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Green card applicants face new scrutiny: US can now seek sponsors’ credit information; what you need to know
USCIS has updated Form I-864 for green card sponsors, allowing information requests from consumer reporting agencies starting August 31, 2026.
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US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a significant change for people financially sponsoring green card applicants, giving the agency the ability to request information from consumer reporting agencies as part of the sponsorship process.
The change took effect on August 31, 2026, when USCIS began accepting only the revised August 24, 2026 edition of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. The previous October 17, 2024 edition is no longer accepted for filings submitted on or after that date, Boundless Immigration reports.
The revised form contains a privacy release authorizing USCIS to request information from consumer reporting agencies about sponsors.
Does this mean USCIS will check credit scores?
USCIS has not announced a minimum credit score for green card sponsors.
The agency's new authority refers broadly to information held by “consumer reporting agencies.” It remains unclear exactly what information USCIS will examine or how it could affect an application.
There is also no published USCIS rule stating that a low credit score by itself would make someone ineligible to sponsor a green card applicant.
Questions remain over whether the agency could consider factors such as late payments, outstanding debts, collections, bankruptcies, fraud alerts or other information contained in consumer reports.
What happens if the sponsor has a credit freeze?
USCIS has specifically warned that a credit or security freeze could prevent the agency from accessing information it needs to evaluate Form I-864.
Sponsors who are asked to lift a freeze should respond promptly, as delays could affect the processing of the application.
However, sponsors do not necessarily need to remove a credit freeze before filing. Instead, they should be prepared to act if USCIS requests access to their consumer-report information.
What green card sponsors should do
Sponsors preparing Form I-864 should first make sure they are using the latest August 24, 2026 edition of the form.
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They may also want to review their own consumer reports before filing to identify errors, unfamiliar accounts or possible identity-theft issues. This could give sponsors an opportunity to address inaccurate information before USCIS potentially obtains the report.
For now, the full impact of the change remains unclear because USCIS has not provided a credit-score threshold or detailed guidance explaining how consumer-report information will be weighed in sponsorship decisions.
The change is part of the financial scrutiny surrounding Form I-864, through which a sponsor agrees to provide financial support to an immigrant and help ensure the person does not become primarily dependent on government benefits.
