Poverty Guidelines for Immigrant Petitions

2007 Poverty Guidelines - For Immigrant Affidavit of Support

The Department of Health and Human Services published its annual update of the Poverty Guidelines, taking into account increases in prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index. These guidelines are used in calculating levels of income and assets that immigrant visa petitioners and joint sponsors must demonstrate in their I-864, Affidavits of Support.

Family or Household	48 Contiguous States and D.C.	Alaska	Hawaii
1	$10,210	$12,770	$11,750
2	13,690	17,120	15,750
3	17,170	21,470	19,750
4	20,650	25,820	23,750
5	24,130	30,170	27,750
6	27,610	34,520	31,750
7	31,090	38,870	35,750
8	34,570	43,220	39,750
For each additional person, add	3,480	4,350	4,000

When processing immigrant visa cases requiring an Affidavit of Support (I-864) requirement, under immigration law, the embassy consular section uses figures in the column on the right (125% of poverty guidelines) as the minimum income that a petitioner and/or a joint sponsor must demonstrate, or the column on the left (100%) for an active member of the U.S. Armed Forces sponsoring his or her spouse or children. Consular officers will consider the "totality of circumstances" (including the applicant's age, health, and education). Visa issuance can be denied if the applicant appears likely to become a public charge despite satisfying the poverty guideline requirements above.