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New Poverty Guidelines Issued
Posted
Mar 22, 2002
On February 14, 2002, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
updated the Poverty Income Guidelines for 2002. These guidelines are
particularly important in those immigration matters that require the long
version of the Affidavit of Support known as Form I-864. The guidelines are
effective for I-864s as of April 1, 2002. Please note that for certain other
legal purposes, the guidelines take effect as of their publication date.
Each year, the DHHS releases updated poverty guideline figures as required
by law.
The I-864 is required for family-based, permanent immigration cases. It is
also required in those few employment-based cases in which a relative of the
beneficiary owns 5% or more of the sponsoring company. In these cases, it is
necessary for the petitioner to establish that s/he has sufficient means to
support the beneficiary. The basic requirement is an income that is at least
125% of the poverty guidelines. There are certain, alternative means of
meeting the requirement when the petitioner's income is not sufficient.
The guidelines for 2002 are as follows :
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2002 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous
States and the District of Columbia |
|
Size of family unit
|
Poverty
guideline
|
| 1
|
$ 8,860
|
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| 2
|
11,940
|
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| 3 |
15,020
|
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| 4 |
18,100
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| 5 |
21,180
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| 6 |
24,260
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| 7 |
27,340
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| 8 |
30,420
|
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For family units with more
than 8 members, add
$ 3,080 for each additional member. (The same increment
applies to smaller family sizes also, as can be seen in the figures above.)
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| 2002
Poverty Guidelines for Alaska
|
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Size of family unit
|
Poverty
guideline
|
| 1 |
$ 11,080
|
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| 2 |
14,930
|
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| 3 |
18,780
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| 4 |
22,630
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| 5 |
26,480
|
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| 6 |
30,330
|
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| 7 |
34,180
|
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| 8 |
38,030
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For family units with more
than 8 members, add
$ 3,850 for each additional member. (The same increment
applies to smaller family sizes also, as can be seen in the figures above.)
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2002
Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii |
|
Size of family unit
|
Poverty
guideline
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| 1 |
$ 10,200 |
|
| 2 |
13,740
|
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| 3 |
17,280
|
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| 4 |
20,820
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| 5 |
24,360
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| 6 |
27,900
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| 7 |
31,440
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| 8 |
34,980
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For family units with more than 8 members, add
$ 3,540 for each additional
member. (The same increment applies to smaller family sizes also, as can be
seen in the figures above.)
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©
The
Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C.
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