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The short answer
For an ordinary B-2 visitor visa, the State Department says an Affidavit of Support is not needed and is not a factor in the decision. Form I-134 is a USCIS declaration that a visa applicant has a sponsor and will not become a public charge; a sponsor files a separate one for each person, and it matters mainly where an officer or a specific process asks for it.
What Form I-134 is
Form I-134 is the Declaration of Financial Support published by USCIS. Its form page, checked in October 2026, describes its purpose as "To show that visa applicants have sponsorship and will not become public charges while in the United States." The page also says the sponsor must file a separate affidavit for each applicant, so a son inviting both parents would complete two.
It is often confused with Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support used when a relative is immigrating. The two are different forms with different weight: I-864 sits inside a green card case and has a fixed income test, while I-134 is a declaration used in temporary-stay situations. If your parent is coming to visit, not to live, I-864 is not the form.
Does a visiting parent need one?
For a standard tourist visit, no. The State Department's visitor visa page says "A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa" and that such documents are not a factor in the decision. Your mother or father applies on Form DS-160, attends the interview and must show their own reasons to return to Nigeria.
Where I-134 still comes up:
- A consular officer may ask how the trip is funded. The visitor page allows an applicant to show that another person will pay some or all costs; some families bring an I-134 as a structured way to show that, but it is the facts behind it that count.
- Some USCIS and humanitarian processes name Form I-134 or a related online form specifically. If a process you are using names it, follow that process's own instructions.
- A parent coming for medical treatment needs to show how the treatment will be paid for; the State Department lists proof that expenses are covered among the evidence. A sponsor's declaration can sit alongside the hospital's estimate.
The financial evidence: what it is meant to prove
We could not open the current I-134 instructions in October 2026, so we do not list their exact document requirements here; read them before you sign. In plain terms, the sponsor is showing two things: that they have the income or savings to carry the costs they are promising, and that the relationship and promise are real. Evidence of that usually takes the form of documents a third party issued, not documents the sponsor typed up.
| What you are showing | The kind of document that shows it |
|---|---|
| Regular income | A letter from your employer giving role, start date and pay; recent pay slips; your latest tax return or IRS transcript |
| Savings | Recent statements for the accounts you would draw on, with the balance visible |
| Your status | A copy of your US passport, green card or visa page |
| The cost you are covering | The flight booking or quote, and a visitor health cover quote |
Do not inflate balances by moving money in for a week before the interview. Statements show the history, and a sudden deposit raises more questions than a modest, steady balance.
A worked example
Example only. Tunde, a US citizen and software tester in Atlanta, is bringing his father from Ibadan for six weeks. He estimates the return flight at $1,400, visitor health cover at $350 and spending money at $600, a total of $2,350 he has promised to pay. His last three statements show a balance between $6,000 and $7,500, and his employer letter confirms his salary.
His father's visa does not depend on an I-134. If the officer asks who is paying, his father can say his son is, and show a copy of the booking and Tunde's statement. Tunde completes an I-134 only if a process they are using names it.
Steps, if you do complete one
- Confirm the process you are in asks for Form I-134 and which edition.
- Fill one form per visitor, signed in your full name.
- Attach the evidence the instructions list, using copies.
- Give your parent the signed form and copies to carry, not to post, unless the process says otherwise.
- Keep a full set yourself.
Common mistakes sponsors make
- Treating the form as the application. It is not; the DS-160 and the interview are, and your parent must speak to their own plans.
- Promising more than the trip needs. A declaration that you will cover a parent's living costs for a year sits oddly with a four-week visit and can invite questions about the real plan.
- Using a form downloaded months ago. USCIS says on the page that no previous editions are accepted, so an outdated copy can be rejected where the form is required.
- Posting originals. Send or hand over copies; keep originals of tax returns and statements with you in the US.
Where Pryme fits
When the statement you attach needs to be trusted by someone who has never met you, a verifiable statement made with VerifyDoc.ai lets them confirm it is genuine and unaltered. The trip costs themselves can be paid from a multicurrency account. For the wider budget, see bringing parents to visit and what the invitation should say.
Questions people ask
Is Form I-134 required for a B2 visa from Nigeria?
No. The State Department says an Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa and is not a factor. Your parent qualifies on their own ties.
Is I-134 the same as I-864?
No. I-864 is the affidavit of support in immigrant (green card) cases, with a fixed income test. I-134 is a declaration of financial support used in temporary-stay situations.
Do I need a separate I-134 for each parent?
Yes. The USCIS form page says the sponsor must file a separate affidavit for each applicant.
How much do I need in my account to sponsor a visit?
There is no published minimum for a visitor visa. What matters is that the costs you say you will cover are realistic and your statements support them.
Sources
- USCIS: Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support · accessed Oct 2026
- US Department of State: Visitor visa · accessed Oct 2026
- USCIS: Form I-864, Affidavit of Support · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.