Form I-134 guide: Declaration of Financial Support

Wang Law Firm, LLC · David Wang, Managing Attorney · Attorney-reviewed · Updated October 2026

The official name of I-134 is Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, and it is published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (it was formerly called the Affidavit of Support and has been renamed "Declaration of Financial Support"). It is used to show that a person coming to the United States temporarily (a nonimmigrant visa applicant or parole applicant) will have enough financial support while in the United States and will not become a public charge. The supporter can be another person, or the applicant can complete it using their own funds.

I-134 is not a standalone application; it is submitted as evidence with another request — for example, when a U.S. embassy or consulate asks for it while processing a K-1 or other nonimmigrant visa, or together with an I-131 request for humanitarian parole. Its name is similar to the I-864 Affidavit of Support used in family-based immigration, but its nature, purpose and legal consequences are different, and that is the focus of this page. In addition, since 2023 certain parole programs have used the online form I-134A, whose current status is also explained below.

At a glance

Item	Details
Official name	Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support
Agency	Submitted with the request it supports: an embassy or consulate (visa applications) or USCIS (such as an I-131 parole request or an I-539 extension or change of status)
Who completes it	The supporter (the person providing financial support for the beneficiary), or the beneficiary themselves
When to submit	When the embassy or consulate requests it, or with a request that requires proof of financial means
Online filing?	I-134 is not on USCIS's list of forms available to file online; the online form is I-134A (only for specific parole programs; see below)
Fee	I-134 is submitted as evidence with another request; fees follow the request it supports and the official USCIS fee schedule
Common companion forms	DS-160, I-131, I-539, I-129F (at the later K-1 visa stage)
Official page	uscis.gov/i-134

When I-134 is used

Common uses

K-1 fiancé(e) visa: at the K-1 visa interview stage, the embassy or consulate usually asks the U.S. citizen petitioner to submit I-134 to show the beneficiary will be supported after entry. When the K-1 beneficiary enters, marries and files I-485, I-864 is submitted instead. See the I-129F guide.
Humanitarian or significant public benefit parole: when requesting parole for someone outside the United States through I-131 based on urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, the form instructions require I-134 to show the beneficiary's means of support while in the United States.
B, F or M nonimmigrants extending or changing status inside the United States: USCIS's instructions state that a supporter can submit I-134 for a person applying to extend or change to B, F or M status, to show their source of funds while in the United States.
Other nonimmigrant visas where the consulate asks for it: for example, B-1/B-2 visitor visas. Consulates do not require I-134 in every case — it is up to the consular officer — and submitting one voluntarily does not replace the applicant's own explanation of the purpose of the trip and their ties. See B-1/B-2 visas.

When I-134 should not be used

Immigration cases that require I-864 (family-based immigration, adjustment of status after K-1 entry, employment-based immigration with a relative employer, etc.) — I-134 cannot replace I-864;
F-1 student visas generally show financial ability through the proof of funds reviewed when the school issues the I-20, and I-134 is not a required document; follow the school's and consulate's requirements;
Specific parole programs that used I-134A (see below) — I-134 cannot be used in its place.

Legal basis

I-134 rests on the public charge ground of inadmissibility, Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) section 212(a)(4): a person seeking admission or a visa can be refused if they are considered likely to become a public charge. Nonimmigrant visa applicants and parole applicants must show they will have means of support while in the United States, and I-134 is one way to do so. Parole itself rests on INA section 212(d)(5)(A) and is decided by the Department of Homeland Security case by case in its discretion.

Unlike I-864, I-134 is not a support contract signed under INA section 213A that the government and the beneficiary can enforce. However, the supporter must declare that its contents are true when signing, and knowingly making false statements can lead to denial and legal liability.

I-134 vs. I-864

Item	I-134 Declaration of Financial Support	I-864 Affidavit of Support
Purpose	Temporary visits: nonimmigrant visas, parole, extension or change of status	Immigration: obtaining a green card
Legal nature	An evidentiary declaration, not a support contract under INA 213A	A legally binding contract under INA 213A
Who can sign	The supporter or the beneficiary	The petitioner who filed the I-130 (must sign), joint sponsors, household members (I-864A)
Income standard	No fixed statutory percentage; the reviewing officer weighs all the circumstances	Generally 125% of the federal poverty guidelines (100% for certain active-duty military)
Duration of obligation	Creates no long-term support obligation	Lasts until the beneficiary naturalizes, has 40 quarters of work, permanently leaves the United States or dies, etc.; divorce does not end it
Government reimbursement / beneficiary lawsuits	Generally not applicable	Government agencies can seek reimbursement for certain public benefits, and the beneficiary can sue to enforce it
Typical setting	K-1 visa interview, I-131 parole request	I-485 adjustment of status, immigrant visa (NVC / embassy or consulate)

I-134A: online supporter request (specific parole programs)

The full name of I-134A is Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support. It can only be filed online and is used for specific "supporter-driven" parole programs: the supporter first files I-134A online, and only after USCIS reviews and confirms it can the beneficiary move on to the travel authorization and parole steps. These programs include Uniting for Ukraine (U4U), the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV), and Family Reunification Parole (FRP) processes for certain countries.

As of when this page was checked (October 2026), the status we were able to confirm is:

Intake paused since January 2025: following the review of parole policies under the January 20, 2025 executive order, USCIS paused acceptance of new I-134A filings from late January 2025, including new U4U requests. We have found no official announcement that intake has resumed.
CHNV terminated: the Department of Homeland Security published a Federal Register notice on March 25, 2025 terminating the CHNV parole processes; after federal court litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the termination to take effect at the end of May 2025.
Family Reunification Parole terminated: the Department of Homeland Security published a Federal Register notice on December 15, 2025 terminating the Family Reunification Parole processes; all pending I-134As receive a "non-confirmation" notice, confirmed I-134As have their confirmation revoked, and beneficiaries who have not yet entered can no longer request travel authorization on that basis.
U4U: new U4U requests remain paused; Ukrainian parolees already in the United States seeking re-parole do so through I-131, following current USCIS instructions.

These programs changed frequently in 2025–2026 and have been the subject of litigation. Whether you can file, and how filed requests are being handled, should be checked against the latest announcements on USCIS's official pages; do not act on older online information. I-134A is not part of the regular visa process for applicants from, for example, mainland China, Taiwan or Hong Kong.

In addition, H.R. 1, enacted in July 2025, added statutory fees for parole and related matters (for parole itself, not for Form I-134); the amounts follow USCIS's current announcements.

Who can be a supporter

Usually someone with lawful status and stable income or assets in the United States who is willing to support the beneficiary during their stay, such as a U.S. citizen or green card holder; specific status requirements for supporters follow the form instructions and the requirements of the request it supports;
A beneficiary who has enough funds can complete it for themselves;
A supporter supporting more than one beneficiary must complete a separate I-134 for each beneficiary.

Filling it out, part by part

The following summarizes the form's main content; the numbering and order of the parts follow the current edition. The form is updated, so check the edition date (Edition Date) on the official page before submitting.

Basis for filing

State whether a supporter is completing it for someone else or the beneficiary is completing it for themselves.

Supporter's information (including income and assets)

Name, address, birth information, citizenship or immigration status;
Employment: employer, position, start date, annual income; if self-employed, describe the business;
Assets: savings, stocks and bonds, real estate, etc., and liabilities;
Other people the supporter currently supports financially (dependents), and any I-134 or I-864 previously submitted for others. All of these affect the assessment of the supporter's ability to provide support.

Beneficiary's information

The beneficiary's name, date of birth, nationality, relationship to the supporter and planned length of stay in the United States, plus the form of support the supporter intends to provide (cash, housing, meals, etc.) and the amount.

Statement and signature

The supporter must sign by hand; typed names or stamps are not accepted. When submitting a scan or copy, it must be a copy of the original handwritten signature;
When the beneficiary completes it, the beneficiary signs; for a child under 14 or a person who lacks capacity, a parent or legal guardian may sign;
Signing certifies under penalty of perjury that the contents are true.

Interpreter, preparer, additional information

If someone else interpreted or prepared the form, complete the corresponding sections; additional information goes on the supplemental page.

Evidence to include

Bank evidence: a letter or statement from the bank, usually showing the date the account was opened, total deposits over the past year and the current balance;
Employer evidence: a letter from the employer on company letterhead stating dates of employment, the nature of the position, salary, and whether the position is temporary or permanent;
Tax records: the most recent year's federal tax return or IRS tax transcript; if unavailable, recent pay stubs, a W-2 or Social Security income statement (SSA-1099), etc.;
Other assets: a list of bonds and stocks, proof of ownership and valuation of real estate, loan information, etc.;
Proof of status: a copy of the supporter's U.S. passport, birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization or green card, as required by the request it supports.

Income or assets from illegal activities cannot be counted. Chinese-language financial documents of the supporter or beneficiary must come with an English translation; see Translation requirements.

How to submit and fees

Consular visa applications: prepare it according to the embassy, consulate or NVC notice; it is generally presented at the interview or uploaded as required, not mailed to USCIS;
With a USCIS filing: mail it together with the I-131, I-539 or other request to the address designated for that request;
Fees: I-134 generally has no separate fee; fees for the request it supports follow the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055) or Department of State announcements. See How to check fees and processing times.

Review after submission

I-134 is reviewed together with the request it supports and is not decided on its own. If the embassy, consulate or USCIS considers the support insufficient, it may ask for more documents (for USCIS requests for evidence, see How to respond to an RFE) or refuse the visa or request on public charge grounds. Processing times follow the request it supports; for USCIS filings, check the USCIS processing times page.

Common problems and misconceptions

Using I-134 as an immigrant affidavit of support: adjustment of status and immigrant visas require I-864;
Thinking a signed I-134 "guarantees the visa": I-134 is only one piece of evidence, and a nonimmigrant visa still depends on the applicant's own circumstances, such as nonimmigrant intent for a B visa; see 214(b) visa refusals;
A supporter supporting several people but completing only one form;
Income evidence that doesn't match the tax records;
Filing I-134A based on outdated information.

Frequently asked questions

Is I-134 required for a tourist visa?

Not necessarily. B-1/B-2 applicants mainly show the purpose of their trip through their own finances and ties to their home country. If relatives or friends in the United States are covering the costs, the consular officer may request or accept I-134 as evidence, but it is not required in every case.

If I sign I-134, will I have legal obligations like those under I-864?

I-134 is not a support contract signed under INA 213A and generally does not create the kind of long-term obligation, enforceable by the government and the beneficiary, that I-864 does. But the declaration must be truthful, and false statements carry legal consequences. If you have questions about your specific obligations, consult an attorney before signing.

I-134 was used at the K-1 visa stage. Is I-864 still needed after the marriage?

Yes. When the K-1 beneficiary enters, marries and files I-485 to adjust status, the U.S. spouse must submit I-864. The two forms have different standards and obligations.

I want to sponsor relatives or friends in Ukraine or Cuba to come to the U.S. Can I file I-134A?

As of when we checked, USCIS has paused acceptance of new I-134A filings since January 2025, and the CHNV and Family Reunification Parole processes have been terminated. For any new arrangements, rely on USCIS's official pages. In individual situations, requesting humanitarian parole case by case through I-131 may be considered, but the bar is high and the outcome uncertain, and an attorney should assess it.

Does the supporter have to be a relative?

Not necessarily. I-134 focuses on whether the supporter is able and willing to provide support. However, the relationship between the supporter and the beneficiary, and the reasons for providing support, affect how credible the reviewing officer finds the declaration.