Affidavit of Support for Student Visa (2025)

What is an Affidavit of Support for a Student Visa?

It is a document that showcases that the student is financially stable enough to bear the cost of studying and living in the US.

• It is a legal document, in which the sponsor (an affiant) declares that he/she has the required funds needed to support the applicant’s (the student) education in the US University.
• The foreign emigrants authority is required to know whether you are capable of studying in the country and the guardians of the student provide them with the form and required documents to show their financial stability.
• The sponsor’s financial responsibility usually lasts until the student becomes a US citizen or can be credited with 40 hours of work for 10 years, under the Social Security Act.

Different terminologies are used by different Universities for affidavits of support for student visa. Given below are some of the terms used for an affidavit of support for a student visa in India.

• Undergraduate Sponsor Statement
• Financial Resources Statement
• Form I-134
• Affidavit of Financial Support
• Declaration & Certification of Finances

Affidavit of Support and F1 Visa

Applicants are required to showcase their financial stability to be considered eligible to get an F1 Visa.

• An affidavit of Support is required to be presented by the applicant to receive the I-20 Form by the University.
• I-20 is issued by the university that has been certified by the US government to admit Indian students.
• The form indicates that you have been admitted to the program and have shown proof of your financial capability to sustain your studies and living expenses.

While applying for an F1 Visa, students should be fully prepared and aware of the details put out by them in the form. Affidavit of Support is an important document showing your required financial capabilities. The visa officer may ask about the content provided in the Affidavit of Support by the applicant.

Also Check: US Student Visa Requirements

Document required for Affidavit of Support

Applicants are required to provide many documents to prove their financial stability to be able to study and live in US. Along with academic transcripts, SOP, LORs, passports, etc., applicants need to show the following documents to prove their financial stability.

• ITR Statement (preferably for the last one year)
• Bank Statement (usually for the last one year)
• Scholarship documents (if applicable)
• Loan sanction documents
• Salary documents of the sponsors
• I-20 Form

Affidavit of Support – When is it required?

Affidavit of Support is required once the application process has begun. Given below are the steps needed to be followed by the applicant before submitting an Affidavit of Support.

• The University scrutinizes the application submitted by the student and then communicates their intent to accept the application.
• After getting the initial acceptance, the student must take the offer from the University.
• After taking the offer, students are required to contact the International Program Officer, who helps the students to move ahead with the visa.
• The Program Officer then helps the student to submit the Affidavit of Support.

After submission of the Affidavit of Support, the university processes the documents. The university then issues the I-20 Form, once satisfied with the Affidavit and other documents to ensure admission.

How much fund are required to get an Affidavit of Support?

Here's a table summarizing the financial requirements to get an Affidavit of Support for an F-1 student visa:

Note-: Students must show the stated amount two months post-issuance of the student visa in their bank account.

Format of Affidavit of Support

Usually, the University provides the form but if not provided, the applicants must write the form on their own. Given below are the points to be included in the form in the Affidavit of Support form.

• Address and name of a sponsor
• Name and address of the student receiving the funds
• Relationship between the student and the sponsor
• An explanation of the sponsorship's budget, duration, and objectives
• Signature of the sponsor

Along with the form, the applicant must also attach documents proving their financial condition, like bank documents, source of income, etc.

Sample of Affidavit of Support

Below is a sample of affidavit of support for student visa application which is to be written by the sponsor:

Importance of Affidavit of Support

International students studying in USA are required to have some funding to back their tuition and living expenses.

• The students are required to have a sponsor, or simply, someone who will look after their expenses. Family members, relatives, or anyone who financially supports the student to study abroad is called the sponsor.
• The Affidavit of Support is a document submitted along with the visa application to prove that the applicant has a sponsor who possesses the required funds.
• While nominating the sponsor, applicants should keep in mind that the sponsor should be someone from the family or, in some, case close to the family.

Also Check: Scholarships to Study in USA

The rules regarding this are clearly stated in the form which has to be followed to get accepted. The Affidavit of Support is a critical component in the student visa application process, assuring immigration authorities that international students have the financial backing necessary to support their education and living expenses while studying abroad. By thoroughly preparing and accurately completing this document, students and their sponsors can significantly enhance the likelihood of a smooth visa approval process.

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