How the minimum income is calculated
Sponsoring a relative means signing Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support. It is a contract with the U.S. government: you agree to financially support the person you sponsor. For USCIS to accept it, your annual household income must reach 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size.
The percentage never changes. The dollar amount does — it rises each year, and it depends on how many people count in your household. Those two variables cause almost every mistake.
A worked example
You live in Arizona, you are a U.S. citizen, and you want to sponsor your spouse. No children, no other dependents. Your household is two people. Under the current table, 125% for a household of two is $27,050 per year. Earning $30,000 clears it. Earning $25,000 leaves you $2,050 short.
Who counts in your household
This is the most common error. Household size is not simply who lives under your roof. It includes: you, your spouse, your unmarried children under 21, anyone you claimed as a dependent on your most recent tax return, the relative you are sponsoring now, and anyone you previously signed an I-864 for whose obligation is still in force.
That last one catches people off guard. If you sponsored someone years ago and that obligation has not ended, they still count toward your household today.
Three exceptions that change the answer
Active-duty military. If you are on active duty in the U.S. armed forces and you are sponsoring your spouse or child, the threshold drops to 100% instead of 125%. It is the only exception of its kind in the table.
Alaska and Hawaii. Both have their own tables, higher than the 48 contiguous states. What matters is where the sponsor lives, not the immigrant.
If you fall short. The case is not over. You can use assets to cover the gap, or bring in a joint sponsor who meets the requirement on their own. These are separate paths with separate rules.
About these figures
The amounts come from the I-864P table published by USCIS, effective March 1, 2026. USCIS updates it once a year. If you find a page showing different numbers, check its date — outdated tables circulate widely and are often presented as current.