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The short answer
Form I-134 is a USCIS declaration a US-based sponsor signs to show that a visa applicant has financial support and will not become a public charge while in the United States. A sponsor files a separate form for each person, and US universities such as Texas A&M International ask US-resident sponsors of F-1 students for it together with supporting financial documents.
What the form is
USCIS describes Form I-134 as a form "to show that visa applicants have sponsorship and will not become public charges while in the United States". The sponsor completes it, signs it, and the sponsor must file a separate form for each applicant (USCIS, checked October 2026). The USCIS page says notarisation is not necessary. Where the form goes depends on the application: USCIS says it depends on whether the person sponsored is inside or outside the US and on the application type, and refers readers to that application's instructions.
For a Nigerian student or visitor, the form usually travels with the applicant's documents: the school asks for it during the I-20 process, or the applicant carries it to the visa interview. It is a supporting document, not a guarantee of a visa.
Not the same as an immigrant affidavit
Nigerians sometimes confuse the I-134 with the affidavit used in green card cases. The I-134 page on USCIS is about showing support for visa applicants so that they will not become public charges during their stay; if your relative is petitioning for you to immigrate, check the USCIS page for the form that applies to immigrant cases instead. For students and visitors, the I-134 is the one schools such as TAMIU name.
When a US sponsor uses it
- An F-1 student's relative lives in the US and is covering part of the I-20 cost. TAMIU says sponsors living in the US must submit the I-134 and its supporting documents.
- A visitor's host in the US is paying for accommodation and living costs during the trip and wants to show this formally.
- A school asks for it on its sponsor checklist; follow the school's list, as some prefer their own sponsor form.
Evidence the sponsor usually attaches
The USCIS page itself does not list evidence; the form instructions, downloadable from the same page, do. Schools publish what they want to see from a sponsor. Montana, for instance, wants bank documents dated within six months showing bank name, account holder, date, balance, currency and account type. In practice sponsors commonly attach:
- Recent bank statements or a bank letter showing available funds.
- Evidence of employment or business income, such as an employer letter or recent payslips.
- Proof of immigration status in the US, such as a passport page or permanent resident card, where the instructions ask for it.
- A short letter stating the amount of support and the relationship to the applicant.
Worked example: one sponsor, two applicants
Example only. Obi lives in Houston and is supporting his two nieces, both admitted to US universities. USCIS requires a separate form for each, so he completes two I-134s. School A's I-20 needs $14,000 from him and School B needs $9,000, so he is declaring $23,000 of support in total. His bank letter should show funds that make that credible alongside his own household costs. A school or officer looking at both forms will expect the totals to add up.
Steps for the sponsor
- Download the current form and instructions from the USCIS I-134 page; USCIS says no previous editions are accepted.
- Complete one form per applicant.
- Sign in full name as instructed.
- Gather the evidence the instructions and the school list ask for.
- Send the signed form and evidence to the applicant in the format the school or interview requires.
Common problems with sponsor declarations
- Support promised that does not fit the sponsor's income once their own household is counted.
- Bank documents older than the school's window, often six months.
- The amount on the I-134 differing from the amount on the school's sponsor form or the I-20.
- A sponsor supporting several people without showing how the total is covered.
- An unsigned form, or one signed with initials rather than the full name the form asks for.
Each of these invites a request for more evidence. The simplest test is to lay the I-134, the school's sponsor form, the I-20 funding section and the bank letter side by side and check that the names and dollar amounts agree. If the sponsor lives in the US but keeps savings in Nigeria, the evidence should show where the money is and how it will be used for the student.
What the applicant should keep
Keep a copy of the signed I-134 and the evidence that went with it. At the visa interview the officer may ask who your sponsor is and how they will support you, and having the same papers the school saw keeps your answers consistent.
Where Pryme fits
A US-based relative often sends money to Nigeria for fees and deposits. A Pryme multicurrency account can receive USD with local details and keep it in dollars. If the sponsor's funds sit in a Nigerian account, our guide to using a sponsor's statement applies, and the I-20 side is covered in I-20 financial documents.
Questions people ask
Does Form I-134 need to be notarised?
The USCIS page says notarisation is not necessary. The sponsor signs in full name as the form instructs.
Can someone who is not a US citizen file I-134?
Check the current form instructions on USCIS for who may sign. Schools such as TAMIU refer to sponsors living in the US generally.
Is there a fee for Form I-134?
The USCIS page shows a filing fee heading; check the live page and instructions for the current position before sending.
Does an I-134 guarantee a US visa?
No. It supports the application. The school and the consular officer make their own decisions.
Sources
- USCIS: Form I-134, Affidavit of Support · accessed Oct 2026
- Texas A&M International University: I-20 and DS-2019 financial documents · accessed Oct 2026
- University of Montana: Financial Documents for I-20 (published 7 Oct 2026) · 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.