I-864 for 2 Beneficiaries

[Matt & Rocio 28]

I would like to know if anyone can give me advice based on personal experience when in regards to submitting the I-864 AOS document when there is more than one beneficiary.

In my case I will be sponsoring my wife and step-daughter. I submitted I-130 petitions for both of them on the same day in July of 2011 and received the NOA2 approval on the same day earlier this month. I'm still waiting for NVC to assign a case number and IIN, but i'm hoping that will happen any day now.

I have been told that I will only be required to pay the AOS fee once, even though there are two beneficiaries, but that I will have two submit 2 copies of the I-864 along with 2 copies of supporting documentation.

Section 3, Question 9 states the following:

I am sponsoring the following family members immigrating at the same time or within six months of the principal immigrant named in Part 2 above. Do not include any relative listed on a separate visa petition.

My question is this. Do I fill out a single I-864 with my wife as the principal immigrant and then list my step-daughter under question nine and then make a duplicate copy? Or do I fill out two I-864s one with my wife as the principal and my step-daughter as a family member and then a second one with my step-daughter as the principal immigrant and my wife as a family member?

Thanks in advance.

[Matt & Rocio 28]

I think I just answered my own question. I just read this in the I-864instr.pdf document from the travel.state.gov website:

You must submit a Form I-864 affidavit of support for each intending immigrant you are sponsoring. You may submit photocopies if you are sponsoring more than one intending immigrant listed on the same affidavit of support.

Separate affidavits of support are required for intending immigrants for whom different Form I-130 family-based petitions were filed. For instance, if you are sponsoring both parents, each will need an original affidavit of support and accompanying documentation since you were required to submit separate Form I-130 visa petitions for each parent.

Often a spouse or minor children obtain visas or adjust status as dependents of a relative, based on the same visa petition. If you are sponsoring such dependents, you only need to provide a photocopy of the original Form I-864, as long as these dependents are immigrating at the same time as the principal immigrant or within six months of the time he or she immigrates to the United States. You do not need to provide copies of the supporting documents for each of the photocopied Forms I-864.