USCIS Grants 30-Day Grace Period for New Form I-864

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reversed course on Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support, and is now giving sponsors a 30-day grace period to keep using the old version. Previously, the agency announced on August 31, 2026, that it would accept only the new 08/24/26 edition immediately, with no transition window. Form I-864EZ and Form I-864A were also updated to reflect this change.

What’s the new deadline?

According to the USCIS Form I-864 page, these are the new deadlines:

• USCIS will still accept the older 10/17/24 edition of Form I-864, alongside the new 08/24/26 edition until September 30, 2026.
• Starting October 1, 2026, USCIS will only accept the 08/24/26 edition. It won’t process the 10/17/24 edition if it’s postmarked or filed electronically on or after that date.

In addition, USCIS has clarified that it won’t reject an adjustment of status application if it gets filed with an outdated version of Form I-864. If someone submits an edition other than 08/24/26 on or after October 1, 2026, immigration officers will instead treat it as missing evidence. That means filers will receive a Request for Evidence, rather than an automatic rejection.

Sponsors who already submitted the new edition do not need to resubmit their applications. Instead, it gives sponsors who already filed the old form some cover, and gives those who haven't filed yet a window to switch.

What changed between the new and current I-864 editions?

The new I-864 edition includes a new privacy release that authorizes USCIS to request information about the sponsor directly from consumer reporting agencies.

In addition, the agency has instructed sponsors with a credit or security freeze in place to respond quickly if an immigration officer asks them to lift it. If USCIS can’t get this information from a credit bureau, it may not be able to confirm the affidavit of support is sufficient, which could delay a sponsor’s case.

How does this new I-864 edition impact sponsors?

Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar says the biggest thing sponsors should do right now is check whether they have a credit or security freeze in place. “USCIS is telling people to lift it quickly if asked, and if you sit on that request, you're the one who ends up waiting longer for a decision.”

Urizar also noted this raises the stakes on the affidavit itself. "Form I-864 is already a binding contract to support the immigrant financially," she says. "Now USCIS can go straight to the credit bureaus to check your numbers, so sponsors should make sure their income and asset documentation actually matches what's on file before they sign."