Washington, DC, September 3, 2026: The U.S. government can now obtain credit reports and credit scores of people who financially sponsor certain immigrants for permanent residency, under a newly revised affidavit of support that took effect Aug. 31.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published a new edition of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act, on Aug. 31. The new form, dated Aug. 24, 2026, includes a privacy release authorizing USCIS to request information about a sponsor from one or more consumer reporting agencies.
The change could affect U.S. citizens and permanent residents who act as financial sponsors for relatives seeking green cards, as well as joint sponsors in cases where the petitioning relative does not have sufficient income.
By signing an affidavit of support, a sponsor makes a legally enforceable commitment to financially support the intending immigrant. Form I-864 is required in most family-based immigration cases and some employment-based cases.
Under the revised form, sponsors authorize USCIS to obtain or verify information from consumer reporting agencies, including credit reports and credit scores, to help determine whether the affidavit of support is sufficient.
However, the change does not establish a minimum credit score that a sponsor must have.
USCIS has not announced a particular credit-score threshold, nor has it said that poor credit, high credit-card debt, missed payments, collections or a previous bankruptcy will automatically disqualify someone from sponsoring an immigrant.
It also remains unclear how heavily credit information will factor into USCIS decisions or under what circumstances the agency will request a sponsor’s consumer report.
The change adds another potential source of financial information for immigration authorities, but it does not replace the longstanding income requirements for sponsors.
Generally, a sponsor must demonstrate household income of at least 125% of the applicable Federal Poverty Guidelines. Certain active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces sponsoring a spouse or child may qualify at 100% of the poverty guideline.
Sponsors typically demonstrate their financial ability through federal income tax information and evidence of current income. Assets, qualifying household income or a joint sponsor may also be used in certain circumstances.
What happens if your credit is frozen?
USCIS has specifically addressed sponsors who have placed a credit or security freeze on their consumer reports, a common precaution used to prevent identity theft.
The agency warns that a freeze could prevent it from obtaining information it needs to determine whether Form I-864 is sufficient.
“If you have a credit or security freeze on your consumer or credit report file, we may not be able to access the information we need to assess the sufficiency of your Form I-864,” USCIS says in its guidance.
USCIS advises sponsors to respond promptly if they receive a request to release the freeze in order to avoid delays. The agency’s guidance does not say that all sponsors must proactively lift their credit freezes before submitting the form.
No grace period for old form
The rollout also comes with an important procedural change for anyone currently preparing a green card application.
USCIS said there is no grace period for using the previous version of Form I-864.
For forms postmarked or electronically submitted on or after Aug. 31, USCIS will accept only the new 08/24/26 edition. The agency will not accept or process the previous 10/17/24 edition for filings made on or after that date.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association has raised concerns about the immediate implementation. AILA said it requested a grace period and is considering litigation over the rollout.
For immigrants and their sponsors, however, perhaps the biggest unanswered question is how USCIS intends to use the newly available credit information.
The revised form gives the agency access to information that goes beyond the tax returns, income and assets traditionally associated with the affidavit of support. But USCIS has so far provided no published formula explaining how a credit report or credit score will be weighed when determining whether a sponsor has sufficient financial resources.
For now, a low credit score should therefore not be interpreted as an automatic bar to sponsoring a green card applicant. The existing income requirements remain in place, while credit information becomes an additional financial tool USCIS can use when evaluating the sponsor.
