date of Birth. Provide the date of birth of the immigrant you are sponsoring in mm/dd/yyyy format.
Item Number 5. Alien Registration Number (A-Number) (if any). Provide the A-Number (if any) of the immigrant
you are sponsoring. An A-Number is an Alien Registration Number assigned by the former Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) or USCIS. If the intending immigrants you are sponsoring have not previously been in the
United States or have only been in the United States as tourists, they probably do not have A-Numbers. Persons with
A-Numbers can locate the number on their INS or USCIS-issued documentation.
Item Number 6. USCIS ELIS Account Number (if any). If the immigrant you are sponsoring has previously filed
an application, petition, or request using the USCIS Electronic Immigration System (USCIS ELIS), provide the USCIS
ELIS Account Number he or she was issued by the system. The USCIS ELIS Account Number is not the same as an
A-Number. If he or she was issued a USCIS ELIS Account Number, enter it in the space provided.
Item Number 7. U.S. Social Security Number (if any). Provide the U.S. Social Security Number (if any) of the
immigrant you are sponsoring.
Part 8. Contact Information, Statement, Certification, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Affidavit, If
Other Than the Sponsor
Item Numbers 1.a. - 8.b. This section must contain the signature of the person who completed your affidavit, if other
than you, the sponsor. If the same individual acted as both your interpreter and preparer, that person should complete
both Part 7. and Part 8. If the person who completed this affidavit is associated with a business or organization, that
person should complete the business or organization name and address information. Anyone who helped you prepare this
affidavit MUST sign and date the affidavit. A stamped or typewritten name in place of a signature is not acceptable. If
the person who helped you prepare your affidavit is an attorney or accredited representative, he or she must also submit a
completed Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, along with your affidavit,
if his or her representation extends beyond preparation of this contract.
We recommend that you print or save a copy of your completed contract to review in the future and for
your records.
You must submit all evidence requested in these instructions with your affidavit. If you fail to submit required evidence,
USCIS or the Department of State may reject or deny your affidavit for failure to submit requested evidence or supporting
documents in accordance with 8 CFR 103.2(b)(1) and these Instructions.
There is no filing fee for Form I-864EZ with USCIS. For information on processing fees when filing with the Department
of State, see www.travel.state.gov.
Where to File?
Please see the USCIS Web site at www.uscis.gov/l-864EZ or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at
1-800-375-5283 for the most current information about where to file this affidavit. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call:
1-800-767-1833. For information on filing with the Department of State, see www.travel.state.gov.
Address Change
If you have changed your address, you must inform USCIS of your new address within 30 days of the change. To do this
you must complete and file Form I-865, Sponsors Change of Address. For information on filing Form I-865, go to the
USCIS Web site at www.uscis.gov/I-865 or contact the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. For TTY
(deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833.
NOTE: Do not complete Form I-865 at the same time that you complete Form I-864W. You should complete and submit
Form I-865 to USCIS only when the address you indicated on the original Form I-864W has changed.
If you are a lawful permanent resident sponsor, you must notify USCIS of your new address within 10 days of moving
from your previous residence. For information on filing a change of address go to the USCIS Web site at
www.uscis.gov/addresschange or contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. For TTY
(deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833. For information on reporting a change of address to the Department of
State, see www.travel.state.gov.
NOTE: Do not submit a change of address request to USCIS Lockbox facilities because these facilities do not process
change of address requests.
Initial Processing. Once USCIS or the Department of State accepts your affidavit we will check it for completeness. If
you do not completely fill out this affidavit, you will not establish a basis for your eligibility and USCIS or the Department
of State may reject or deny your affidavit.
Requests for More Information. We may request that you provide more information or evidence to support your
affidavit. We may also request that you provide the originals of any copies you submit. USCIS will return any requested
originals when they are no longer needed.
Requests for Interview. We may request that you appear at a USCIS office for an interview based on your affidavit.
At the time of any interview or other appearance at a USCIS office, we may require that you provide your fingerprints,
photograph, and/or signature to verify your identity and/or update background and security checks.
Decision. The decision on Form I-864EZ involves a determination of whether you have established eligibility for the
immigration benefit you are seeking. USCIS will notify you of the decision in writing.
To ensure you are using the latest version of this affidavit, visit the USCIS Web site at www.uscis.gov where you can
obtain the latest USCIS forms and immigration-related information. If you do not have internet access, you may order
USCIS forms by calling our toll-free number at 1-800-870-3676. You may also obtain forms and information by calling
the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. For TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-
1833.
Instead of waiting in line for assistance at your local USCIS office, you can now schedule an appointment through our
online system, InfoPass, at infopass.uscis.gov. Use the InfoPass appointment scheduler and follow the screen prompts
to set up your appointment. InfoPass generates an electronic appointment notice that appears on the screen. If filing with
the Department of State, see www.travel.state.gov.
Penalties
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material fact or submit a false document with your Form I-864EZ, we
will deny your Form I-864EZ and may deny any other immigration benefit. In addition, you will face severe penalties
provided by law and may be subject to criminal prosecution.
The Government may pursue verification of any information provided on or in support of this affidavit, including
employment, income, financial or other institutions, the IRS, or the Social Security Administration. If you include in this
Form I-864EZ any information that you know to be false, you may be liable for criminal prosecution under the laws of the
United States.
If you fail to give notice of your change of address, as required by 8 U.S.C. 1183a(d) and 8 CFR 213a.3, you may be liable
for the civil penalty established by 8 U.S.C. 1183a(d)(2). The amount of the civil penalty will depend on whether you
failed to give this notice because you were aware that the sponsored immigrant received Federal, state, or local means-
tested public benefits.
If the failure to report your change of address occurs with knowledge that the sponsored immigrant received means-tested
public benefits (other than benefits described in section 401(b), 403(c),(2), or 4ll(b) of the Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which are summarized in the contract in Part 6., such failure may result in
a fine of not less than $2,000 or more than $5,000. Otherwise, the failure to report your change of address may result in a
fine not less than $250 or more than $2,000.
AUTHORITIES: The information requested on this affidavit, and the associated evidence, is contained in 8 U.S.C.
1182a(4), 1183a, 1184(a), and 1258.
PURPOSE: The primary purpose for providing the requested information on this affidavit is to determine if you have
established eligibility for the immigration benefit for which you are filing. DHS will use the information you provide to
grant or deny the immigration benefit you are seeking.
DISCLOSURE: The information you provide is voluntary. However, failure to provide the requested information, and
any requested evidence, may delay a final decision in your case or result in denial of your affidavit.
ROUTINE USES: DHS may share the information you provide on this affidavit with other Federal, state, local,
and foreign government agencies and authorized organizations. DHS follows approved routine uses described in the
associated published system of records notices [DHS-USCIS-007- Benefits Information System and DHS-USCIS-001-
Alien File, Index, and National File Tracking System of Records] which you can find at www.dhs.gov/privacy]. DHS
may also make the information available, as appropriate, for law enforcement purposes or in the interest of national
security.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a collection
of information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated at 2 hours and 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
gathering the required documentation and information, completing the affidavit, preparing statements, attaching necessary
documentation, and submitting the affidavit. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 20 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140;
OMB No. 1615-0075. Do not mail your completed Form I-864EZ to this address.