Do my parents count if they live with me?

Only if you claimed them as dependents on your most recent tax return. Sharing a home is not enough on its own.

Do I count a child who has turned 21?

Not simply for being your child. Only if you claimed them as a dependent on your taxes, or if they are one of the immigrants you are sponsoring.

What if someone I sponsored became a citizen?

Then your obligation ended and that person no longer counts in your household.

Do people who sign Form I-864A count in my household?

Yes. A household member contributing income via Form I-864A is already inside the count, usually as a spouse or dependent.

I-864 Household Size Calculator

I-864 household size calculator

Check who belongs in your household and get the number that goes in Part 5 of Form I-864, with a breakdown you can justify.

Check who belongs in your householdI have a spouseCounts if they live with you or depend on you financially.Unmarried children under 21Other dependents on my tax returnParents, siblings or others you claimed as dependents.People I am sponsoring in this petitionPeople with a still-active I-864 I signedThe obligation does not end with the green card or with divorce: it lasts until citizenship, 40 qualifying work quarters, permanent departure or death.

Your household size is 2

Where that number comes from

You (the sponsor)1
Immigrants in this petition1

This number goes in Part 5 of Form I-864.

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Why this number matters so much

Household size determines how much you must earn. One extra person can add several thousand dollars to the required income. It is the single most common source of error on Form I-864, and getting it wrong can mean a denial or a request for evidence that delays the case by months.

Who counts

The I-864 household is not "whoever lives in my house." It is a specific list:

You. The sponsor always counts themselves.
Your spouse, if they live with you or depend on you financially.
Your unmarried children under 21.
Anyone you claimed as a dependent on your most recent federal tax return.
The relative or relatives you are sponsoring now in this petition.
Anyone with an I-864 you signed that is still in force.

The rule most people miss

That last line catches people off guard. If you signed an I-864 for someone years ago and that obligation has not ended, that person still counts in your household — even if you never see them, even if they live in another state, even if you are no longer in contact.

The I-864 obligation does not end when the person gets their green card. It ends when they become a U.S. citizen, earn 40 qualifying work quarters, permanently leave the country, or die. Divorce does not end it. If you sponsored an ex-spouse and none of those happened, they still count.

Do not double-count

If your spouse is also the person you are sponsoring, they count once, not twice. Same for a child under 21 who is the beneficiary of the petition. This calculator is built so you cannot double up.

The minimum is always two

Even if you live alone, the smallest possible I-864 household is two people: you and the immigrant you sponsor. There is no single-person threshold in the I-864P table, which is why it starts at row 2.

Frequently asked questions

Do my parents count if they live with me?: Only if you claimed them as dependents on your most recent tax return. Sharing a home is not enough on its own.
Do I count a child who has turned 21?: Not simply for being your child. Only if you claimed them as a dependent on your taxes, or if they are one of the immigrants you are sponsoring.
What if someone I sponsored became a citizen?: Then your obligation ended and that person no longer counts in your household.
Do people who sign Form I-864A count in my household?: Yes. A household member contributing income via Form I-864A is already inside the count, usually as a spouse or dependent.