Affidavits - Poll

[Permanent Ban 0]

I have to totally agree with James on this one and it seems that VJers have misconstrued exactly what USCIS is asking for. A sworn affidavit is NOT a notarized letter.

So what if you include a notarized letter instead of a sworn statement?

It's still evidence of sorts, isn't it?

Sure, of sorts.

Converting that evidence of sorts into an affidavit is trivial, though. Just a matter of the language you use.

We included 2 affidavits, so far we have NOA1 but our case isn't online so no idea if we've been RFEd or not

[nin 1]

No affidavits here, actually not much of anything besides tax returns and the kids' birth certificates. We've gone the minimal evidence route since the K1 visa.

Still waiting for any sign of something going on at the NSC, filed for lifting of conditions in January According to the processing times we'll get something in a month or two. Time to file for naturalization in 2½ months.

[ladybird216 2]

I have to totally agree with James on this one and it seems that VJers have misconstrued exactly what USCIS is asking for. A sworn affidavit is NOT a notarized letter.

So what if you include a notarized letter instead of a sworn statement?

It's still evidence of sorts, isn't it?

Sure, of sorts.

Converting that evidence of sorts into an affidavit is trivial, though. Just a matter of the language you use.

We included 2 affidavits, so far we have NOA1 but our case isn't online so no idea if we've been RFEd or not

Did you include 2 Affidavits or 2 Notarized Letters? .... the point I am trying to raise is that they are 2 totally different things.

If you have a letter notarized, then the notary public is just witnessing that the signature on the letter is yours.

According to Wikipedia though....

An affidavit is a formal sworn statement of fact, signed by the declarant (who is called the affiant or deponent) and witnessed (as to the veracity of the affiant's signature) by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public. The name is Medieval Latin for he has declared upon oath.

So, as I see it, the notary public would be witnessing that the content of the affidavit is 'fact'. In Colorado, the wording of an Affidavit starts out.....

BEFORE ME, the undersigned Notary, ___________________________________________________ [name of Notary before whom affidavit is sworn], on this _________________ [day of month] day of _________________ [month], 20____, personally appeared ___________________________________________________ [name of affiant], known to me to be a credible person and of lawful age, who being by me first duly sworn, on ________ [his or her] oath, deposes and says:

I guess what I am trying to say is, that if you want to send in letters, then it can't hurt your case. But most people here are not sending in affidavits.

Edited November 3, 2007 by ladybird216

[Permanent Ban 0]

I have to totally agree with James on this one and it seems that VJers have misconstrued exactly what USCIS is asking for. A sworn affidavit is NOT a notarized letter.

So what if you include a notarized letter instead of a sworn statement?

It's still evidence of sorts, isn't it?

Sure, of sorts.

Converting that evidence of sorts into an affidavit is trivial, though. Just a matter of the language you use.

We included 2 affidavits, so far we have NOA1 but our case isn't online so no idea if we've been RFEd or not

Did you include 2 Affidavits or 2 Notarized Letters? .... the point I am trying to raise is that they are 2 totally different things.

If you have a letter notarized, then the notary public is just witnessing that the signature on the letter is yours.

According to Wikipedia though....

An affidavit is a formal sworn statement of fact, signed by the declarant (who is called the affiant or deponent) and witnessed (as to the veracity of the affiant's signature) by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public. The name is Medieval Latin for he has declared upon oath.

So, as I see it, the notary public would be witnessing that the content of the affidavit is 'fact'. In Colorado, the wording of an Affidavit starts out.....

BEFORE ME, the undersigned Notary, ___________________________________________________ [name of Notary before whom affidavit is sworn], on this _________________ [day of month] day of _________________ [month], 20____, personally appeared ___________________________________________________ [name of affiant], known to me to be a credible person and of lawful age, who being by me first duly sworn, on ________ [his or her] oath, deposes and says:

I guess what I am trying to say is, that if you want to send in letters, then it can't hurt your case. But most people here are not sending in affidavits.

You asking me?

I sent affidavits.

[ladybird216 2]

Sorry Arijit.....yes I was asking you. Also I should have known that you would have known the difference. Thanks for clearing that up

[Cassie 8]

I sent in 4 whatevers, and am still waiting.

[designermedusa 0]

I have a question. My mother had her affidavit notarized the other day, and she signed it in pencil. Is that okay? If not can she sign in pen above her penciled signature?

Edited November 4, 2007 by designermedusa

[buckeye6976 0]

2 observations

1 is that it probably isn't an Affidavit but a Notarized letter and

2 is that it probably hasn't been properly Notarized if it was signed in pencil.

But I guess some States may allow a signature in pencil.

Just my thoughts

[jsnearline 2]

It seems funny to me that USCIS does not have an affidavit template to use for this requirement. Since I couldn't find anything official, I took some language from an affidavit of support and made modifications to it. Here's what we came up with:

________________________________________________________________________________

I, FIRST M. LAST, residing at ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP, being duly sworn depose and say:

I was born on MONTH, DD, YYYY at CITY, COUNTRY.

This Affidavit is executed on behalf of NAME OF COUPLE in support of their Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence.

(IN THIS SPACE, STATE HOW YOU CAME TO KNOW THE COUPLE AND DESCRIBE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP)

I swear (affirm) that I know the contents of this Affidavit signed by me and that the statements are true and correct. I understand that I may be required to testify before an immigration officer as to the information contained in this Affidavit.

__________________________________________________

FIRST M. LAST

Subscribed and sworn to (affirmed) before me this

_____day of __________________at ____________________

My commission expires on: ____________________________

Title: ______________________________________________

Signature of Officer Administering Oath

___________________________________________________

[Kajikit 65]

It seems funny to me that USCIS does not have an affidavit template to use for this requirement. Since I couldn't find anything official, I took some language from an affidavit of support and made modifications to it. Here's what we came up with:

________________________________________________________________________________

I, FIRST M. LAST, residing at ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP, being duly sworn depose and say:

I was born on MONTH, DD, YYYY at CITY, COUNTRY.

This Affidavit is executed on behalf of NAME OF COUPLE in support of their Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence.

(IN THIS SPACE, STATE HOW YOU CAME TO KNOW THE COUPLE AND DESCRIBE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP)

I swear (affirm) that I know the contents of this Affidavit signed by me and that the statements are true and correct. I understand that I may be required to testify before an immigration officer as to the information contained in this Affidavit.

__________________________________________________

FIRST M. LAST

Subscribed and sworn to (affirmed) before me this

_____day of __________________at ____________________

My commission expires on: ____________________________

Title: ______________________________________________

Signature of Officer Administering Oath

___________________________________________________

Thanks for sharing this... it's easier to give to someone else to use as a template than the form somebody else posted...

[Jenn! 918]

Thought I would bump this to get some new votes...

[coloradogirl 0]

We sent 3 or 4 letters, can't remember right off since it's been 14 months now!!!!

I had them notarized (because I thought that's what I read somewhere to do...) here at work, and as I recall the notary had something about sworn something or other on her stamp. Anyway, we still had plenty of other evidence, I just included the letters for good measure.

[bettenan 1]

I also voted N/A. We did not include affidavits and are still waiting. We had several people to ask and if was just a matter of writing a letter it would be fine, but coordinating people to schlep to a notary etc. just seemed like an imposition that we didn't think was necessary. We felt our application stood on its own..of course we know if we get an RFE we'll have those nice friends to fall back on. Fingers and toes crossed (for us and the rest of the waiting Vjers out there especially the long suffering TSC's/or TSC/VSC's )

[mawilson 2,133]

We didn't send in any of that #######. Plenty of other evidence though.

[Ashish 1]

I also voted N/A. We did not include affidavits and are still waiting. We had several people to ask and if was just a matter of writing a letter it would be fine, but coordinating people to schlep to a notary etc. just seemed like an imposition that we didn't think was necessary. We felt our application stood on its own..of course we know if we get an RFE we'll have those nice friends to fall back on. Fingers and toes crossed (for us and the rest of the waiting Vjers out there especially the long suffering TSC's/or TSC/VSC's )

Same here.... applied without affidavits. Will see how that goes!