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What are the consequences of signing the Form I-864?

The I-864 is a binding legal contract between you and the United States government. Too often, people sign the Form I-864 without understanding the serious consequences of doing so. This…

5 reasons to sue an I-864 sponsor who “doesn’t have any money”

Today, I wanted to talk about something that comes up pretty often in my consultations: what should you do if your Affidavit of Support sponsor/defendant doesn’t have any money? Should…

What goes into an I-864 Affidavit of Support lawsuit complaint?

I’ve been representing clients in lawsuits to enforce the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support for about a decade at this point. Over that time, I’ve made a lot of…

No, Uniting for Ukraine sponsors cannot be sued under the I-134 Affidavit of Support

Under the recently-announced Uniting for Ukraine program, U.S.-based individuals and businesses can sponsor Ukrainian refugees by filing a USCIS Form I-134, Affidavit of Support. (Yes, I know they are technically…

What is a joint sponsor’s liability under the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support?

A joint sponsor (also called co-sponsor) has the same liability under an Affidavit of Support as the primary sponsor. By signing the USCIS Form I-864, the joint sponsor agrees to…

Can you enforce the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support in a divorce case?

Yes – in most states the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support can be enforced in a divorce case. A family law court has the authority to enforce the I-864…

USCIS Form I-864 enforcement in divorce court – another cautionary tale (Marriage of Bychina)

It is a theme that I have written about many times on this blog and elsewhere. Yes, the Affidavit of Support can theoretically be enforced in family law proceedings. But…

How do you calculate damages under the I-864, Affidavit of Support

In an important ruling for one of our I-864 enforcement clients, a Court ruled today that damages under the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support are determined based on taxable…

How do you settle a claim under the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support?

As I explain elsewhere on this blog, almost all claims under the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support result in settlement. To get an idea of how long that process…

Can you enforce the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support with a preliminary injunction?

Non-citizens needing to enforce the USCIS Form I-864, Affidavit of Support are usually in serious need of help. To have a claim under the Affidavit, their income needs to be…

What affirmative defenses are available to Form I-864 sponsors? None.

The Eleventh Circuit has held that the common law defenses of unclean hands, anticipatory breach, and equitable estoppel are unavailable to a sponsor who has signed a USCIS Form I-864,…

The federal right to immigration “alimony” under the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support

A version of this article first appeared in the Side Bar journal for the Litigation Section of the Federal Bar Association (Spring 2021). If you are like most federal litigators…

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. I entered the US on 10/2015 on an ESTA visa, I left US on 5/2018(overstayed my visit), I got married last year. We never petition for adjustment of status. What can I do from from country, Chile to go back? My son and wife are in the US she is a US citizen. I had a family emergency and needed to leave. TIA. Hope you can help.

    1. Albert, unfortunately you will need an I-601 hardship waiver to re-enter the U.S., based on what you have said. But overstaying more than one year you are subject to a 10-year bar on reentry. Overcoming that requires a special pardon based on hardship to your family.

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