K-1 Visa Form I-134 in 2026: Who Files It, What Income Proof Helps, and Common Mistakes

K-1 Visa Form I-134 in 2026: Who Files It, What Income Proof Helps, and Common Mistakes

Short answer: in a K-1 case, the U.S. citizen petitioner is usually the person who completes and signs Form I-134 for the visa interview stage. USCIS says a supporter must show sufficient income or financial resources, file a separate Form I-134 for each beneficiary, sign with their full name, and does not need to notarize the form. That stage is different from the later green-card stage after marriage, where Form I-864 and the current I-864P poverty-guideline chart usually become the main financial framework. [1][2][3]

That distinction matters because many couples search for a single "K-1 income requirement" number and end up mixing together two different stages. The K-1 visa interview is one stage. Adjustment of status after marriage is another. If you are planning the broader timeline, our related guides on what happens after I-129F approval, the K-1 document checklist, K-1 interview questions, and K-1 to green card adjustment of status may also help.

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Form I-134 is a financial-support form used in some immigration situations involving a temporary stay in the United States. USCIS explains that the person signing it must establish that they have sufficient financial resources and access to those funds to support the beneficiary during that temporary stay. [2]

For K-1 couples, that usually means the form is part of the visa interview stage abroad, not the later green-card filing after the marriage. USCIS's I-134 instructions also state that the Department of State may request the form in certain cases, which is why K-1 applicants should treat it as a real part of interview preparation rather than an afterthought. [2]

The practical purpose is narrower than many people expect. It is not the long-term affidavit of support used later for permanent residence. It is a temporary-support document aimed at showing the beneficiary should have adequate support during the K-1 stage.

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In a standard K-1 case, the U.S. citizen petitioner is usually the person who completes and signs the form.

USCIS's current instructions make several points that matter in real interview preparation:

• if you are agreeing to support more than one beneficiary, you must file a separate Form I-134 for each beneficiary;
• the supporter must sign their full name on the form; and
• USCIS will reject an unsigned form. [1][2]

That separate-beneficiary rule is especially important when the case includes a K-2 child. Couples sometimes assume one affidavit automatically covers the fiancee and every derivative child. USCIS says not to make that assumption. [1][2]

USCIS also says the signature is under penalty of perjury. That is why notarization is not required. [1][2]

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This is where many K-1 articles become too absolute.

USCIS's current Form I-134 page and instructions do not publish a K-1-specific poverty-guideline table. Instead, USCIS says the supporter must show sufficient income or financial resources for the beneficiary's temporary stay and then lists the types of evidence that can be used. [1][2]

That means the safer legal answer is not to promise one universal K-1 number for every case. The better question is whether the petitioner can document a stable, credible support picture with current evidence.

What couples often mix up is the later Form I-864 stage. USCIS's current I-864P chart is the formal poverty-guideline reference for the affidavit of support used after marriage in the green-card process. For most sponsors, that later stage uses 125% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines; for a sponsor on active duty in the U.S. armed forces petitioning for a spouse or child, the 100% line may apply instead. [3]

So if you see online advice that treats the I-864 chart as an automatic K-1 rule, slow down. It may be useful for planning the later marriage-based filing, but it is not the same thing as the USCIS I-134 instruction standard.

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USCIS's current I-134 instructions are especially useful here because they spell out the kinds of evidence a supporter should be ready to provide. [2]

A strong package often includes:

• a completed and signed Form I-134;
• a recent tax transcript or federal return information;
• current income proof, such as pay statements, an employer letter, or other up-to-date records;
• evidence of bank balances or other resources where useful; and
• asset evidence if assets are being used to support the case. [2]

USCIS specifically lists examples such as a bank statement, an employer statement showing the nature of employment and salary, a recent tax transcript, pay statements, a recent Form W-2, or Form SSA-1099 when relevant. [2]

Consistency matters as much as quantity. If the tax transcript shows one picture, the current pay records show another, and the form says something else, the file becomes harder to trust. The goal is not to flood the consular record with paper. The goal is to make the sponsor's support picture easy to follow.

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Once the K-1 beneficiary enters the United States and the couple marries, the financial analysis usually moves to Form I-864.

That later stage is much easier to discuss in concrete numbers because USCIS publishes the current I-864P chart. Effective March 1, 2026, the chart for the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands lists these figures: [3]

• household size 2: $24,650 at 125%, or $19,720 at 100% for a qualifying active-duty military sponsor petitioning for a spouse or child;
• household size 3: $31,075 at 125%;
• household size 4: $37,500 at 125%. [3]

That is why couples should think of the process in two steps:

1. K-1 visa stage abroad: prepare the I-134 support record.
2. Marriage-based green-card stage in the United States: prepare the I-864 filing under the current I-864P chart.

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Mistake 1: Using Form I-864 too early

The K-1 interview stage and the green-card stage are not the same filing event.

Mistake 2: Treating the later I-864 chart as an automatic K-1 rule

The I-864P chart is critical later, but USCIS's I-134 materials themselves focus on sufficient support and documentary proof rather than a K-1-specific chart. [2][3]

Mistake 3: Assuming one I-134 covers a K-2 child

USCIS says to file a separate Form I-134 for each beneficiary. [1][2]

Mistake 4: Bringing weak current evidence

An old tax transcript without current income proof can create unnecessary questions if the sponsor's work situation changed.

Mistake 5: Forgetting the signature rule

USCIS will reject an unsigned form, and the supporter must sign with their full name. [1][2]

Mistake 6: Treating notarization like a missing step

USCIS says notarization is not required because the form is signed under penalty of perjury. [1][2]

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Who files Form I-134 for a K-1 visa in 2026?

Usually the U.S. citizen petitioner prepares and signs it for the K-1 interview stage.

Do I need a separate I-134 for a K-2 child?

Yes. USCIS says you must file a separate Form I-134 for each beneficiary. [1][2]

Does Form I-134 need to be notarized?

No. USCIS says the supporter signs under penalty of perjury, so notarization is not required. [1][2]

What evidence usually helps support Form I-134?

USCIS lists examples such as a bank statement, an employer letter, a recent tax transcript, pay statements, a recent Form W-2, and Form SSA-1099 when relevant. [2]

Is Form I-134 the same as Form I-864?

No. Form I-134 is generally part of temporary-support review for the visa stage, while Form I-864 is the later affidavit-of-support framework used in the marriage-based green-card stage. [2][3]

Is there one official K-1 I-134 income chart from USCIS?

Not on the current USCIS I-134 page or instructions. USCIS focuses on whether the supporter has sufficient income or financial resources and what evidence supports that claim. The current published poverty-guideline chart is the I-864P chart used for the later affidavit-of-support stage. [2][3]

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For most K-1 couples, the safest way to think about Form I-134 in 2026 is this: the petitioner usually signs it, each beneficiary needs a separate form, the file should be supported by current financial evidence, and the later Form I-864 stage should not be confused with the interview stage.

If the petitioner's income is close to the line, irregular, newly changed, or dependent on assets, case-specific legal review can help prevent avoidable interview problems.

At Alaz Law, we help couples prepare K-1 and marriage-based cases with clear financial strategy, careful documentation, and practical guidance for the interview and post-marriage stages.

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1. USCIS, Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support
2. USCIS, Form I-134 Instructions (01/20/25 edition)
3. USCIS, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support (Form I-864P)

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This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. K-1 support issues can become more complicated when income is irregular, the sponsor recently changed jobs, assets must be documented, a K-2 child is included, or the later adjustment-of-status stage raises separate affidavit-of-support questions. You should consult a qualified immigration attorney for advice tailored to your case before relying on general information about Form I-134.