Minimum Income Requirements
Only the U.S. Sponsor's income is considered when determining if you meet the income requirement.
The Fiancee Visa and the Spouse Visa do not have the same income requirements. Applicants for a a Fiancee Visa will need to show that their U.S. Sponsor's income is 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Applicants for a a Spouse Visa will need to show that their U.S. Sponsor's income is 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
Required Annual Income (For Fiancee Visa)
$21,150, if 2 Persons in Family or Household
$26,650, if 3 Persons in Family or Household
$32,150, if 4 Persons in Family or Household
For each additional person add $5,500
Required Annual Income (For Spouse Visa or Green Card)
$26,437,, if 2 Persons in Family or Household
$33,312, if 3 Persons in Family or Household
$40,187, if 4 Persons in Family or Household
For each additional person add $6,875
The Financial eligibility thresholds are lower for active military, and higher for residents of Alaska or Hawaii.
How to prove your Income.
To demonstrate income, the US sponsor normally provides his or her most recent Federal Tax Return, 3 to 6 pay stubs showing 'Year to date' earnings, or a letter from the employer confirming employment, job title and what the expected annual pay is.
Cash Assets can count as an alternate to income.
In some cases a sponsor's income may be too low, but instead he or she has 'money in the bank'. In that case, Cash assets, can be used as a substitute for annual income. 'Cash' assets are assets which can be easily converted (sold) to cash. For example: stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, monies in a checking account can be used.
Other assets that can NOT be easily turned into cash such as investment properties, automobiles, land, with the EXCEPTION of equity in the HOME RESIDENCE, are not acceptable to prove eligibility.
Cash Asset Equivalents
$5 in cash assets = $1 annual income
For example, a Fiancée Visa sponsor, with NO income, and no dependents (so has a household of 2 persons) would need to have $105,750 in cash assets to qualify for a Fiancée Visa.
5 × $21,150 = $105,750
Alternatively, a combination of income and assets will work. For example, if the sponsor’s retirement income is $10,000 per year, then he should have at least $55,750 in cash assets to qualify.
$21,150 − $10,000 = $11,150 × 5 = $55,750 cash assets needed
Additional examples (Fiancée Visa – 100% guideline):
A 3-person household with no income would need $133,250 in cash assets.
5 × $26,650 = $133,250
A 4-person household with $20,000 income would need $60,750 in cash assets.
($32,150 − $20,000) × 5 = $60,750
Additional examples (Spouse Visa / Green Card – 125% guideline):
A 2-person household with no income would need $132,185 in cash assets.
5 × $26,437 = $132,185
A 4-person household with $20,000 income would need $100,935 in cash assets.
($40,187 − $20,000) × 5 = $100,935
Using a Financial Joint-sponsor
If the sponsor's income or assets are not enough to achieve the eligibility threshold, the sponsor can ask a relative or friend to act as a joint-sponsor. Just like buying a car, the second person is virtually 'co-signing' your visa application.
When a joint-sponsor is used, the size of the household increases. The combined household (for financial calculations) would include the household size of the sponsor combined with the household size of the joint-sponsor.
For example, a college student petitioning for his fiancee, asks his father to be a joint-sponsor. Both the student and father must each complete an affidavit of support. The student's household is just 2 persons, himself and his fiancee. The father's household would be father, mother, and the two siblings still living at home. Thus the combined household would be 6 persons, (2 from the student and 4 from the father) meaning an acceptable combined income to support the 6 person household would have to be at least $37,190 or more.