Which transcript USCIS and the National Visa Center want for the Affidavit of Support, and 4 free ways to get it
Quick answer
For most Form I-864 Affidavit of Support cases, the document to send is the IRS Tax Return Transcript for the most recent tax year. It is free. You can get it from your IRS Individual Online Account, by mail, through the IRS automated phone line at 800-908-9946, or with Form 4506-T. A copy of your tax return is allowed, but the Department of State says the National Visa Center can process a transcript more efficiently.
If USCIS or the National Visa Center (NVC) asked for tax documents, there is a good chance you are about to send the wrong one. Most people send a copy of the tax return they filed. What the government usually wants is an IRS tax transcript. Those are two different documents, and the difference matters.
Download the free 2-page handout: the 5 transcript types, all 4 ways to get one, and a checklist to run before you send anything.
Is a tax transcript the same as a tax return?
No. Your tax return is the document you prepared and filed: Form 1040, your schedules, and your W-2s. A tax transcript is a document the IRS creates from its own records. Anyone can type numbers onto a tax form. A transcript shows that the return was actually filed with the IRS.
The Department of State says this directly. If you completed Form I-864, I-864A, or I-864EZ, it asks for an IRS tax transcript from the most recent tax year, because NVC can process a transcript more efficiently than a copy of a tax return. A complete copy of the filed return is still allowed as an alternative.
A transcript is also not a photocopy of your return. If you truly need a copy of the return itself, that is a different request, Form 4506, which carries a fee and takes longer. Transcripts are free.
Which IRS transcript does immigration want?
The IRS offers 5 transcript types for individuals, all at no charge. For the Affidavit of Support, the one you almost always want is the Tax Return Transcript.
| Transcript type | What it shows | Years available | When immigration uses it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Return Transcript | Most line items from your original Form 1040 as filed, with forms and schedules. Does not show later changes. | Current + 3 prior years | The standard choice for the I-864 |
| Tax Account Transcript | Filing status, taxable income, payment types, and changes made after filing. | Current + 9 prior years online; current + 3 prior by mail or phone | Rarely the right substitute |
| Record of Account | The return transcript and account transcript combined. | Current + 3 prior years | If you amended a return or the IRS adjusted it |
| Wage and Income Transcript | W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, and 5498s reported to the IRS about you. | Current + 9 prior years | Lost W-2s, or joint filers rebuilding their own income |
| Verification of Non-Filing Letter | Proof the IRS has no record of a processed return for a year. | Current year available after June 15 | If you did not file |
How many years of tax transcripts do I need for the I-864?
The requirement is the most recent tax year. You may add the second and third most recent years if you believe they help show you can maintain your income at the required level. That part is optional.
Our practical advice is to pull all 3 years anyway. They are free, they take the same few minutes, and the I-864 asks you to report income figures for 3 years regardless of how many years of documents you attach.
How do I get my IRS tax transcript? 4 free ways
| Method | Transcript types | How long | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. IRS Individual Online Account | All 5 | Immediate download | Identity verification (currently ID.me) |
| 2. Get Transcript by Mail | Tax Return and Tax Account | 5 to 10 calendar days | Must match the address on your last return |
| 3. Automated phone line, 800-908-9946 | Tax Return and Tax Account | 5 to 10 calendar days | Mailed to the address the IRS has on file |
| 4. Form 4506-T | All 5, including Non-Filing | About 10 business days, then mailed | Must reach the IRS within 120 days of signing |
Method 1: Your IRS Individual Online Account (fastest)
Sign in at IRS.gov, open the Tax Records page, and select Transcripts. Choose Tax Return Transcript, pick the year, and download the PDF. Transcript services run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you can use them from outside the United States. Your name, address, and Social Security number will appear partly masked. That is normal. The financial figures remain fully visible, so do not black anything out yourself.
Method 2: Get Transcript by Mail
Available on IRS.gov without full online identity verification. It provides the Tax Return Transcript and the Tax Account Transcript. You must enter the exact address from your most recently filed return, and delivery takes about 5 to 10 calendar days.
Method 3: The automated phone line
Call 800-908-9946. It provides the same two transcript types as the mail option, with the same 5 to 10 calendar day delivery. The automated service is available in Spanish.
Method 4: Form 4506-T, the catch-all
Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, can request any of the 5 transcript types, including the Verification of Non-Filing Letter, and it reaches older years the online tools do not. The shorter Form 4506-T-EZ requests only the Tax Return Transcript. Because your identifying numbers are masked on the transcript, the form includes a customer file number field you can use as a reference. The signed form must reach the IRS within 120 days of the date you sign it.
What if IRS identity verification fails?
Online access requires identity verification through an outside service, currently ID.me, usually with a government-issued photo ID and a selfie. It often fails after a move, after a name change, or when the phone is not in your own name. If it fails, do not pay a website to get your transcript. Transcripts are always free, and Methods 2, 3, and 4 do not need online verification. You can also verify in person at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center by appointment.
What if I moved since my last tax return?
This is where mailed requests go wrong. Mail and phone requests must match the address on your last return, and the transcript goes to the address the IRS has on file. The IRS says not to rely on your old address, because the transcript will not be forwarded. File Form 8822, Change of Address, before you submit Form 4506-T. Address changes generally take 4 to 6 weeks to process, so start early. If you can pass online verification, Method 1 avoids the problem entirely.
Keep the 4 methods, phone numbers, and form numbers in front of you. Download the free printable handout.
What if I did not file taxes?
The Department of State says that if you did not file a federal income tax return for the most recent tax year, you should write and sign a statement explaining why you were not required to file. A Verification of Non-Filing Letter, requested on Form 4506-T, supports that statement. The current-year letter is not available until June 15.
Read that wording carefully: not required to file. If you were required to file and did not, that is a legal question, not a paperwork question. Speak with an immigration attorney before you write that statement.
If you filed an extension for the most recent year, the guidance is to send a copy of IRS Form 4868, or a signed statement that you filed an extension, along with a transcript or return from the previous year.
Joint returns, joint sponsors, and other special situations
Married filing jointly. A joint transcript shows combined income, so the reviewer cannot tell which part is yours. The Department of State says joint filers must also submit their W-2s or schedules from the most recent tax year. The Wage and Income Transcript is a fast way to get them.
Married filing separately. Your transcript shows only your income. Check that your figure still meets the required level before you file, not after.
Joint sponsors. A joint sponsor pulls their own transcript from their own IRS account. IRS transcript services are for taxpayers retrieving their own records, so never share passwords.
Name changes and ITIN filers. If the name on your return does not match your immigration paperwork, expect trouble with online verification and be ready to explain the difference. ITIN filers can get transcripts; the paper form is often the practical route.
“No record of return filed.” On the current-year Wage and Income Transcript, this usually means the information has not posted yet. The IRS suggests checking back in early February.
Spanish. Transcripts are available in Spanish through the Individual Online Account. Transcripts ordered by mail or phone are issued in English.
Checklist before you send your transcript
- It says Tax Return Transcript at the top, for the correct tax year.
- Every page is included, not just page 1.
- It is exactly as the IRS produced it. Nothing blacked out, nothing retyped.
- W-2s or schedules are included if you filed jointly.
- You copied the right figure onto the I-864. Total income, adjusted gross income, and taxable income are three different lines.
- You are using the current edition of Form I-864. USCIS released a new 08/24/26 edition, and from October 1, 2026 it accepts only that edition.
The most common mistakes
- Sending a copy of the tax return when a transcript was requested
- Downloading the Tax Account Transcript instead of the Tax Return Transcript
- Sending only the first page
- Paying a third-party website for a free IRS document
- Requesting a mailed transcript after moving without updating the address first
- Using Form 4506-T-EZ when a Verification of Non-Filing Letter was needed
- Sending a joint return transcript without W-2s or schedules
- Starting the week the response is due
When should I talk to an immigration attorney first?
Some of what a transcript shows is a legal issue rather than a paperwork issue. Speak with an attorney before submitting if you were required to file and did not; if the income shown falls below the requirement for your household size; if the transcript shows income or activity you do not recognize; if you owe the IRS or are on a payment plan, especially with naturalization ahead; or if your name or filing status conflicts with what you reported elsewhere in your case.
Botelho Law Group offers a free consultation. Call 508-500-1551 or schedule online at botelholawgroup.com/lets-connect. We help clients anywhere in the United States with USCIS and National Visa Center filings, in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Protect your case from notario fraud
In the United States, a notary public is not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice, whatever the sign in the window says. Only a licensed attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice may give you immigration legal advice. Friends, family members, and people who take cases on the side can cost you your case, even when they mean well.
Frequently asked questions
Which IRS transcript does USCIS want for the I-864?
In most cases, the Tax Return Transcript for the most recent tax year. The Tax Account Transcript and the Wage and Income Transcript answer different questions and are generally not substitutes.
Is an IRS tax transcript free?
Yes. All 5 transcript types are free by every method. Only a photocopy of an actual filed return, requested on Form 4506, carries a fee.
Can I send a copy of my tax return instead of a transcript?
Yes, a complete copy of the filed return is allowed, but the Department of State says NVC can process a transcript more efficiently, so the transcript is the better choice.
How many years of tax transcripts do I need for the Affidavit of Support?
The most recent tax year is required. The second and third most recent years are optional, but pulling all 3 is a good habit because the form asks for 3 years of income figures.
What if I cannot verify my identity with ID.me?
Use Get Transcript by Mail, the automated phone line at 800-908-9946, or Form 4506-T. You can also verify in person at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center by appointment.
What if I moved since I filed my last return?
Mailed transcripts go to the address the IRS has on file and are not forwarded. File Form 8822, Change of Address, first. It generally takes 4 to 6 weeks.
What if I never filed taxes?
You will generally need a signed statement explaining why you were not required to file, supported by a Verification of Non-Filing Letter requested on Form 4506-T. If you were required to file and did not, speak with an attorney first.
I filed jointly with my spouse. Is the transcript enough?
Usually not by itself. Joint filers are directed to also submit W-2s or schedules for that year so the reviewer can identify the sponsor’s own income.
Can I get a transcript from outside the United States?
Yes. The online account, Get Transcript by Mail, and the automated phone line can all be used from abroad.
Why are parts of my Social Security number hidden on the transcript?
The IRS partially masks personal information by design. The financial figures remain fully visible. Send the transcript exactly as issued.
Official sources
- IRS: Transcript types for individuals and ways to order them
- IRS: Transcript services for individuals FAQs
- IRS: Get your tax records and transcripts
- IRS: About Form 4506-T
- IRS: About Form 8822, Change of Address
- U.S. Department of State: Collect financial evidence and other supporting documents
- USCIS: Form I-864, Affidavit of Support
Before you start, download the free printable handout and keep it with your paperwork.
This article is general information about immigration law and IRS procedures. It is not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration law, IRS procedures, and government policy change frequently, and every situation is different. Consult a licensed attorney about your own circumstances. Procedures verified September 2026.