Understanding government forms can be hard enough—then when two forms have the same number but different letters, it can be all the more confusing.
Take Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support and Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support. It’s important to understand the difference the A makes so that you can submit the correct paperwork to show you can support a noncitizen that you wish to sponsor to come to the U.S.
This article may help. It explains what Form I-134A is, what it’s used for, how to file and the difference between Form I-134 and Form I-134A.
What is Form I-134A?
Sponsors submit Form I-134A to request permission from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to bring certain foreign nationals to the U.S. The beneficiary is granted parole, a legal status allowing noncitizens to temporarily live in the country while their home countries are unsafe.
By submitting Form I-134 A, the sponsor agrees to be legally obligated to financially support the beneficiary if they can’t support themselves while living in the U.S.
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Get startedWho can use Form I-134A?
Anyone who lives in the U.S. with lawful status may sponsor a beneficiary using Form I-134A. This includes:
- U.S. citizens
- U.S. nationals
- Lawful permanent residents (LPRs)
- Valid nonimmigrants
In some cases, you may be able to sponsor a beneficiary if you’ve been granted:
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- Parole
- Asylum or refugee status
- Deferred action
- Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)
Additionally, you may file Form I-134A on behalf of an organization or with a co-supporter. When you do so, you use combined funds to prove your ability to support the beneficiary. A co-supporter doesn’t need to be related to the sponsor or the beneficiary and doesn’t need to file their own Form I-134A.
Who’s eligible for sponsorship?
Form I-134A is limited to sponsoring individuals under specific programs. As of October 2023, that list includes:
- Uniting for Ukraine (U4U)
- Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (PCHNV)
- Family reunification parole (FRP) processes
Each program sets its terms and conditions. However, every beneficiary must:
- Have a valid passport
- Pass a national security and public safety vetting process
- Show they warrant a favorable exercise of discretion
A person can show they warrant a favorable exercise of discretion by explaining, among other things, the risks of staying where they are and the benefits of coming to the U.S.
Uniting for Ukraine
Under U4U, a U.S. supporter may sponsor a person who resided in Ukraine when Russia invaded (through February 11, 2022), was displaced by the invasion and is a Ukrainian citizen or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian citizen. Immediate family members include spouses, common-law partners and unmarried children under age 21.
Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans
Like U4U, PCHNV beneficiaries must be nationals of one of the designated countries or their immediate relatives. Only 30,000 PCHNV beneficiaries may receive parole each month.
Family reunification parole processes
The FRP process sets the strictest terms, requiring that sponsors receive an invitation from the National Visa Center (NVC) before filing Form I-134A. The program is currently available only to nationals of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti or Honduras who already have a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, approved on their behalf.
How do you file Form I-134A?
Follow the Form I-134A instructions to file. On the form, you provide information about yourself and the person you’re sponsoring. You also provide financial documentation proving that you—alone or in combination with any co-sponsors—meet the Form I-134A income requirements. Specifically, you must show that you can support the beneficiary and that your income is at least 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for a household of your size. (In 2023, these guidelines start at $14,580 for a family of one. For each additional person, you add $5,140.)
You can’t mail Form I-134A. You can only file it online using a USCIS account.
There’s currently no filing fee, but you must submit documents proving your identity and consent to the U.S. government verifying your fitness to serve as a sponsor under Form I-134A. USCIS will investigate your financial claims and ensure you don’t have a history suggesting you’d mistreat or exploit a beneficiary.
You must submit a separate Form I-134A for each beneficiary, including minor children.
What happens after Form I-134A is submitted?
USCIS can’t currently estimate I-134A processing times. However, you can check the status of your case in your USCIS online account. If you haven’t heard back within six months of submitting your application, you may also submit an inquiry about your case’s status.
If USCIS doesn’t approve the sponsor, it notifies the sponsor and beneficiary. This decision can’t be appealed, but you may refile your application.
If USCIS approves the sponsor, the beneficiary receives an email from USCIS. They need to create a USCIS account and confirm the information the sponsor provided. Beneficiaries must also establish they meet public health requirements, especially regarding vaccinations. After USCIS confirms the medical information, they send the beneficiary instructions to download and use the CBP One mobile application to enter biographic information and provide a photograph.
Once those steps are completed, USCIS notifies the beneficiary whether it’s granting authorization to travel to the U.S. The beneficiary must travel to the U.S. within a certain period (usually 90 days) to request parole. When they arrive, they undergo additional security screening.
U.S. border agents reserve the right to refuse to admit beneficiaries. However, unless the officers conclude the beneficiary presents a threat to national security or public safety, the beneficiary is typically officially granted parole at the border and allowed to enter the U.S. They may live in the U.S. under the terms of their parole for as long as it lasts.
If they want to work, the beneficiary can submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, to request an employment authorization document (EAD) and Social Security number. They may also be eligible to apply for alternative immigration benefits, depending on the circumstances.
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Get startedForm I-134A vs. Form I-134
It’s easy to confuse Form I-134A with Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support. Form I-134A was even created from Form I-134. But there are some key differences:
1. Who can use the form
Currently, USCIS only accepts Form I-134A for the three programs discussed above. On the other hand, Form I-134 is typically used to show financial support of a person with a nonimmigrant visa. You may also use Form I-134 in the process of requesting parole. Specifically, you apply for parole with Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, and may need to include Form I-134 when you submit Form I-131.
2. What else you need to submit
You don’t submit Form I-134 alone. The beneficiary has to request or have some additional status.
Form I-134A, on the other hand, may be the only application submitted on a beneficiary’s behalf. If eligible, a beneficiary who’s submitted Form I-131 may want to withdraw that application for consideration under the relatively new Form I-134A processes instead.
How an attorney may help
Many sponsors and beneficiaries using Form I-134A hire immigration attorneys to help. They can help you prepare the form and double-check it for accuracy. Then, if anything goes wrong, an experienced immigration lawyer may know ways to contact USCIS and work with U.S. border agents. They can also help you explain why the application should be granted and coordinate the process.
Sofie is a writer. She lives in Brooklyn.
