22 CFR § 40.41 - Public charge.
(a) Basis for determination of ineligibility. Any determination that an alien is ineligible under INA 212(a)(4) must be predicated upon circumstances indicating that, notwithstanding any affidavit of support that may have been filed on the alien's behalf, the alien is likely to become a public charge after admission, or, if applicable, that the alien has failed to fulfill the affidavit of support requirement of INA 212(a)(4)(C).
(b) Affidavit of support. Any alien seeking an immigrant visa under INA 201(b)(2), 203(a), or 203(b), based upon a petition filed by a relative of the alien (or in the case of a petition filed under INA 203(b) by an entity in which a relative has a significant ownership interest), shall be required to present to the consular officer an affidavit of support (AOS) on a form that complies with terms and conditions established by the Secretary of Homeland Security. Petitioners for applicants at a post designated by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services for initial review of and assistance with such an AOS will be charged a fee for such review and assistance pursuant to the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services (22 CFR 22.1).
(c) Joint sponsors. Submission of one or more additional affidavits of support by a joint sponsor/sponsors is required whenever the relative sponsor's household income and significant assets, and the immigrant's assets, do not meet the Federal poverty line requirements of INA 213A.
(d) Posting of bond. A consular officer may issue a visa to an alien who is within the purview of INA 212(a)(4) (subject to the affidavit of support requirement and attribution of sponsor's income and resources under section 213A), upon receipt of a notice from DHS of the giving of a bond or undertaking in accordance with INA 213 and INA 221(g), and provided further that the officer is satisfied that the giving of such bond or undertaking removes the likelihood that the alien will become a public charge within the meaning of this section of the law and that the alien is otherwise eligible in all respects.
(e) Prearranged employment. An immigrant visa applicant relying on an offer of prearranged employment to establish eligibility under INA 212(a)(4), other than an offer of employment certified by the Department of Labor pursuant to INA 212(a)(5)(A), must provide written confirmation of the relevant information sworn and subscribed to before a notary public by the employer or an authorized employee or agent of the employer. The signer's printed name and position or other relationship with the employer must accompany the signature.
(f) Use of Federal poverty line Where INA 213A not applicable. An immigrant visa applicant, not subject to the requirements of INA 213A, and relying solely on personal income to establish eligibility under INA 212(a)(4), who does not demonstrate an annual income above the Federal poverty line, as defined in INA 213A(h), and who is without other adequate financial resources, shall be presumed ineligible under INA 212(a)(4).