Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Required income threshold
$36,288
Meets requirement?
Yes — meets requirement
Shortfall (if any)
$0
Surplus above threshold
$5,713
100% poverty guideline for household size
$29,030
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How to use this
- 1Enter total household size (incl. sponsored immigrant).
- 2Enter sponsor's household income (last tax year) ($).
- 3Enter active duty sponsoring own spouse/child.
- 4Read your required income threshold on the right — it updates as you type.
- 5Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
To sponsor a relative for a green card, you must file Form I-864 and prove household income at or above 125% of the federal poverty guideline for your household size (100% if you're active-duty military sponsoring your own spouse or child). Household size includes you, your dependents, anyone you're already sponsoring under a prior I-864 still in effect, and the immigrant(s) you're currently sponsoring. This calculator takes your household size and current income and tells you the exact threshold and whether you clear it, and by how much or how little you're short. If you fall short, options include adding a joint sponsor whose income independently meets the threshold, counting significant liquid assets (generally valued at 3x-5x the shortfall depending on relationship), or having the immigrant's own qualifying income counted if they're already living with you and working legally.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Total household size (incl. sponsored immigrant): 3
- Sponsor's household income (last tax year): 42000 $
- Active duty sponsoring own spouse/child: No — 125% threshold applies
Results
- Required income threshold: $36,288
- Meets requirement?: Yes — meets requirement
- Shortfall (if any): $0
- Surplus above threshold: $5,713
- 100% poverty guideline for household size: $29,030
What each field means
Inputs
- Total household size (incl. sponsored immigrant)
- The total household size (incl. sponsored immigrant) used in the calculation. Starts at 3 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 2–15.
- Sponsor's household income (last tax year) ($)
- The sponsor's household income (last tax year) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 42000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Active duty sponsoring own spouse/child
- Pick the option that matches your situation — the maths changes per option. Choices: No — 125% threshold applies, Yes — 100% threshold applies.
Results
- Required income threshold
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Meets requirement?
- Returned as a plain value. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Shortfall (if any)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Surplus above threshold
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- 100% poverty guideline for household size
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
What counts as household size?
Yourself, your spouse, dependent children, anyone else you claim as a tax dependent, any immigrants you're currently sponsoring under a still-active I-864, and the person(s) you're sponsoring now. It's easy to undercount and get a false pass, so list every dependent honestly.
What if I'm short — what are my options?
Add a joint sponsor who independently meets 125% for their own household plus your sponsored immigrant, count significant assets (cash, stocks, or net equity in property, discounted to a usable value), or include the sponsored immigrant's current lawful income if they already live with you and have work authorization.
Which poverty guideline do I use?
The guideline published annually by HHS for the contiguous 48 states, unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii, which have separate higher guidelines. USCIS updates the I-864P poverty guidelines chart each year, usually in the spring, so use the version current at the time of filing.
Does self-employment income count differently?
Yes, USCIS uses your adjusted gross income from your most recent federal tax return, not gross receipts. If your AGI is low due to business deductions, that's the number that counts against you even if your actual cash flow is higher.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Green Card Sponsorship Cost Calculator
Estimate the full cost of sponsoring a spouse, parent, or family member for a green card.
Naturalization / Citizenship Fee Calculator
Total the N-400 filing fee, biometrics, and prep costs for naturalization.
Child Support Guideline Range Calculator
Estimate a rough child support range using an income-shares style guideline.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Immigration Sponsor Income Requirement Calculator (125% FPL). Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/citizenship-income-requirement
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/citizenship-income-requirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immigration Sponsor Income Requirement Calculator (125% FPL) — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Immigration Sponsor Income Requirement Calculator (125% FPL) — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/citizenship-income-requirement) (2026).