Form I-134: Financial Support and Required Evidence

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Contents

What Form I-134 is used for
I-134 and I-864 create different commitments
The income question depends on the immigration request
Complete the correct person’s sections
Document income and assets that can actually be used
Use the current edition, signature, and submission instructions
Financial support is one part of the decision
Sources

Key Facts

Federal level: Form I-134 documents financial resources and support for specified immigration requests; it does not replace Form I-864 when that affidavit is required.
Current form: As reviewed September 9, 2026, USCIS lists the January 20, 2025 edition of I-134.
Filing fee: The current USCIS fee schedule lists $0 for I-134 itself.
Separate declarations: A person supporting more than one beneficiary must submit a separate I-134 for each beneficiary.
Financial evidence: Resources must be sufficient and accessible for the supported stay, rather than merely appearing as a large account balance.

What Form I-134 is used for

Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, connects a proposed source of financial help to an immigration request. The form’s central question is whether the person providing support has enough resources, and access to them, to cover the beneficiary’s expenses during the relevant stay.

This is a federal immigration form, so its purpose does not change because the supporter lives in a different state. Start by identifying the actual visa, parole, extension, or change-of-status request and the instructions that call for the declaration.

The USCIS instructions allow a person to file for self-support or to support someone else in the specified circumstances. They identify certain humanitarian or significant-public-benefit parole requests and also allow use for a B, F, or M nonimmigrant requesting an extension of stay or change of status.

The Department of State may request I-134 in visa processing as well. Its guidance identifies K-1 fiancé visa applicants and, when formal financial-support documentation is needed, returning-resident and diversity visa applicants.

That range makes “only for temporary visas” an incomplete description. Follow the instructions for the particular case instead of assuming that every visitor needs this form or that every immigrant must use the same financial-support document.

I-134 and I-864 create different commitments

Form I-864 belongs to the statutory affidavit-of-support system used in covered immigration cases. That system requires an enforceable contract and gives the sponsored immigrant and qualifying benefit providers enforcement rights under the governing law.

I-134 should not be substituted when that I-864 contract is required. The separate I-864 affidavit of support guide explains the continuing sponsorship obligation.

For consular evaluation, the State Department describes I-134 as financial evidence that is not legally binding on the supporter and should not receive the same weight as I-864. It is considered with the other evidence rather than treated as a complete answer to the public-charge question.

That distinction does not make accuracy optional. The actual I-134 certification is signed under penalty of perjury, and the instructions warn that knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact or submitting a false document can lead to denial and possible criminal prosecution.

The instructions also state that beneficiaries do not have to repay or otherwise compensate their supporters in exchange for filing I-134 or providing the stated support. That point concerns the declaration and support it describes, rather than a review of any separate agreement someone may have signed.

The income question depends on the immigration request

For K-1 visa processing, the State Department’s guidance uses 100% of the federal poverty guideline for an I-134 financial supporter. Its K-1 page distinguishes that standard from the generally applicable 125% I-864 requirement at the later adjustment stage.

After the K-1 marriage, the State Department explains that the U.S. citizen spouse submits I-864 with the adjustment-of-status application. Meeting the earlier visa-stage financial standard does not eliminate that later affidavit requirement.

For humanitarian or significant-public-benefit parole, USCIS considers the poverty guidelines together with special circumstances, including the beneficiary’s care needs. The agency looks for support covering the parole period and access to funds that are held overseas.

USCIS allows evidence from multiple financial supporters in that parole process, with a separate I-134 and supporting documentation from each. A beneficiary may also document financial self-sufficiency through an I-134 and financial evidence.

A large income figure therefore needs context: who else depends on it, how long support is needed, and whether the money can actually be used. Organizing a realistic plan for housing, food, transportation, and any anticipated care can help make those questions concrete.

Complete the correct person’s sections

In the current form, Part 1 distinguishes filing for yourself from supporting another beneficiary, and all filers complete Part 2. Part 3 contains information about the other beneficiary when the filing is on that person’s behalf.

A self-supporting filer signs the beneficiary certification in Part 4, while a person supporting someone else signs Part 5. The applicable interpreter and preparer sections are separate from the financial supporter’s certification.

The financial-responsibility questions include other people who depend on the filer’s income, including people still being supported under earlier I-134 declarations and immigrants covered by continuing I-864 obligations. The instructions say not to include the beneficiary named in Part 3 in that particular list.

For annual income, the instructions use adjusted gross income from the federal return when a return was filed. They provide separate calculations when no federal return was filed, including a rule using the previous 12 months of lawful household income and a W-2-based calculation that deducts withheld income taxes.

Use the calculation that matches the filer’s situation, and explain a mismatch between the tax record and present resources with relevant evidence. An old salary figure should not be presented as proof that the same earnings are still available.

Document income and assets that can actually be used

The instructions identify a bank officer’s statement showing when the account opened, the amount deposited during the past year, and the current balance. They also identify an employer statement showing the employment’s start and nature, salary, and whether the position is temporary or permanent.

Tax evidence includes the last filed federal return or tax transcript. If no return was filed, or it does not properly reflect current income, the instructions identify alternatives such as consecutive pay statements covering at least the past month, a recent W-2, or an SSA-1099.

For assets, the instructions limit the list to resources that can be converted to cash within 12 months and will be used to support the beneficiary. Values are reported in U.S. dollars, with evidence identifying the owner, the asset, ownership, and the basis for its net cash value.

Home equity means the appraised value minus loans secured against the property. Including it requires ownership evidence, a recent appraisal by a licensed appraiser, and evidence of the secured loan amounts.

An automobile’s net value cannot be included unless the filer has more than one automobile and leaves at least one out of the asset calculation. The instructions also exclude income and assets derived from illegal activity.

These rules distinguish property ownership from usable financial support. A guest room may be part of a practical accommodation plan, but describing a room does not replace the financial evidence the applicable request requires.

Use the current edition, signature, and submission instructions

The form edition reviewed for this guide is 01/20/25. USCIS warns that missing pages or pages from different editions may lead to rejection, so check the edition printed at the bottom of every page.

USCIS accepts a photocopy, fax, or scan of an original handwritten signature under the I-134 instructions, but a typed or stamped name is not a substitute for that signature. The form does not need notarization; USCIS explains that the declaration is made under penalty of perjury.

For documents submitted to USCIS in another language, provide a full English translation with the translator’s certification of completeness, accuracy, and competence. The I-134 instructions also require the translator’s signature, printed name, signature date, and contact information.

The September 9, 2026 USCIS fee schedule lists no filing fee for I-134. That entry applies to the declaration itself, so check the fees for the underlying immigration request separately.

There is no single submission address that applies to every I-134 use. USCIS directs filers to follow the underlying application’s instructions and the beneficiary’s location, while a consular request follows the directions for that visa case.

Keep the completed declaration, the supporting records, and the submission instructions together. Before signing, compare the names, proposed stay, income figures, assets, and existing support responsibilities across the package.

Financial support is one part of the decision

Where the statutory public-charge test applies, the decision considers at least age, health, family status, assets and financial circumstances, and education and skills. I-134 does not turn that assessment into a bank-balance test alone.

Parole also remains a case-by-case discretionary decision based on urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. A persuasive financial-support package does not, by itself, establish the other grounds for parole or guarantee authorization.

The useful final question is whether the declaration, the evidence, and the actual immigration request tell the same financial story. Identify the correct form first, document resources that are genuinely available, and keep the separate requirements of the visa or parole case in view.