Marriage affidavits content & process to get them?

[raj1975 10]

can someone tell me how to get marriage affidavits from different people as a witness of your marriage and what should the content say? and should this be notarized etc etc.

[Darnell 8,478]

what types of notarization service is available to your spouse in Armenia?

[Lisamarie 79]

This was what my lawyer told me to have family members/friends include in affidavits after we received an RFE. We had affidavits in our original petition but they weren't detailed enough. Try to get them from as many family members as possible, on both sides.

• How long the person has known you/him
• Their relationship to you/him
• How often the person sees you/him and how often the person speaks/emails with you/him
• How they learned that you were dating each other
• Whether the person has met you, him, or both.
• Details that they know about how you met (online, during a trip, etc.)
• Details that they know about how many times you have visited each other
• Details that they know about how often you spoke/speak to each other by phone/email
• Other details that they know about the manner of your courtship
• Details that they know about how you came to the decision to marry
• Details that they know about the wedding (travel arrangements, how the wedding was planned, etc.)
• Each person needs to sign and date the statement
• Each person needs to include right above the signature: "I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge."

Also, we wrote our own personal statements, that were 3-4 pages long, about our relationship from the beginning to the present, our future plans, how we feel about each other, etc. Very important!!

can someone tell me how to get marriage affidavits from different people as a witness of your marriage and what should the content say? and should this be notarized etc etc.

Edited February 19, 2011 by Lisamarie

[EAbbas 213]

Somtimes you can find samples of these written so you can use it as a guide to create yours...we had my friend from usa do one as well as my husbands sister, brother, dad and his uncles and brother in law who planned our wedding and were witnesses

[NaCl 2]

My wife and I are newly married so we had little documentation other than our affidavits. I just did one from my mother and one from my sister (who was our witness and only other person at the wedding). I cant remember if I got the template off of VJ or if I just googled affidavit template. Mine were only about 1/2 page long each, but there wasn't a whole lot of other information I could think to include when I was done. Its not super important what the format is, so long as it contains stuff like "Affidavit in support of I-130 petition on behalf of (beneficiary's name)" Then the person's information (I John Doe, age 28 residing at 123 ABC road wish to provide the following statement...) Then their signature and the date on the bottom and in some way the certifier should note "SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me

this XX day of XX, 2011."

The documents MUST BE CERTIFIED IN SOME WAY. In the US, most banks provide free notary services. You have to have the person making the statement go in with their statement (you can accompany them, though it is not necessary)and a government ID. The notaries we used were a bit confused and one of them completed what she called a "jurat" and the other just provided a statement that she witnessed the document signed by such and such person residing at such and such address as proven by their ID. Each country does it slightly differently, but you should be able to obtain something similar in foreign countries. You may obtain them from friends/family in the states, or your spouse's family/friends abroad, whichever is easier. The person does not necessarily have to have been at your wedding (although it is probably best if at least one was), so long as they have detailed knowledge of your relationship, how it started, how it progressed and what you plan for the future.

At least this is what I did and had no problems with. Others experiences may have differed.

haha, I forgot to add we had our civil ceremony and then went down the street straight after to get my witnesse's statement notarized. We were not wasting any time nosiree.

Edited February 19, 2011 by NaCl

[pushbrk 12,898]

can someone tell me how to get marriage affidavits from different people as a witness of your marriage and what should the content say? and should this be notarized etc etc.

My advice is to simply not bother with any affidavit that affirms nothing more than that somebody was at a ceremony or party. For an affidavit to mean anything, it needs to affirm what somebody knows about the evolution of your relationship. Even then, the simply are NOT required. Your evidence of time spent together, communication evidence and photos are sufficient at the petition stage.

[EAbbas 213]

My advice is to simply not bother with any affidavit that affirms nothing more than that somebody was at a ceremony or party. For an affidavit to mean anything, it needs to affirm what somebody knows about the evolution of your relationship. Even then, the simply are NOT required. Your evidence of time spent together, communication evidence and photos are sufficient at the petition stage.

That's true but for some of us we don't have much actual time spent with eachother in real...so the two weeks I was with my husband we took many photos but unfortunately we have to also rely on the affadavits from those who knew about the evolution of our relationship up to the wedding and after to include with the two weeks of photos and other evidence over the last two years of communication and sincerity.

[Bass 1]

My advice is to simply not bother with any affidavit that affirms nothing more than that somebody was at a ceremony or party. For an affidavit to mean anything, it needs to affirm what somebody knows about the evolution of your relationship. Even then, the simply are NOT required. Your evidence of time spent together, communication evidence and photos are sufficient at the petition stage.

[Lisamarie 79]

If you're petitioning for your spouse from Pakistan which is most likely a high fraud country, the affidavits are really important. They show that the family knows about and approves your marriage and from both sides and the fact that many family members are aware of it and of your continued relationship, is very important. Just my opinion but it really helped us in our RFE.

That's true but for some of us we don't have much actual time spent with eachother in real...so the two weeks I was with my husband we took many photos but unfortunately we have to also rely on the affadavits from those who knew about the evolution of our relationship up to the wedding and after to include with the two weeks of photos and other evidence over the last two years of communication and sincerity.

[EAbbas 213]

If you're petitioning for your spouse from Pakistan which is most likely a high fraud country, the affidavits are really important. They show that the family knows about and approves your marriage and from both sides and the fact that many family members are aware of it and of your continued relationship, is very important. Just my opinion but it really helped us in our RFE.

exactly...I've actually been estranged from my own family for years but my friends knew about it all..as well as all his fam...all his 7 uncles etc came with their families to our mehndi nikah and valima...so yeah...it was important for us to use those..especially the ones from his father and uncles.. thanks!

[EAbbas 213]

hey off subject...where did you get that great flag??

[pushbrk 12,898]

If you're petitioning for your spouse from Pakistan which is most likely a high fraud country, the affidavits are really important. They show that the family knows about and approves your marriage and from both sides and the fact that many family members are aware of it and of your continued relationship, is very important. Just my opinion but it really helped us in our RFE.

Again, affidavits can be useful if they are about something more than having attended a ceremony or party.

[Lisamarie 79]

Are you asking me about the flag? A friend on VJ made it for me. I can ask if they'll make you one too:)

exactly...I've actually been estranged from my own family for years but my friends knew about it all..as well as all his fam...all his 7 uncles etc came with their families to our mehndi nikah and valima...so yeah...it was important for us to use those..especially the ones from his father and uncles.. thanks!

[Darnell 8,478]

Ya Know, I've watched all of your posts, all of your questions here on VisaJourney.com. To the best of my knowledge, I have to classify you as a 'mobile phone user',

as

you, apparently, aren't reading.

Why aren't you reading? Yer using a mobile phone for yer internet access, and mostly, the menus at the top of the page are not so viewable.

Can you, please, switch to a PC? A Personal Computer? Winders or MAC, any browser you want,

and then.... (wait for it...)

Click on the word 'Guides' up at the top.

Ya can't miss it, it's in the blue range, highlighted in White.

Once you get to 'Guides'

then read the entire page.

Find the Guide that applies to yer particular type of casefile.

If any ancillary links, like an NVC FLOWCHART, read those as well.

Don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader Installed on yer pooter?

wow - now is the best time to install it, as the FLOWCHART for NVC

Processing is in Reader format, and you have to download something.

then... as you have a moment to rest... when yer thinking.....

get a big piece of paper (11 x 17 inches is best)

then dig out a blue or green crayon (I like blue, btw)

and make a diagram of

where you are...........

what's next.............

what documents you must produce (emphasis on production here)

and then........

Find LingChe on the wiki... Come on - I dare ya to find it... Really.. Come On...

Once you've found it, dig out yer crayon again, and start making copious notes.

Then, as you've made these copious notes, get a clean sheet of paper,

and make the diagram again.

Then make 2 copies.

Send one to yer spouse, send the 2nd one to yer favourite Uncle.

Keep yer original in your satchel, as you'll review it daily.

Then, when you have a spare moment, O Raj,

Change your user profile to reflect which country yer spouse is really in;

Change yer TimeLine to reflect the country yer spouse is really in;

and then ... (again, wait for it............)

click on the 'portal page'

and you'll see a wealth of information, in the form of clickable links,

that pertain to yer particular Embassy.

Study the Embassy info, Study the Timelines for yer country (of Spouse),

mark yer calendar,

and...

go forth...

----

Should you fail to do any of this stuff...

then..

I have to think...

yer really in the wrong place, as

VisaJourney.com is a DIY Immigration web portal,

with an emphasis on 'Y' (YOU) and 'D' (Do)...

Doing it yerself is mondo fricking important,

and VJ has all the info you need.

It's up to you to find it, assimilate it, and act on it.

Read, Man, Read !!

Please?

Purty Please??

Purty Please with Mutton Curry on it???

[Lisamarie 79]

Right....well they have to be from family members or friends that have a lot of knowledge or awareness about your relationship or marriage since the beginning (or close to it) to be useful.

Again, affidavits can be useful if they are about something more than having attended a ceremony or party.