USCIS has begun requiring current income verification letters from sponsors when submitting Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support). Previously optional, this documentation is now mandatory based on new Request for Evidence (RFE) patterns showing USCIS has changed its approach.

What Documents USCIS Requires

USCIS specifies the following types of current income evidence:

Earnings statements for the last 6 months. This can be pay stubs (if you receive formal statements), bank transfer statements, screenshots from apps like Uber or other gig economy applications. If you recently started a job—provide statements from the new job even if only a couple of months have passed, and fill the remaining 6-month period with statements from your previous job.

Employment Verification Letter. This is not the same as a job offer letter. An employment verification letter must contain the start date, job title (type of work), annual salary, hours per week, prospects for advancement, employer name and title, and employer signature. Be sure to include the employer’s contact information: address, email, and phone number.

Evidence of other income sources. This includes non-traditional income: tax-exempt investment income, dividends, IRA withdrawals (payments taken out, not contributions), pensions, annuities, and SSA benefits. If you are already receiving IRA distributions, provide statements of those payments. Remember: USCIS does not count SSI (Supplemental Security Income) as income.

Situation with New Employment

If you recently started a job—this year or less than 6 months ago, or after you already submitted Form I-864—proceed as follows.

Submit earnings statements from your new job to show your current income and ability to support the family based on the amount stated in the form. Then add statements from your previous job to cover the 6-month period. Include a cover letter with your documents explaining: this is my current income from my new position, but I’m also including statements from my previous job for past months to demonstrate that I am a reliable sponsor capable of consistently earning income.

This applies to both the principal sponsor (petitioner) and joint sponsors.

Special Cases: Retirees, Military, and Self-Employed

If you are retired, served or are serving in the military, or your income comes from non-traditional sources, verifying it through tax returns can be very difficult. You will likely receive exactly this type of RFE from USCIS.

For self-employed individuals, screenshots from apps (Uber and similar) work well, as do bank statements showing direct deposits over the last 6 months.

For retirees and veterans: if your income is not subject to taxation, it will not appear in full on your tax returns. USCIS often automatically sends requests for evidence in such cases.

Tax Extensions and RFE

The new policy also applies to tax extensions. Previously, USCIS would not accept tax extensions (Form 4868) when an I-864 package was first filed, but the rules are now more flexible.

If your sponsor filed for an extension by the time you submit your application, you will almost certainly receive a Request for Evidence. When the RFE arrives, you can respond by providing proof of the tax extension filing.

If you filed your application with an extension in place, but your sponsor has since filed their tax return, include proof of that return filing.

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How to Distinguish Between Employment Verification and Job Offer Letter

A job offer letter only states that you were offered a position. It does not confirm that you actually hold that position and are earning income from it.

An employment verification letter is a document from your employer, supervisor, or HR department confirming: you actually work at this company right now, receive the stated salary, and work the stated number of hours per week. USCIS needs exactly this: not a promise, but proof of current employment and income.