DOS No Longer Requires Original "Wet Ink" Signatures on Forms I-864, Affidavit of Support

On December 28, 2016, the Department of State (DOS) announced that as of January 1, 2017, it would no longer require original or “wet ink” signatures on the following forms related to the affidavit of support [link to announcement]:

Form I-864, Affidavit of Support;
Form I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member;
Form I-864W, Request for Exemption from Intending Immigrant's Affidavit of Support; and
Form I-864EZ, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act.

The DOS's National Visa Center (NVC) now accepts photocopied and scanned versions of signed Forms I-864 and all associated documents. However, it is important to note that the photocopied and scanned documents “must still be signed.” The NVC will not accept typed names and electronic signatures. The news release states that the NVC will only ask petitioners to submit amended documents “if the financial sponsor's names and personal information are missing; there is no signature at all; or if there are missing pages.”

The news release notes that if an individual received a “checklist” from the NVC prior to January 1, 2017, asking him or her to submit a corrected Form I-864, the individual should follow the directions on that letter. However, if the only item on the checklist letter is a request for an original “wet ink” signature, the DOS instructs the individual to contact the NVC at 1-603-334-0700.

To learn more about the affidavit of support, please see our main article on the issue [see article]. You may see our full selection of articles on the affidavit of support and associated requirements in the Family Immigration section of our website [see category].