If you have a student in the family going overseas to study, you may need to submit an affidavit of support alongside their application.
What is an affidavit of support and what does it entail? This guide has you covered for answers, and samples of how to write the letter. Read on to learn more about affidavits of support.
📝 What is an affidavit of support for a student visa?
Immigration authorities overseas want to see that students who are going to study in their country have the financial means to support themselves during their stay. Since often these students haven’t entered the workforce or have their own means of income, parents and family members support them financially.
The parents, spouse or family relation that is supporting the student is typically called a sponsor.
So a student visa application may request an affidavit of support in order to see that the student has financial support from their family during the program they are applying for. The affidavit of support is either written on letterhead or submitted through a form that is provided by the institution.
Alongside the affidavit of support, parents or family members will also typically have to provide proof of relation to the applicant. An example of this can be in the form of a birth certificate, or in the case of a spouse, a marriage certificate, amongst other qualifying documents.
The sponsor typically has to be one individual from the family, and is not a collection of family members. You can nominate one person from the family to act as the sponsor for the student applicant, or have it as 2 people such as both income earning parents. But do read the fine print carefully on student applications, because some immigration authorities may require the sponsor to be a parent or spouse, and an aunt or uncle do not qualify.
With the proof of relationship and the affidavit, a sponsor will also need to show that they have the minimum financial requirement for the student to receive a visa. Each country has their own minimum requirements for Indian students, and specific documentation to show evidence of meeting it. Many countries like to see a sponsor’s bank statements or even an ITR-V to ensure the student has adequate means to live in the country.
Is an affidavit of support required for an F1 visa interview?
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. Meeting the financial requirement sufficiently is required also in order for the Form I-20 to be issued to the student and educational institution.
An F1 visa is an international student visa issued for a college, university, high school or vocational school in the United States. ¹
F1 visa applicants will be called for an interview to verify information, assess genuine interest in studying the US and to return home to India. But most importantly, they will want to gauge the feasibility of financial support during the student’s stay in the US.
In the interview, the student will be asked about how they will fund their tuition and living expenses in the US. The student should have full knowledge and be well versed in the information in the affidavit of support letter and the origin of the finances.
If you are based in the US and are a sponsor for an international student applicant, you will need to complete the Form I-134.
What is the income requirement for an affidavit of support?
The income requirement for an affidavit of support depends on the country the student is applying to. Each country has their own requirements and it can also be dependent on the amount of time the student is required to stay. It can also differ between rural and urban campuses within a country.
Here are a few sample income requirements for countries in Europe for full time students for a 1 year program:
| Minimum Financial Requirement Annually | Amount in INR | |
|---|---|---|
| UK (London) | £12,006 | ₹12,36,618 |
| Germany | €10,332 | ₹9,15,067 |
| France | €6,150 | ₹5,44,682 |
| Italy | €5,978 | ₹5,29,449 |
INR price shown is converted at the mid-market exchange rate of €1 = ₹88.57 and £1 =₹ 103 as of June 25, 2021
✏️ How do I write an affidavit of support letter?
If you are not provided a form to complete for an affidavit of support, you will have to write your own. This is ideally done as a formal letter, typed and on personal letterhead.
The intention of an affidavit of support is to capture the following:
- Who you are
- Your relation to the student applicant
- That you intend to support the student applicant financially
- How long you intend to support the student
- That you can meet the financial requirements
- Your source of earnings
- Outline the documents included as evidence of meeting the requirements
- Signature
Here are some samples of what an affidavit of support can look like. Remember that the affidavit of support should be written by the sponsor, and not the student.
While these are a guide, it is best to write your own original letter to show genuine support for the student.
Affidavit of support of student visa: Sample 1
[Your Full Name]
[Address]
[Contact information]
[Date]
The relevant embassy or consulate
Address
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is [enter your name]. This letter is to confirm financial support for the student visa application for [enter student's full name] [passport number or application number]. The student has been accepted to [name of institution] as a full time student. As the student’s [enter familial relationship], I will be supporting their studying and living expenses while they are in the country. I have included a copy of the birth certificate/marriage certificate/other familial ties document to verify our relationship.
I intend to provide fully for all the expenses the student incurs during the length of the entire program in [applying country]. The expenses include: tuition, accommodation, meals, living expenses, study expenses and any other miscellaneous expenses during his/her stay.
Included with this letter are the bank statements [and additional documents if necessary] to show evidence of meeting the financial requirements for a student visa. I can guarantee that the student applicant will have full access to this account for the entire term he/she is a full time student overseas. I have also attached a copy of my government-issued ID to verify my details.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or for further information.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Full name]
Affidavit of support of student visa: Sample 2
[Your Full Name]
[Address]
[Contact information]
[Date]
The relevant embassy or consulate
[Address]
Subject: [Enter student’s name} - [Passport or application number]
Dear Sir or Madam,
This letter is to confirm that I will be bearing all expenses for the student applicant, [Enter student’s full name and passport/application number] for the length of their program at [enter educational institution name and location].
I confirm I am the [enter familial relationship] of the student applicant and I have enclosed the [birth certificate/marriage certificate/family relation document] with this letter for verification.
I have also attached my bank statements and income tax returns as evidence of meeting the financial requirements laid out for full time students. The student will have access to this bank account and the said funds to pay for any expenses incurred during his/her stay, including:
- Tuition
- Travel
- Food
- Medical expenses
- Accommodation
- Books and supplies
- Miscellaneous expenses
- Any unforeseen expenses
This is in addition to round trip flight tickets back home here in India. I am gainfully employed with a salary of X,XX,XXX which is able to support the student overseas. I have attached my employment contract to this letter as well.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Full name printed]
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Sources:
- US F1 visa
- Germany Financial requirements
- UK Financial Requirements
- France Financial requirements
- Italy Financial requirements
All sources checked as of 25 June, 2021
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