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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: England
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The instruction sheet for form I-130 specifically states that "affidavits sworn to or affirmed by a third party". I'm sure you can turn in an affidavit that is not sworn, but I doubt it would be as meaningful as one that is.

I interpreted "third party" to mean someone other than the couple themselves. Husband=1, Wife=2, Relative=3rd Party.

My affidavits were Affirmed by 3rd parties...I don't like to Swear.

Married Sept.3,2010

02/11/2011: I130 Sent

02/21/2011: NOA1

06/22/2011: NOA2

06/30/2011: NVC

07/05/2011: DS-3032 email received

07/05/2011: DS-3032 emailed

07/06/2011: AOS Bill received

07/06/2011: AOS Fee Paid

07/09/2011: I864 Sent

07/11/2011: IV Fee Bill received

08/30/2011: IV Fee Paid

09/30/2011: IV Pkg Sent

10/24/2011: RFE (we dragged our feet from here on)

(forget all this for now, let's go on holiday!)

03/13/2012: NVC CASE COMPLETE!!

04/05/2012: Received interview appt email

06/22/2012: Medical @ Knightsbridge

06/29/2012: Interview 8am-Result: Pending

??/??/????: I601 Filed at Lock-Box

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I interpreted "third party" to mean someone other than the couple themselves. Husband=1, Wife=2, Relative=3rd Party.

My affidavits were Affirmed by 3rd parties...I don't like to Swear.

An affidavit is "sworn" or "affirmed" under oath, by someone given the power to do so such as a notary pblic.

An affidavit ( /ˌæfɨˈdeɪvɨt/ A-fə-DAY-vət) is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public or commissioner of oaths.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affidavit

Edited by Teddy B
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Below is a copy of a proper affidavit that I found on an immigration lawyers website. Please note the bottom section used for "affirmation" by a notary public or someone of equal stature.

----------------------------------------

AFFIDAVIT

I, __________, residing at _______________________________________,

solemnly state and affirm as hereunder:

1. I am a citizen of _____________.

2. That I was born on _____________ at ______________.

3. That I am ____ years of age and have resided in the U.S. since _______.

4. That this affadavit is being submitted on behalf of the following persons:

_______________________

5. I am the (state relationship to the husband/wife or both)

6. That this affidavit is being made by me for the purpose of assuring the U.S. government that the persons named in item 4 have a true and loving relationship that was entered in good faith, and is not for the purpose of circumventing immigration laws.

7. That I acquired my knowledge of the relationship between the persons named in item 4 in the following manner:

__________________________________________________ ________

__________________________________________________ ________

__________________________________________________ ________

AFFIRMATION

I affirm that the contents of this affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Signature of person making this affidavit: _______________________________

Affirmed before me this ____ day of _________, ____

at ________________________. My commission expires on ______________.

Signature of Officer Administering Oath _________________ Title ________.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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Filed: Other Country: China
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Affidavits do not have to be notarized. Your family/friends can do that if they want, but not a requirement. The instructions do say what information needs to be included in the affidavits though.

Here is one of the affidavits I sent:

USCIS

PO BOX 804625

Chicago, IL 60680

Date

Name

Address

Dear Sir/Madame,

My name is "Slim E. Shady". I live at 154 Trailer Park Way, London, England ABC123. I was born at St. Luke's Hospital in London on the 31st of April, 1902 and I am an English Citizen. I have resided in London all my life. I am writing you today to affirm that I was Best Man at the wedding of Mr."West Ham United" to Mrs. "New York Yankee" and was also a sworn witness to the marriage on the 3rd of September, 2010 at Artington House, Guildford, Surrey UK.

I have known West Ham United for seven years now, as he is my fiance's brother. I first met Mrs. Yankee in February 2008, when I accompanied Mr. United to Heathrow Airport to pick up Mrs. Yankee. Since then I have spent a lot of time with both of them whenever Mrs. Yankee comes to visit. They are a great couple. When Mrs. Yankee visits, she stays with Mr. United at his home on 79 Trailer Park Way, London, England which is just down the road from me.

Sincerely,

Slim E. Shady

This is an excellent affidavit BECAUSE the affiant has spent time observing the couple. If it were me, I would have been more specific about what was meant by "a lot of time" but it isn't critical BECAUSE these affidavits are not critical. Unless the affiant has actual knowledge of the relationship, I would skip the affidavits. For the UK, I would skip them anyway. Evidence of time spent together is always the strongest and London is an extremely low fraud post at least as it concerns native UK citizens.

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: England
Timeline

See, this is where USCIS wording gets confusing. If all affidavits have to be notarized to be legal, then why doesn't the Affidavit of Support have to be notarized? I personally took the instructions word for word and unless something specifically said Must Be notarized, or Does Not need to be notarized...that is what I followed.

I called USCIS to inquire about this and this was the response from the operator, "if the instructions don't say they have to be notarized, then they don't". Do I put full trust in what she says, NO not necessarily.

It can't hurt to notarize/endorse a letter, so have your friend/relative do it, if you feel that it will bear more weight. Is it absolutely, positively required? I don't think so..

Married Sept.3,2010

02/11/2011: I130 Sent

02/21/2011: NOA1

06/22/2011: NOA2

06/30/2011: NVC

07/05/2011: DS-3032 email received

07/05/2011: DS-3032 emailed

07/06/2011: AOS Bill received

07/06/2011: AOS Fee Paid

07/09/2011: I864 Sent

07/11/2011: IV Fee Bill received

08/30/2011: IV Fee Paid

09/30/2011: IV Pkg Sent

10/24/2011: RFE (we dragged our feet from here on)

(forget all this for now, let's go on holiday!)

03/13/2012: NVC CASE COMPLETE!!

04/05/2012: Received interview appt email

06/22/2012: Medical @ Knightsbridge

06/29/2012: Interview 8am-Result: Pending

??/??/????: I601 Filed at Lock-Box

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Filed: Other Country: China
Timeline

See, this is where USCIS wording gets confusing. If all affidavits have to be notarized to be legal, then why doesn't the Affidavit of Support have to be notarized? I personally took the instructions word for word and unless something specifically said Must Be notarized, or Does Not need to be notarized...that is what I followed.

I called USCIS to inquire about this and this was the response from the operator, "if the instructions don't say they have to be notarized, then they don't". Do I put full trust in what she says, NO not necessarily.

It can't hurt to notarize/endorse a letter, so have your friend/relative do it, if you feel that it will bear more weight. Is it absolutely, positively required? I don't think so..

If one insists on using affidavits as evidence, then they should be notarized. Otherwise, they carry no meaning whatsoever. You could forge your own affidavit with anybody's name. Some common sense goes a long ways here.

The I-864 is signed under penalty of perjury by a US Citizen or LPR actually living in the USA and subject to US prosecution for perjury. The notarization block was removed when the "perjury" phrase was added. Different animal entirely.

Edited by pushbrk

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Colombia
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Affidavits should attest to what people know about the evolution of the relationship, not just what they observed during a wedding and/or party. The marriage certificate is all that is needed as evidence the couple are married. Fake relationships have weddings and parties too.

Typical mentally of liking to acuse someone of being "guilty" until proven other wise

Citizenship

6/24/2016: Mailed N-400 package via USPS from Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan

7/11/2016: Received NOA1 dated 7/5/2016

11/3/2016: Received email from USCIS-Seoul Office with Naturalization appt set for 11/30/2016

11/30/2016: Naturalization Interview on Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan. N-400 Approved

12/1/2016: Naturalization Ceremony

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Colombia
Timeline

If one insists on using affidavits as evidence, then they should be notarized. Otherwise, they carry no meaning whatsoever. You could forge your own affidavit with anybody's name. Some common sense goes a long ways here.

The I-864 is signed under penalty of perjury by a US Citizen or LPR actually living in the USA and subject to US prosecution for perjury. The notarization block was removed when the "perjury" phrase was added. Different animal entirely.

Just curious is there any intent in your posts to instill fear or anything of that nature?? Is there any need to repeteadly make use of words such as forge, counterfeit, fraud, perjury ... which obviously carry all a negative connotation?? OP is just asking a simple question about sworn affidavits and you're leading the posts to a completely different level

Citizenship

6/24/2016: Mailed N-400 package via USPS from Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan

7/11/2016: Received NOA1 dated 7/5/2016

11/3/2016: Received email from USCIS-Seoul Office with Naturalization appt set for 11/30/2016

11/30/2016: Naturalization Interview on Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan. N-400 Approved

12/1/2016: Naturalization Ceremony

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Filed: Other Country: China
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Typical mentally of liking to acuse someone of being "guilty" until proven other wise

Exactly correct. That's what Consular Officers do on a regular basis. You gotta think like the person you're trying to convince. They already know the marriage was legal. No affidavit adds evidence to a proper marriage certificate on that score.

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

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Filed: Other Country: China
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Just curious is there any intent in your posts to instill fear or anything of that nature?? Is there any need to repeteadly make use of words such as forge, counterfeit, fraud, perjury ... which obviously carry all a negative connotation?? OP is just asking a simple question about sworn affidavits and you're leading the posts to a completely different level

I explained the difference between the affidavit of support and third party affidavits with regard to the need for notarization, including the why. It's not "negative". It's "actual". What would be a negative thing would be to have a friend jump through a useless hoop. If one fears reality, that's not on me.

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

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See, this is where USCIS wording gets confusing. If all affidavits have to be notarized to be legal, then why doesn't the Affidavit of Support have to be notarized? I personally took the instructions word for word and unless something specifically said Must Be notarized, or Does Not need to be notarized...that is what I followed.

I called USCIS to inquire about this and this was the response from the operator, "if the instructions don't say they have to be notarized, then they don't". Do I put full trust in what she says, NO not necessarily.

It can't hurt to notarize/endorse a letter, so have your friend/relative do it, if you feel that it will bear more weight. Is it absolutely, positively required? I don't think so..

The words "sworn" and "affirmed" mean under oath or notarized in the legal sense.

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: England
Timeline

If one insists on using affidavits as evidence, then they should be notarized. Otherwise, they carry no meaning whatsoever. You could forge your own affidavit with anybody's name. Some common sense goes a long ways here.

The I-864 is signed under penalty of perjury by a US Citizen or LPR actually living in the USA and subject to US prosecution for perjury. The notarization block was removed when the "perjury" phrase was added. Different animal entirely.

That makes more sense to me now. And I did think to myself that anyone could write an affidavit and sign it, but endorsement by a solicitor isn't cheap in the UK and felt it was asking a bit much. The adjudicating officer could have dismissed my letters for not being notarized, one will never know.

Like you said pushbrk, the UK is a low marriage fraud country so it was probably not much help in our case to include them anyway but didn't have much evidence otherwise. I figured if they questioned the genuity they had name & address to contact the person if they had doubts or would issue a RFE if what I sent wasn't sufficient. Didn't get an RFE for I-130 so that was a plus.

Married Sept.3,2010

02/11/2011: I130 Sent

02/21/2011: NOA1

06/22/2011: NOA2

06/30/2011: NVC

07/05/2011: DS-3032 email received

07/05/2011: DS-3032 emailed

07/06/2011: AOS Bill received

07/06/2011: AOS Fee Paid

07/09/2011: I864 Sent

07/11/2011: IV Fee Bill received

08/30/2011: IV Fee Paid

09/30/2011: IV Pkg Sent

10/24/2011: RFE (we dragged our feet from here on)

(forget all this for now, let's go on holiday!)

03/13/2012: NVC CASE COMPLETE!!

04/05/2012: Received interview appt email

06/22/2012: Medical @ Knightsbridge

06/29/2012: Interview 8am-Result: Pending

??/??/????: I601 Filed at Lock-Box

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: England
Timeline

The words "sworn" and "affirmed" mean under oath or notarized in the legal sense.

I understand what you are saying in normal legalese, but in US Immigration the rules seem to vary. For example, the I-601 waiver is submitted with numerous Affidavits & supporting documents...none which need to be notarized according to immigration lawyers.

Anyway, if we had a USCIS officer to comment on this it would be helpful because the customer service reps aren't giving out correct info if what you are saying is in fact required for this form.

Married Sept.3,2010

02/11/2011: I130 Sent

02/21/2011: NOA1

06/22/2011: NOA2

06/30/2011: NVC

07/05/2011: DS-3032 email received

07/05/2011: DS-3032 emailed

07/06/2011: AOS Bill received

07/06/2011: AOS Fee Paid

07/09/2011: I864 Sent

07/11/2011: IV Fee Bill received

08/30/2011: IV Fee Paid

09/30/2011: IV Pkg Sent

10/24/2011: RFE (we dragged our feet from here on)

(forget all this for now, let's go on holiday!)

03/13/2012: NVC CASE COMPLETE!!

04/05/2012: Received interview appt email

06/22/2012: Medical @ Knightsbridge

06/29/2012: Interview 8am-Result: Pending

??/??/????: I601 Filed at Lock-Box

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Filed: Other Country: China
Timeline

I understand what you are saying in normal legalese, but in US Immigration the rules seem to vary. For example, the I-601 waiver is submitted with numerous Affidavits & supporting documents...none which need to be notarized according to immigration lawyers.

Anyway, if we had a USCIS officer to comment on this it would be helpful because the customer service reps aren't giving out correct info if what you are saying is in fact required for this form.

Since the affidavits from third parties are not required documents, there are only guidelines, not specific rules. If you want your third party affidavit to carry any actual weight in the decision making process, it will contain meaningful information about the relationship, full contact information for the signer and the signature will be witnessed by a Notary Public or equivalent.

Generally, other evidence is more meaningful and less intrusive to obtain, at least in a visa case. For quickie marriages followed by adjustment of status that MIGHT be considered fake, affidavits from folks who have observed the relationship evolve, can be helpful. (By quickie marriages, I mean the kind done just before removal proceedings are initiated, you know, the kind that can easily by construed as for immigration purposes only.)

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

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