Can I Sponsor an Immigrant that is a Non-Family Member? [2022] (2023)

FAQs

Can I sponsor an immigrant who is not a relative? ›

Can a U.S. citizen sponsor a non-family member for immigration? Unfortunately, no, you can't petition for a foreign national's visa or green card if they aren't a family member.

The most common minimum annual income required to sponsor a spouse or family member for a green card is $24,650. This assumes that the sponsor — the U.S. citizen or current green card holder — is not in active military duty and is sponsoring only one relative.

All sponsors must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be at least 18 years old, and be living in the United States (including territories and possessions) when they file the affidavit of support.

Risks of sponsoring an immigrant after signing an affidavit of support appear from the contractual relationship between the sponsor and the government. This contract will be enforceable in the court of law and the government may sue the sponsor for failing to provide support to the immigrant.

A US citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or U.S. green card holder can send a letter of invitation to their friend, family, or partner.

You cannot directly sponsor a friend to come to the U.S. and to gain a green card. You can only do so for family members. However, you can become a co-sponsor in your friend's immigration. For example, if your friend has a family member in the U.S.

They do not need to be related to either the sponsoring spouse or the spouse seeking a green card. A joint sponsor can be a friend or family member. They do not have to live with either spouse, but if they do, they need to fill out Form I-864A (officially called the “Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member”).

What happens if the petitioner doesn't have enough income? Petitioners who cannot meet this level have two choices: 1) find a “joint sponsor” who will agree to also financially support the visa applicant, or 2) use the income of a household member to meet the Poverty Guidelines.

How Many Years of Tax Returns Are Required? For Form I-864, the U.S government requires proof of tax filing for the most recent filing year (typically the previous calendar year). Note that the the sponsor (and co-sponsor if any) has the option to provide tax filings from the past 3 years.

For U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals, a copy of your birth certificate, passport, or Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. For lawful permanent residents, a copy of both sides of your Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card).

How long does it take to sponsor an immigrant? ›

The Foreign-Worker Sponsorship Timeline

This can take anywhere from six months to several years to complete. Obtaining approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the I-140 petition on behalf of the foreign worker.

While there are no numerical limits for sponsors, U.S. citizens and legal residents can only sponsor limited classes of close relatives. Permanent legal residents can sponsor spouses and unmarried children, including adult unmarried children, those defined as over 21.

Also, notice that the amounts are different for residents of Alaska and Hawaii. For example, in 2022, a sponsor in the U.S. mainland would need to have income (or assets) of at least $34,687 to cover a petitioner who lives alone and is sponsoring one immigrant and two children (that is, a total of four people).

No, only a U.S. citizen can sponsor a fiancé for a K-1 visa. However, a green card holder may sponsor their spouse for a marriage green card.

How much does sponsoring an immigrant cost? There are essentially no costs for sponsoring an immigrant to the U.S. Any sponsor would have to file Form I-864 which is free of charge. However, some sponsors choose to pay for the entire immigration process, which can be costly and add up anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000.

If you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and you have a friend or relative who seeks to come to the U.S. as a tourist (on a B-2 visitor visa), you might be able to help the person by providing a letter of invitation.

A U.S. citizen can sponsor the following members as a family preference relative: Unmarried sons and daughters who are over 21 years old. Married children of any age. Brothers and sisters (only if you're at least 21 years old)

While the US law permits sponsorship for the visitor visa, the applicant must prove the authenticity of the relationship with the sponsor. For family members, birth certificate or marriage certificate to show must be presented.

Can I marry my friend to get him a green card? ›

At a Glance: Marriage fraud is a federal crime. If discovered, both the U.S. citizen and immigrant will face prosecution. Depending on how involved the citizen was, they will face both fines or jail time.

The sponsor's responsibility lasts until the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, has earned 40 work quarters credited toward Social Security (a work quarter is about three months, so this means about ten years of work), dies, or permanently leaves the United States.

But financial steadiness can also be a factor, and they can also look at your bank documents to check for it. Remember, many applicants try to secure a tourist visa just for show, but once they're in their destination, they will stay longer and work there.

To become a financial sponsor, you must file an I-864, or an Affidavit of Support. In this affidavit, you promise to support the non-citizen once the non-citizen enters the U.S. To be a financial sponsor, you must: Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

All refugees arriving in the United States will receive $900 when they first arrive.

1) USCIS Form I-864A 2) Previous year's Federal Income Tax Returns 3) Proof of income (either an IRS Tax Return Transcript or IRS Form W2s) 4) Proof of their legal status in the United States (i.e. a copy of their passport, permanent resident card, or naturalization certificate).

As part of the evidence, the USCIS will review your tax returns to confirm that they were filed jointly. Similarly, if you are filing a petition to convert your two-year residence to a 10 year residence, you must again establish the bona fides of your marriage.

Responsibilities as a Sponsor

When you sign the affidavit of support, you accept legal responsibility for financially supporting the sponsored immigrant(s), generally until they become U.S. citizens or are credited with 40 quarters of work.

The most common fees for nonimmigrant work visa sponsorship are: Petition fee: $460. Application fee: $190. American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act charges: $750 to $1,500.

To sponsor an immigrant for work in the U.S., there are a number of steps required: Ensure the position qualifies as a specialty occupation. Determine the rate of pay for the position. Notify the U.S. workforce.

Can I sponsor my niece for a green card? ›

There is no direct way to sponsor U.S. green cards for one's grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and more extended relation. However, you can create a chain of relationships so that a more immediate family member can petition for them.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you may bring your fiancé(e) to the United States to marry and live here, with a nonimmigrant visa for a fiancé(e) (K-1). An I-129F fiancé(e) petition is required.

The fiancé(e) K-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. The K-1 visa permits the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. You can learn more about fiancé(e) visas on usvisas.state.gov.

Application Process and Timeline for Fiancé(e) and Spousal Visa. If your main goal is to get to the U.S. as quickly as possible, then the K-1 fiancé(e) visa is likely the fastest option. But if your goal is to get an actual green card as soon as possible, then a marriage-based visa will be quicker.

You may not be eligible to sponsor your spouse, partner if you: were sponsored by a spouse or partner and you became a permanent resident less than 5 years ago. are still financially responsible for a previous spouse or partner that you sponsored.

Misrepresentation in the Application Form

All parties involved in the sponsorship application—sponsor as well as sponsored family members—are required by law to provide accurate information in the application. Any misrepresentation, accidental or deliberate, shall result in the application being denied.

They do not need to be related to either the sponsoring spouse or the spouse seeking a green card. A joint sponsor can be a friend or family member. They do not have to live with either spouse, but if they do, they need to fill out Form I-864A (officially called the “Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member”).

You cannot directly sponsor a friend to come to the U.S. and to gain a green card. You can only do so for family members. However, you can become a co-sponsor in your friend's immigration.

This can take anywhere from six months to several years to complete. Obtaining approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the I-140 petition on behalf of the foreign worker.

How much does it cost to sponsor someone to us? ›

The minimum cost to petition a relative is $1,400-$1,900 per immigrant. Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative is the form that a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident submits to USCIS to sponsor a qualified relative for permanent residence in the United States.

The current naturalization fee for a U.S. citizenship application is $725. That total includes $640 for application processing and $85 for biometrics services, both of which are nonrefundable, regardless of whether the U.S. government approves or rejects an application.

The only difference is that the joint sponsor doesn't have to be related to the intending immigrant, while the primary sponsor does.

What happens if the petitioner doesn't have enough income? Petitioners who cannot meet this level have two choices: 1) find a “joint sponsor” who will agree to also financially support the visa applicant, or 2) use the income of a household member to meet the Poverty Guidelines.

The Cons of Sponsoring an Immigrant

The immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen. The immigrant earns 40 quarters of credited work (approximately 10 years). The immigrant dies or permanently leaves the U.S.

While you can't petition for a friend's immigrant visa or Green Card (only family members can do that), you can financially sponsor a friend's immigration petition with Form I-864, Affidavit of Support.