Explaining Green Card Joint Sponsor

Introduction

The US is a land of opportunity and has always been a favored destination for immigrants and non-immigrants alike. Getting a US green card and becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident can bring you a step closer to living the American Dream. 

When many people hear about a green card, many questions come to their minds. One common question is that of a joint-sponsor. What is a green card joint sponsor, and when is it required? Would I need one in my green card application? 

You have nothing to fear. If you are planning to get a green card and have considered getting a joint sponsor or if you are planning to become a joint sponsor for an immigrant, then this blog will clear all your questions about a green card joint sponsor and help you make an informed decision. So let’s hop in!

What Is A Green-Card Joint Sponsor?

For all family immigration petitions and some employment-based immigration petitions, a sponsor is needed. The sponsor agrees to financially support you if you are in need. The reason why this is done is to make sure that you do not become a burden on the US government and that you can meet your needs without their support.

A green-card joint sponsor or a green-card co-sponsor is someone who, along with your primary sponsor, agrees to take on the legal obligation of financially supporting you if you are not able to support yourself during your stay in the US. 

When Is A Green Card Joint Sponsor Required?

To qualify as a sponsor or joint sponsor, you must meet several USCIS requirements. To be eligible, you must:

• Be a US Citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident
• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a domicile within the US
• Meet the minimum income requirements

Sometimes the “primary sponsor” is unable to meet the minimum income requirement criteria, so the help of another sponsor in addition to the primary sponsor is needed to fulfill the minimum financial requirement for your green card.

There can also be other situations when a joint sponsor may be needed. While there is not a fixed list of reasons, here are some of the most common reasons:

1. The Sponsor may not have recently updated tax filing: To become a sponsor, your tax returns should be in order. This is done so that the USCIS can verify the income and assets requirements. 
2. The Primary income of the Sponsor is not generated in the US: The USCIS only considers the income of the sponsor that is generated in the US for sponsorship. However, if your sponsor is a military personnel or a contractor of the Department of Defense then you can ask for an exception. 
3. The Sponsor has unstable or seasonal income: Consider this: a person who earns a good sum of money for half the year and then uses that amount to sustain for the rest of the year. Or a person employed for certain months and is unemployed for the rest. Would that be considered stable?
   
   The USCIS prefers sponsors who have a stable source of income that is not sporadic. 

In all of these cases, if the sponsor is not replaced or substituted, then an additional sponsor is required to be added alongside the primary sponsor for a green card. 

What Is the Minimum Financial Requirement? 

The USCIS has set the Minimum Financial Requirement for most sponsors to be 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. However, this also has certain conditions. 

Let’s take an illustration to understand what this 125% means. Suppose a person is living with their spouse in any of the 48 contiguous states (not Alaska or Hawaii) and is sponsoring their spouse for a green card. As per the Federal Poverty Guideline, the minimum annual income required is $25,550. 

However, this number can change if:

1. The sponsor is sponsoring more than one relative or is a sponsor in more than one family-based immigration petition.
2. More than two people are living in the household. 
3. The sponsor is on active military duty. 

It can often be tricky for people who are not familiar with the Federal Poverty Guidelines to calculate the minimum financial requirements. In income, the joint sponsor can include any wages, salary, alimony, income from a business, etc. that he/she generate in the US. 

Sometimes, when the income of the joint sponsor is less, then assets can also be used to make up the difference. 

However, it should be remembered that these assets must equal five times the difference between the sponsor’s income and the minimum income required. If you are still not able to meet the minimum income criteria, you can always include the income of the members of your household if they agree to it. 

How To Become A Joint Sponsor?

The procedure and requirements of becoming a joint sponsor are similar to those of a sponsor. A green card joint sponsor is nothing more than an added security/assurance for the USCIS to grant a green card to an immigrant. 

To become a joint sponsor you are required to file USCIS Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support). In family-based immigration petitions, Form I-864 is submitted with Form I-130 (Petition For Alien Relative).

How Many Joint-Sponsors Can Be Added To A Green Card Petition?

In an application for a green card made for a family unit having multiple green card petitions, then you can have 3 sponsors, i.e., one primary sponsor and two joint sponsors. 

A special tip for joint sponsors: In family unit petitions, if the two joint sponsors wish, then they can each sponsor some of the applicants and the other can sponsor the rest. In this way, each joint sponsor will be obligated to maintain only some of the applicants and not all. 

Generally, it is not required to add more than one sponsor. If in a petition for an individual green card, neither the sponsor nor the joint sponsor can meet the minimum income requirements, then it is better to substitute the sponsors rather than add another joint sponsor. 

How to Become A joint Sponsor in 2025? 

Here’s a list of steps you must follow if you want to become a joint sponsor in 2025:

1. Calculate your annual income, and the minimum financial requirement for your household, and collect all financial documents.
2. Tax and W2: Ensure that you have a regular income. USCIS prefers sponsors who have a W2 and can show a regular flow of income. 
3. Meet the Minimum Annual Income Requirement: Suppose you cannot meet the minimum income requirement. Don’t Worry! You can include the income of other members of your household by filling out USCIS Form I-864A
4. File Form I-864- Finally, when you have completed all the steps, you can fill out Form I-864. Remember to attach all necessary documents, evidence, and make sure that you do not fill in any incorrect information. The USCIS does not charge any fees to file Form I-864.

Who Can Become A Joint Sponsor?

The requirements you need to meet to become a joint sponsor are the same as those of a primary sponsor, i.e. you need to be a US Citizen/LPR, you meet the mandatory income requirement, be above the age of 18 years old, etc. 

The only difference between a joint sponsor and a primary sponsor is that a green card joint sponsor is not required to be related to the immigrant. A joint sponsor can be a friend, a distant relative, or even someone else. 

However, we suggest that if you are immigrating to the US under a family petition and require a joint sponsor, then you have a relationship with the joint sponsor to avoid any complications during the application and interview procedure. 

Before becoming a joint sponsor, you should understand your obligations and duties and must be willing to fulfill them and support the immigrant. 

What Are The Obligations Of A Joint Sponsor? 

Every joint sponsor has certain obligations that they must fulfill. Mostly, these do not come into play if the immigrant you are sponsoring is financially stable and does not need your assistance. Here’s a list of some of the most common obligations:

1. Providing Financial Support: If you are a joint sponsor, then you and the primary sponsor are equally responsible for providing financial assistance to the immigrant. Till the time your obligations have ended, you will be required to maintain the minimum income requirement as per the Federal Poverty Guidelines. So what does this mean for you? In case the size of your household increases, then your income must also increase. Also, every year the Federal Poverty Guidelines are updated and we strongly suggest that you keep a check. 
2. Reimbursing the Government: Just in case the person that you are sponsoring is unable to maintain themselves, and the government through cash assistance or through covering the cost of long-term institutional care is sustaining the immigrant, then you, along with the primary sponsor would have to reimburse the government for the charges that have been spent. 
3. Filing Tax Returns: Even though, as a general rule, regularly filing proof of income and paying taxes is a mandatory requirement, however, even in immigration law, you are required to update your tax records periodically so that the USCIS can verify that your income is meeting the minimum income requirements. 
4. Update Your Address: For the duration, your obligations are in effect, you must update your communication address with the USCIS  every time you change it so that the USCIS can contact you and send notices. 

What Would Happen If The Joint Sponsor Fails to Fulfill Their Obligation?

In a situation where the joint sponsor is unable to or refuses to fulfill his/her obligation, then the US government, the primary sponsor, and the sponsored immigrant can take appropriate action against the joint sponsor. 

1. Failure to provide financial support: Assuming you have a green card and after you enter the US, at any time you are unable to sustain yourself, you can take financial support from your sponsor, and in case the joint sponsor refuses to sustain you then you can file a suit against the joint sponsor or the primary sponsor or both. 
   
   However, the immigrant that the joint sponsor has sponsored can only file a suit for the difference in the immigrant’s income and 125% of the poverty guidelines. 
2. Failure to Reimburse the Government: If the immigrant you have sponsored has received any state, federal, or local government assistance that is a “public charge” then you will have to reimburse the government or the agency that spent that amount.
   
   Just in case you are unable to pay the amount, the agency that provided the “public benefit” to your sponsored immigrant can take legal action against you. 

When Do The Obligations of a Joint Sponsor End?

The financial obligations of a joint-sponsor end when:

1. The immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen.
2. The immigrant abandons lawful permanent residence by leaving the U.S. or surrendering their green card.
3. The immigrant’s green card is revoked by the U.S. government due to a felony conviction or other grounds, leading to deportation.
4. The immigrant is issued a new green card after being placed in deportation proceedings.
5. The immigrant dies.
6. The joint sponsor dies.

Even though the obligation of a joint sponsor comes to an end in the event of the death of the joint sponsor, however, before deciding to become a joint sponsor you should know that your estate can still be liable for any obligation that was due and not fulfilled during your lifetime.

The addition of a joint sponsor to an immigration petition can play a huge role in its acceptance. With the added security, the USCIS can grant. Except in extremely rare cases, the joint-sponsor is not even required to provide any financial support to the immigrant, and the responsibility ends without any discomfort. 

Contact us today!

The immigration process can be expensive and time-consuming, and you may not want to consult an immigration lawyer due to the fear of added costs. It’s normal for you to think that. However, if your application is denied, then any filing fee that you have submitted will not be refunded. It is advised that you contact an experienced immigration attorney before proceeding with any application!