ADOPTION

Affidavit of Support Notice -- August 2006

The ACIVU respectfully requests all adoptions agencies to pass the following reminders to adoptive parents and adoption facilitators:

1) Certified copies (Not notarized)

The Department of State has recently changed its requirements for the I-864, I-864A, and I-864EZ Affidavit of Support form.  Previously, State required copies of a sponsor’s federal income tax returns for the three most recent taxable years, along with evidence of current employment. Effective immediately, State only requires a certified copy of the most recent federal income tax return.

Ordinarily, the sponsor's signature on the Form I-864 is sufficient to qualify the photocopy or transcript as a "certified" copy, so our current policy has not changed. As before, in some cases, the Consulate may also ask for a sponsor to submit an IRS-certified copy of the tax return. A person obtains an IRS-certified copy by submitting IRS Form 4506, and paying the requisite filing fee.

If assets are needed to meet the minimum income requirement, sponsors will also need to submit evidence that the assets have a cash value that equals at least five times the difference between total household income and the poverty guideline for the household size, exclusive of liens, mortgages, and liabilities. In addition, the sponsor signature on Form I-864, I864A, and I864EZ does not need to be notarized since the sponsor has signed the form under the penalty of perjury.

2) IR4 cases only:

I-600: Please remember that the traveling parent is the petitioner and the non-traveling parent is the spouse, and sign the forms accordingly.

I-864: Please make sure that the traveling parent signs as the sponsor and the non-traveling parent signs as the household member.