Prepare I-134 – Declaration of Financial Support

Who this page is for

This page is for people in the United States who are thinking about agreeing to financially support someone applying for certain temporary immigration benefits and who want a clearer understanding of Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support. It is also useful for beneficiaries and their families who want to see, in a structured way, what information a financial sponsor may be asked to provide. The guide summarizes the main topics on Form I-134 in a browser-friendly layout so you can organize your documents before working with the official USCIS form.

What is Form I-134?

Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, is a form used in certain cases to show that a sponsor is willing and able to financially support a beneficiary during a temporary stay in the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. consulates may look at the declaration when deciding whether the beneficiary is likely to rely on public assistance. The form focuses on the sponsor’s income, assets, household size, and relationship to the beneficiary.

Used by a supporter to demonstrate sufficient financial resources and agree to provide financial support to a beneficiary during their temporary stay in the United States.

Unlike Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, which is commonly used in many family-based immigrant visa and green card cases, Form I-134 is generally tied to certain temporary or short-term situations. It can be part of an overall effort to show that the beneficiary will have adequate financial support while in the United States. The declaration does not, by itself, grant any immigration status or guarantee approval of a visa or parole request.

On this page, you prepare for the official USCIS Form I-134 (Edition 01/20/2025) by understanding what it covers and where to find the most recent instructions. You can then download the official PDF, review it carefully, sign where required, and follow USCIS or consular directions for submitting the declaration as part of your case.

Example situations where someone may use Form I-134

Form I-134 is commonly used in a variety of situations where a person traveling or seeking a temporary benefit must show that they will have financial support. Examples include:

• A U.S. sponsor agreeing to support a friend or relative applying for a temporary visitor visa and who needs to show additional proof of financial support.
• A sponsor agreeing to support a fiancé(e) or other beneficiary in a process where a consular officer requests evidence that the person will not become dependent on public assistance during a short stay.
• A person in the United States agreeing to support a beneficiary in a specific parole or temporary humanitarian program where USCIS allows or requires the use of Form I-134.
• A sponsor providing additional proof of resources when the beneficiary’s own bank statements or assets are not enough, but the overall case still involves a temporary visit.
• Situations where a consular officer or USCIS specifically instructs a beneficiary to obtain a signed Form I-134 from a qualified sponsor to help resolve financial support questions in the case.

These examples are illustrations of how Form I-134 may be used based on general USCIS and consular guidance. They are not a substitute for legal advice or for the official instructions that explain when the form is appropriate in a specific type of case.

How to fill Form I-134

The official USCIS instructions for Form I-134 explain the exact structure of each part of the form and what evidence to attach. While this page does not display the declaration line-by-line, the outline below shows the kinds of sections you typically see on the current edition. You can use this overview to organize information before completing the official USCIS PDF or any online version of the form.

1. Information about the beneficiary. Form I-134 collects details about the person who will receive financial support, including their name, date of birth, nationality, and information about the planned stay. USCIS and consular officers use this information to match the declaration to the correct case and to understand the context of the support.
2. Information about the sponsor. The form asks the sponsor for full name, contact details, immigration status in the United States, and other biographic data. It may also ask about how the sponsor is connected to the beneficiary and whether the sponsor is willing to accept responsibility for certain necessary expenses during the temporary stay.
3. Household, income, and assets. Form I-134 typically includes sections for employment information, annual income, and a description of assets such as savings accounts or other resources. USCIS uses this information, along with household size, to compare the sponsor’s financial situation to relevant poverty guidelines and determine whether the level of support appears adequate.
4. Dependents and prior support obligations. The declaration often asks about the sponsor’s spouse, children, and other dependents, as well as any other individuals the sponsor is supporting. This helps immigration officers assess the overall demands on the sponsor’s income and resources when deciding how much weight to give the declaration of support.
5. Statement, certification, and signature. As with many USCIS forms, Form I-134 contains certification language in which the sponsor confirms that the information is complete, true, and correct. There are also sections for interpreters and preparers if someone helps complete the form. The sponsor signs and dates the declaration, and that signed form is usually submitted along with any required evidence of income and assets.

After reviewing the USCIS instructions and organizing financial evidence, you can download the official Form I-134, complete it according to the instructions, sign where required, and follow the guidance from USCIS or a consulate about how and when to submit the declaration as part of the underlying immigration or visa process.

Common mistakes on Form I-134

• Providing incomplete or inconsistent information about the sponsor’s income, employment, or assets compared to the evidence attached.
• Forgetting to sign and date the declaration in all required places, including any interpreter or preparer sections when they apply.
• Using an outdated edition of Form I-134 instead of the current version listed on the USCIS website.
• Not including supporting documents, such as bank statements or employment letters, when the instructions call for them as evidence of financial support.
• Confusing Form I-134 with Form I-864 and assuming that the same detailed rules and obligations apply in exactly the same way.
• Understating the number of people in the sponsor’s household, which can affect how financial capacity is evaluated under poverty guidelines.
• Submitting photocopies that are difficult to read or that omit key details from bank or employment records.
• Not keeping a personal copy of the completed and signed Form I-134 and all supporting documents before they are sent to USCIS or a consular post.

When Form I-134 is usually not used

Form I-134 is specific to certain temporary or limited immigration contexts. Other forms are generally used in different situations, for example:

• Many family-based immigrant visa and green card cases, which often rely on Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, instead of Form I-134.
• Employment-based immigration, where employer petitions and other forms, rather than Form I-134, are central to the case.
• Nonimmigrant categories that have their own financial support requirements and do not reference Form I-134 in the official instructions.
• Situations in which the relevant USCIS program or consular post requires a different financial support form or does not request a declaration of support at all.
• Cases where no sponsor is available and the beneficiary must rely solely on their own financial evidence or on other types of documentation specified by USCIS or the Department of State.

These examples reflect broad patterns in how USCIS and consular officers use Form I-134. They do not replace the official form instructions or individualized legal advice about whether Form I-134 is appropriate for a particular case.

Where to find the official USCIS instructions for Form I-134

USCIS publishes the official instructions for Form I-134 on its website along with the most current edition of the declaration. Those instructions explain who can be a sponsor, what evidence is appropriate, where to send the form, and how Form I-134 fits into different types of applications or parole requests. You can read them on the official USCIS Form I-134 page. This page is only a helper for understanding and organizing information and does not replace the official USCIS instructions or guidance from a qualified representative.

Before you sign and submit Form I-134, it is sensible to compare your completed declaration with the USCIS instructions to confirm that you are using the correct edition, including all required pages, and attaching the evidence that USCIS or a consular officer expects in your type of case.

Where to get a blank or replacement Form I-134

If you need a blank declaration, you can download the current official Form I-134 PDF directly from USCIS. This page points you to that official PDF so you can print, sign, and include it in a package that meets USCIS or consular requirements. Depending on the program or benefit, USCIS may also provide options for online submission, which are explained on the official form page and related program pages.

If you realize that information has changed or that an error was made after you completed a declaration, the instructions and notices from USCIS or a consular post explain how updates or corrections may be handled. Keeping a copy of your final signed I-134 and supporting documents can make it easier to understand what was submitted and to respond to any future requests for information.

Glossary of key terms on Form I-134

Sponsor

A sponsor is the individual in the United States who signs Form I-134 and agrees to provide financial support to the beneficiary during a temporary stay. The sponsor’s income, assets, and household information help USCIS or consular officers assess whether the level of support appears sufficient under current guidelines.

Beneficiary

The beneficiary is the person outside or inside the United States whose application, visa, or parole request is being supported by the Form I-134 declaration. The beneficiary’s identity, planned travel, and immigration context are linked to the sponsor’s promise of financial support in the overall case file.

Declaration of financial support

A declaration of financial support is a statement, such as Form I-134, in which a sponsor confirms their willingness and ability to help pay for a beneficiary’s necessary expenses during a temporary stay. The declaration is considered along with other evidence to evaluate whether the beneficiary is likely to become a public charge while in the United States.

Public charge

Public charge is a term in U.S. immigration law that relates to whether a person is likely to become primarily dependent on certain government support. Financial forms like Form I-134 can be used as part of the evidence when officers consider this issue under the policies in effect at the time of adjudication.

Federal Poverty Guidelines

The Federal Poverty Guidelines are income levels issued by the U.S. government that are used in many programs to measure financial need. For Form I-134, USCIS may compare the sponsor’s household income and size to these guidelines when evaluating whether the sponsor appears able to provide adequate support to the beneficiary.

Security best practices when sharing information from Form I-134

Form I-134 contains detailed financial and personal information, including income figures, bank account summaries, and identifying details about you and the beneficiary. Because of this, it is sensible to treat the declaration and all supporting evidence as sensitive documents. The general practices below may be helpful when you handle draft or final versions of your declaration.

• Store digital copies of your declaration and evidence in secure locations you control, such as password-protected folders or reputable storage services.
• Avoid sending full financial statements or completed declarations through unsecured channels when a more private method, such as a secure portal or encrypted transfer, is available.
• Keep track of which representatives, if any, receive copies of your financial records and how those records are stored or destroyed after use.
• Confirm that you are using official USCIS or Department of State websites and addresses before entering payment details or uploading documents related to Form I-134 or any connected application.

These are general security considerations. Always follow the specific directions you receive from USCIS, a U.S. embassy or consulate, or any authorized representative assisting with your case.

Common questions people also ask about Form I-134

• Is Form I-134 enough by itself to prove financial support? Form I-134 can be an important part of showing financial support, but officers usually look at the declaration together with supporting documents and other parts of the case. The strength of the evidence depends on the sponsor’s overall financial situation and the specific requirements of the program or visa category.
• Can more than one person help sponsor the same beneficiary? In some situations, more than one person may provide financial support or evidence, but USCIS and consular officers decide how to treat multiple declarations or combined resources. The official instructions and any program-specific guidance explain whether joint or multiple sponsors are practical in a given context.
• Do I need a lawyer to complete Form I-134? USCIS does not require you to hire a lawyer to complete Form I-134, but some sponsors and beneficiaries choose to consult an immigration attorney or accredited representative, especially when their overall case is complex. This page is an informational helper and is not a substitute for individualized legal advice.

FAQ about Form I-134

Important disclaimer

This site is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. It provides a private, third-party resource to help you understand and prepare for the official Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support. The information on this page is general and does not replace the official USCIS instructions or professional legal advice. Always review your completed form and follow the directions from USCIS, the Department of State, and any qualified representative assisting with your case.