To qualify as a household member, such relatives must have either been claimed as a dependent on the joint sponsor's most recent individual federal income tax return or lived with them for the past 6 months. The joint sponsor may also include any adult they claimed as a dependent but did not live with them.
1 - Review the I-864EZ instructions to find out if the Affidavit of Support short form applies; if no, 3 - If the above don't apply, you probably will need to prepare the I-864, and possibly I-864A. We prefer that you complete the form(s) online.
The sponsor does not have to prove the relationship to you (if you are the one being sponsored) but would have to give information of the spouse that was part of the joint filing including the US citizenship or legal residency. The marriage certificate would prove the relationship to the sponsor.
Proper documentation, such as most recent federal tax returns, birth certificates, and proof of residence must be submitted to USCIS to prove the relationship and shared residence.
To sponsor your family member, submit a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form I-130. Each person you sponsor needs a separate Form I-130. You can submit the form online or by mail.
Joint sponsor needs to provide the following documents: Proof of US citizenship or permanent resident status. Federal tax return or IRS tax transcript for the most recent year. All W-2 and/or 1099 form(s) for the most recent year.
Who May Be Considered a Household Member for Purposes of Form I-864A? 4. Any other individual whom the sponsor has lawfully claimed as a dependent on the sponsor's most recent Federal income tax return even if that person does not live at the same residence as the sponsor.
Your friend, as a non-family member, cannot directly sponsor you to live in the U.S. Only a family member or spouse who is an American citizen or green card holder can serve as your primary sponsor for immigration purposes. However, your friend can offer financial support to you as a joint financial sponsor.
A Joint Sponsor is someone who can, separate and apart from the Petitioner's Household, sponsor an immigrant without the involvement of the petitioner. A Household Member is a part of the sponsor. This might be clearer: Joint Sponsor = I-864.