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If you're planning to bring your fiancé or spouse to the United States, there is an important change to the public charge rules that you need to understand.

In the past, for most couples, the financial part of the immigration process was largely focused on one big question:

Does the American sponsor have enough income?

There was an income requirement. And if you met that requirement and could document your income, that was usually the main financial concern.

But beginning September 18, 2026, the government is taking a broader look.

Instead of focusing primarily on whether the sponsor meets an income number, immigration officers have more discretion to look at what is called the:

"Totality of the circumstances."

And that's probably the most important phrase to remember.

In plain English, it means:

They're looking at the overall financial situation — not just one number.

So meeting the minimum income requirement is still important.

But simply meeting that income requirement may not necessarily end the financial analysis.

The government can look at the bigger picture.

That can include things such as the applicant's age and health.

Their education and job skills.

Their financial resources.

Their family situation.

Whether there are assets available.

And, in some circumstances, whether the applicant has received certain government benefits.

All of those things can potentially become part of the overall picture.

Here's a simple example.

Suppose an American sponsor earns enough money to meet the income requirement.

Under the old system, that income could often be the biggest part of the financial discussion.

But under the new approach, an immigration officer may look beyond that.

Is the income stable?

Does the household have other financial resources?

Does the immigrant have skills or education that could help them become financially self-sufficient?

Are there health issues that could substantially affect the family's financial situation?

Has the applicant been receiving certain means-tested government benefits?

The officer can look at the combination of those circumstances and ask:

Is this person likely, at some point, to become dependent on public assistance?

Now, there's something very important I want to emphasize.

Having one negative factor does not automatically mean your fiancé or spouse will be denied.

For example, having a health problem does not automatically mean denial.

Having limited savings does not automatically mean denial.

And receiving a particular benefit does not automatically mean denial.

That's why they call it the totality of the circumstances.

They're supposed to look at the entire picture — both the positive factors and the negative factors.

And that means strong cases can become even stronger when you don't simply prove that you meet the minimum requirement.

You show the overall financial stability of the couple.

That's the biggest practical change you need to understand.

For years, many people approached this part of the process almost like a math problem:

Here's my household size. Here's my income. I meet the requirement. Done.

Going forward, I don't think that's the best way to look at it.

The better question is:

What does our complete financial picture look like?

Can we demonstrate stable income?

Do we have savings or other resources?

Does the immigrating fiancé or spouse have education, training, work experience, or skills?

Are there any financial circumstances in the case that could raise questions?

And if there are weaknesses, can we address them before the case is submitted?

That's especially important because immigration officers now have more discretion when making these decisions.

If you're planning to bring your fiancé or spouse to the United States, don't panic about the new public charge rules.

But don't ignore them either.

The minimum income requirement is still important.

It's just no longer the whole conversation.

Think about the totality of your financial situation .

Because under the new public charge approach, that's increasingly what the government is going to be looking at.

I'm Fred Wahl, the VisaCoach.

And if you're preparing to bring your fiancé or spouse to the United States, our goal is to help you prepare a strong, understandable case and identify potential problems before you file.

And for more practical information about the financial requirements for fiancé and spouse immigration, click the video on your screen.

Also subscribe to the VisaCoach channel for practical immigration guidance and updates.

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