As of August 31, 2026, the new Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, requires sponsors to authorize USCIS to pull their credit reports. There is no published minimum credit score, and bad credit does not automatically disqualify you. But your credit history is now part of the picture, and sponsors should understand what that means before they file.
What Changed on August 31, 2026
USCIS published a new edition of Form I-864 (dated 08/24/26) on August 31, 2026. The old edition (10/17/24) is no longer accepted. There was no grace period. If you file the old form today, your Affidavit of Support will be rejected.
The most significant change is a new privacy release in the sponsor’s signature section. By signing the new form, you authorize USCIS and the Department of State to request information about you from consumer reporting agencies. In plain terms, you are giving them permission to pull your credit report.
What the Credit Authorization Actually Says
The authorization is in Part 8 of the new form. It states that USCIS and the Department of State may request consumer report information, including credit reports and credit scores, from one or more consumer reporting agencies for the purpose of evaluating the sufficiency of the Affidavit of Support.
The form also notes that if you have a credit freeze or security freeze on your consumer report, USCIS may be unable to obtain information necessary to assess your I-864. That language is notable because it implies USCIS considers this information important to the evaluation.
Is There a Minimum Credit Score
No. USCIS has not published a minimum credit score requirement. It has not said that a score of 650, 700, or any other number is required to serve as a sponsor.
It has also not said that a low credit score automatically disqualifies you. The credit report is one data point in what appears to be a broader financial evaluation, similar to how a lender looks at more than just your score when deciding whether to approve a loan.
That said, USCIS has not published detailed guidance on exactly how credit information will be used. This is new territory, and the agency is clearly giving itself room to use the information on a case-by-case basis.
What USCIS Might Look For
Factors That Could Raise Questions
USCIS has not released a list, but credit professionals generally flag these as indicators of financial instability: accounts in collections, a recent bankruptcy, consistently high credit utilization, multiple delinquent accounts, and judgments or liens.
None of these necessarily mean your I-864 will be rejected. But if your credit report shows significant financial distress and your income is at or near the minimum threshold, the combination may prompt additional scrutiny.
Factors That Probably Help
A clean payment history, low debt relative to income, accounts in good standing, and the absence of collections or judgments all paint a picture of someone who manages money responsibly. That picture supports the core purpose of the I-864, which is to show you can support the immigrant at 125% of the federal poverty guidelines.
What Happens If You Have a Credit Freeze
The form warns that a credit freeze may prevent USCIS from obtaining information it needs. USCIS has not said this will result in automatic denial, but it has implied it could delay or complicate the evaluation.
If you have a freeze in place, you have two options. You can lift the freeze before filing, or you can wait to see if USCIS contacts you about it. Given that the form language suggests the information is important, lifting the freeze before filing is the lower-risk choice.
What Sponsors Should Do Before Filing
Pull your own credit reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) before you file. You can do this for free at annualcreditreport.com. Review them for errors, accounts in collections you may have forgotten about, and anything that looks incorrect.
If there are errors, dispute them now. If there are legitimate debts in collections, you do not necessarily need to pay them off before filing, but you should be aware they exist and be prepared to explain your overall financial picture.
Make sure your income documentation is consistent with your credit picture. An I-864 that claims strong income alongside a credit report showing extensive financial distress will raise questions.
If you are concerned about your credit profile, see the income requirements for sponsoring a spouse to make sure your income alone meets the threshold, even before the credit report enters the picture.
How This Connects to the Public Charge Rule
The credit report authorization is part of a broader shift. On September 18, 2026, the new public charge rule takes effect, giving USCIS broader discretion to evaluate whether a green card applicant is likely to become dependent on the government.
The sponsor’s financial strength matters in that analysis. A solid I-864 with a clean credit history supports the argument that the applicant will not become a public charge. A weak I-864 with concerning credit data may undermine it.
See the September 18 public charge rule change for how these two changes work together.
Joint Sponsors and the Credit Authorization
If you are using a joint sponsor because the primary sponsor does not meet the income threshold, the joint sponsor also signs the new I-864 and also authorizes the credit pull. Both sponsors’ credit histories are now potentially visible to USCIS.
If you are asking someone to serve as your joint sponsor, they should know about this before they agree. It is a meaningful ask, and the credit authorization is new information they may not expect. See I-134 vs I-864 explained for how the two affidavit forms differ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will USCIS actually pull my credit report, or is this just an authorization?
USCIS has said it may request the information. It has not said it will pull reports for every sponsor in every case. But the authorization is now part of the form, and the language suggests the agency intends to use it.
Can I refuse to sign the credit authorization?
The authorization is built into the form’s signature block. If you do not sign the form, your I-864 is incomplete and will not be accepted. There is no option to opt out of this section while still filing a valid Affidavit of Support.
I have bad credit but high income. Will my I-864 be rejected?
USCIS has not said that bad credit alone causes rejection. Income above the threshold remains the primary requirement. But your credit history may now be weighed alongside your income, so the stronger your overall financial picture, the better.
Does this apply to Form I-134 too?
No. The credit authorization is specific to the new Form I-864 (edition 08/24/26). Form I-134, used at the K-1 visa stage, does not include this provision.
My credit report has errors. What should I do?
Dispute the errors with the credit bureaus before filing. You can submit disputes online with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Keep copies of everything you submit in case USCIS raises questions about items you have already disputed.
Talk to Us Before You File the New I-864
If you are not sure whether your credit history will affect your case, or if your income is close to the threshold and you are worried about how the credit report fits in, that is exactly the conversation an attorney can help with.
Our immigration attorney services include I-864 review and sponsor qualification assessment. Book a free consultation about your sponsorship and bring your most recent pay stubs, tax return, and a copy of your credit report.