Study Guide
What is an Affidavit of Support for a Student Visa in the USA?
In this blog post, you will find every detail about the affidavit of support for student visa, including the requirement and cost.
After being accepted by a university in the United States, the next step is to submit a slew of paperwork to take admission.
In this article, we will explain everything about the student affidavit of support and provide you with further information about the papers.
The United States has one of the most stringent immigration policies in the world. Before granting a student visa, they want to be confident in the candidate’s financial situation.
An affidavit of support is a contract signed and proclaimed by an individual to guarantee the minimum level of financial support required by a student to pay for living expenses, tuition fees, books, and supplies for the duration of his or her studies.
As a result, a student visa application may request an affidavit of support to ensure that the student will get financial support from their family during the program for which they are applying. The affidavit of support is either written on letterhead or filed using the institution’s form.
Along with the statement of support, parents or other family members are usually required to submit proof of their relationship to the applicant. A birth certificate or, in the case of a spouse, a marriage certificate, among other qualifying documents, are examples of this.
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What is the income requirement for an Affidavit of support in 2024?
The income required for an affidavit of support varies depending on the country where the student wishes to study. Each country has its standards, which might also vary depending on how long the student is expected to stay. Within a country, it might also differ between rural and urban campuses.
If you read more, you will discover a lot about this.
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Affidavit of Support
Applicants must provide an affidavit of support before the institution can award them an I-20 form. This document confirms that you have the financial means to manage your stay in the United States.
The sponsor supplies it as proof of sponsorship for the visa applicant, demonstrating that they have sufficient income or a source of funds to support the applicant while he or she is in the United States. The Affidavit of Support is referred to differently at each university. Here are a few terms for an affidavit of support:
Statement of Undergraduate Sponsorship Form I-134 Affidavit of Financial Support Financial Resources Statement Financial Declaration and Certification
Simply displaying the money you or your sponsor (parents or guardians) have will not suffice. You must obtain confirmation from a credible source, such as your bank, that the money is indeed present. Your final admission confirmation will not be finalized until you have submitted your Affidavit of Support.
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When is an Affidavit of Support required?
First and foremost, you should understand why you require the ‘Affidavit of Support.’ All of these stages follow after you have finished the application process. Before submitting an affidavit of support, the following steps will be taken:
- First, the university reviews a student’s application and then expresses its intent to admit a student to a particular course.
- Students must accept the offer after receiving preliminary acceptance from the university.
- After accepting the offer, students must contact the International Programs Officer.
- The International Programs Officer helps students to move ahead with their visa applications. The officer also helps in submitting the affidavit of support to the university.
- After this, the affidavit of support has to be submitted
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What happens after submitting an Affidavit of Support
All documentation supplied by students, including an affidavit of support, is processed by the university. After reviewing all the documentation and determining that the university is pleased with the contents of the affidavit of support, the I-20 is issued.
The student’s sponsor is the student’s parents, relatives, or any family member who financially supports the student’s education.
When a student applies for a study visa, he or she must now submit an affidavit of support to prove to the visa or consulate authorities that he or she has a sponsor who will support his or her financial needs while in the United States.
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Affidavit of Support for Scholarship Students
This must be the issue on the minds of students who have earned a scholarship (even if it is a full scholarship): do they need to show the Affidavit of Support or not? Or what to do if the university requires you to include the full tuition payment.
To begin with, it does not imply that you must pay the sum. You are not required to pay the fee, and your scholarship remains binding.
However, in rare situations, US institutions may require you to provide scholarship documents with your affidavit of support.
In other situations, students receive a partial scholarship, such as 75%, in which case they must file an Affidavit of Support. This assists the university in determining whether or not a student can pay the difference between the tuition cost and the scholarship amount.
Bank Balance Certificate: This is a document issued by your or the sponsor’s bank that shows the amount of money in the account holder’s account. The account holder, in this case, is either you or your sponsor.
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Affidavit of Support for F1 Visa
The United States government allows students from India and other nations to enter the country on an F1 visa to pursue higher education at American universities.
However, Indian students seeking an F1 or student visa must provide an affidavit of support. It attests to students’ ability to support their education and living expenses in the United States.
When a university issues an I-20 form, it indicates that a student has been admitted to a program and has demonstrated financial capability to pursue the course and finance living expenses.
Students must know all the information they provide while applying for an F1 visa. Officials in charge of visas may ask questions based on the information you provided in the affidavit of support.
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Documents Required to prove the ability to pay
Students must carefully manage the documentation process to demonstrate their financial capabilities to study in the United States.
Documents such as academic transcripts, SOP, LOR, passports, and so on must be presented to demonstrate financial stability. Other documents that must be shown to demonstrate financial stability include:
- Bank statement (usually of the last year)
- Loan sanction documents statement (usually of the last year)
- I-20 form
- Salary documents of the sponsors
- Scholarship documents (if applicable)
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How do I write an Affidavit of Support letter?
If you are not given a form to fill out for an affidavit of support, you must write your own. This is best done in the form of a formal letter, typed and on personal letterhead.
- The purpose of an affidavit of support is to document the following:
- Who are you?
- Your relationship to the student applicant that you intend to assist the student applicant financially.
- How long do you intend to assist the student?
- That you are capable of meeting the financial criteria
- Your source of income Outline the documentation used to demonstrate compliance with the standards. Signature
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Is an Affidavit of Support Required for an F1 visa interview?
If the student needs a sponsor to meet the financial requirements, an affidavit of support is required as part of the application package. The student and the educational institution must meet the financial requirements to receive Form I-20.
An F1 visa is an international student visa that allows you to study at a college, university, high school, or vocational school in the United States. ¹
F1 visa candidates will be called in for an interview to verify information, determine genuine interest in studying in the United States, and return to India. Most significantly, they will want to assess the viability of financial assistance during the student’s stay in the United States.
During the interview, the student will be asked how they plan to support their tuition and living expenses in the United States. The student should be fully aware of the contents of the affidavit of support letter and the source of the funds.
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How to Submit your Affidavit Support
The application should be submitted to the consular office with jurisdiction over the sponsor’s home country. If the student resides in the United States, the Affidavit of Support package can be submitted along with the visa application.
If the application is accepted, the legalized affidavit of support and payment receipt will be emailed to the sponsor, who will forward it to the student. We solely provide electronic legalizations. There will be no hard copies returned to the applicant.
If the application is incomplete or sent to the incorrect consular office, it may be returned or processed later.
We are not liable for things that are lost during shipping. We recommend going with a tracking-enabled alternative. Do not use metered postage when sending to the Consulate General in New York.
Please be aware that the Belgian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Belgian Consulate General in New York no longer work with FedEx (you can use UPS or USPS).
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Affidavit Support Processing Time
The current processing time for Form I-864 is 11-20 months, although this will vary based on your case. Because Form I-864 is submitted as part of a family-based green card application, the processing time is the time it takes to approve your green card application.
The simplest way to avoid a delay in your green card application is to file all your documents accurately the first time. With Boundless, our experts will assist you in avoiding typical mistakes and ensuring that your forms and papers are ready for attorney review.
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FAQs
An Affidavit of Support is a document an individual signs accepting financial responsibility for the applicant who will be coming to live in the United States.
Those willing to stay in the U.S., their parents and their relatives can be accommodated as sponsors.
Yes, an affidavit of support is required as part of the student’s application package if the student requires a sponsor to meet the financial requirements.
Unfortunately, you can’t petition for a foreign national’s visa or green card if they aren’t family members.
Conclusion
Before studying abroad in the US, you must be financially prepared to take on any expenses whatsoever; that’s why it is essential to provide the Affidavit of Support to prove your capability financially.
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