Form I-864 now lets USCIS request a sponsor’s credit report

Form I-864 is the Affidavit of Support, the financial promise a sponsor signs so a relative can get a green card. The current edition carries a paragraph worth reading before you sign: permission for the government to pull your credit report.

USCIS, the federal immigration agency, published the 08/24/26 edition on August 31, 2026, and it is the only edition the agency has accepted since October 1, 2026.

The new language is short, and it raises real questions. Below is what the text says, what it leaves out, and what you can do about it.

What Form I-864 is and who signs it

Think of it as proof that the immigrant will have financial backing. USCIS says most family-based immigrants and some employment-based immigrants use it.

The sponsor signs it, not the immigrant. When needed, a joint sponsor can step in, and that person signs a separate I-864.

Signing creates a contract with the U.S. government. The form itself spells this out on pages 8 and 9. You agree to keep the immigrant at an income of at least 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

There is a second consequence. If the immigrant receives certain means-tested public benefits, the agency that paid them can ask you for reimbursement. If you do not pay, that agency can sue you.

The form also warns that divorce does not end these obligations, and it suggests speaking with an attorney if anything is unclear.

What changed in the 2026 edition

USCIS flags one addition in its alert: a privacy release that lets the agency request information from consumer reporting agencies. Those are the companies that compile credit reports.

The change reaches beyond the I-864. The same release appears in Form I-864A, the contract signed by a household member who contributes income. It also appears in Form I-864EZ, another version of the affidavit.

The change is being challenged. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) sued USCIS on September 3, 2026, and as of October 22 we are not aware of any court ruling.

In the meantime, check the edition date at the bottom of every page. USCIS asks that all pages come from the same edition and says it may reject a form if they do not.

What a sponsor authorizes by signing

So what do you agree to on page 10? Three things, all in the declaration directly above your signature.

First, the request. You authorize USCIS and the Department of State to obtain information from those agencies, “including credit reports and scores.” The form ties that request to deciding whether your I-864 is sufficient.

Second, disclosure to the immigrant. You agree that the information may be shared with the person you are sponsoring, so they can respond to anything unfavorable in it.

Third, how long it lasts. The authorization stays in effect until the earliest of these events:

The government approves the application for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status, which is the green card process handled inside the United States.
The government refuses the application and the one-year period to overcome the refusal runs out. The form ties that period to a consular regulation, 22 CFR 42.81(e). While an application is pending administrative processing, the authorization stays valid.
Your own properly submitted request to withdraw the I-864 takes effect.

The text adds that a new authorization may be required if you sponsor other people later.

Read that full page before signing, and ask about anything you do not understand.

What the form does not require

We read the form and its official instructions in full, both in the 08/24/26 edition. Here is what is not in them:

They do not ask you to attach a credit report. The evidence they request is still tax and income evidence, starting with your most recent federal tax return.
They do not mention a minimum credit score.
They do not explain how USCIS weighs credit information or what effect a troubled report has.

That third point matters. The form and its instructions say USCIS may look at your credit, not how the agency uses it.

So be wary of anyone who quotes you a “safe” number, and put your effort into what the form does ask for.

Form I-864 credit authorization: what the sponsor authorizes and what the form does not require

What to do if your credit is frozen

A credit freeze or security freeze restricts third-party access to your credit file.

USCIS raises this in three places, including a note under the signature line. With a freeze in place, the agency may not be able to reach the information it needs to assess your I-864. To avoid delays, USCIS asks sponsors to respond quickly to any request to lift a freeze.

The form does not tell you to lift a freeze before filing. A sensible approach is to find out whether you have one and keep the details handy in case USCIS asks.

How the I-864 connects to public charge

The affidavit exists because of one ground of inadmissibility: being likely to become a public charge, meaning someone who depends on the government to get by. By signing, you agree that the government may count your income and assets as available to the immigrant.

That analysis changed this year. USCIS guidance issued August 18, 2026 applies to adjustment applications filed on or after September 18, 2026. The same guidance notes that officers may consider Form I-864.

We cover that in our complete guide to the public charge rule and in a separate piece on which benefits count for public charge.

If the case is going through a consulate, read about the immigrant visa appointment pause as well. If the route is still undecided, compare adjustment of status or consular processing.

How to prepare before you sign

A few steps lower the risk of delay:

Download the form from the USCIS page and confirm that it reads “Edition 08/24/26” at the bottom.
Read pages 8 through 10 in full. They hold the contract, the credit authorization, and the freeze note.
Find out whether you have an active freeze and how to lift it.
Gather the tax evidence the instructions list.
Talk with your relative. Your credit information may end up in their hands.
If a household member or joint sponsor will sign, tell them their form carries the same authorization.

If the case is already running late, review the common reasons behind green card delays. Every case is different, and a sponsor with doubts about their credit history does well to raise them before signing.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to attach my credit report?

No. Neither the form nor its instructions, 08/24/26 edition, ask for one. You sign an authorization that lets USCIS and the Department of State request it themselves.

Will bad credit get my relative’s case denied?

Neither the form nor its instructions say. The form authorizes the request in connection with reviewing your I-864 and sets no minimum score, and the instructions do not explain how that information is weighed. The affidavit of support regulations (8 CFR 213a) do not mention credit reports either. The obligation the form describes is measured in income: 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

The USCIS Policy Manual does not mention credit reports. It does say that when an officer weighs a sufficient I-864 in the public charge analysis, the officer may consider the sponsor’s financial history, “including a history of bankruptcy or failure to meet his or her financial responsibilities.” It does not say how much weight that carries. If your credit history worries you, raise it with an attorney before you sign.

What happens if my credit is frozen?

USCIS warns that it may not be able to reach the information it needs to assess your I-864. It asks you to respond quickly to any request to lift the freeze, to avoid delays.

Does this affect me as a joint sponsor?

Yes. A joint sponsor signs a separate I-864, which includes the credit authorization. A household member who contributes income signs Form I-864A, and that form includes it too.

Can I withdraw a Form I-864 I already signed?

The regulation allows it in writing and within a time limit. In an adjustment of status case, the written withdrawal must be submitted to the immigration officer or immigration judge before the decision on the application. In a consular case, it goes to the Department of State officer before the visa is issued. Once the visa is issued, the regulation allows it only if the person who filed the petition withdraws it in writing and notifies the consular officer who issued the visa. Keep in mind that without an I-864, your relative may not become a permanent resident. Speak with an attorney before taking that step.

Know what you are signing

Sponsoring a relative was already a serious commitment, and it is understandable if a credit check adds to the worry. The 08/24/26 edition does not ask you for a report or a score. It asks for permission to request them.

At Law Group International, attorneys Khalid Shekib and Daniela Lucena work with families in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland on their green card cases. Going through the I-864 carefully before anyone signs is time well spent.

Ready to prepare your case with an experienced immigration team?

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Khalid Shekib & Daniela Lucena · Law Group International

Offices in Alexandria, VA

(571) 503-7786 WhatsApp

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Law Group International. Immigration law changes often and every case is different, so speak with an immigration attorney about your own situation.

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