An affidavit of support in the UAE is a document that you will become well acquainted with if you have any family, friends, or colleagues that will visit you in the country. It's a fairly common document that is required when someone you know comes to the UAE for whatever reason and should be well-written and documented to avoid any issues in the future. The document itself requires certain information that certifies you are related to the visitor and that you will be responsible for them during their stay.
Statistically, if you live in the UAE, you likely immigrated there. According to a survey conducted by globalmediainsight.com, Indians make up the plurality of the nation’s population at around 38 percent. Pakistanis make up just under 17 percent, while Filipinos and Egyptians represent around seven and four percent respectively. The remaining nationalities are either from various other places, or Emiratis themselves, who only account for around 11 percent.
Unless you find yourself in the one-tenth of the UAE’s population that was born there, you will be encountering a UAE Affidavit of Support sooner or later. Knowing how to write one, which documents to include, and when you will need one will save you the headache and cost of trying to create one for a last minute visit.
A UAE Affidavit of Support is a document that shows the government that you intend to support a visiting relative or friend financially. This document is common in visa applications, immigration processes, and for educational purposes like when a student is applying for university.
If you’re wondering how to get an affidavit of support in Dubai or other UAE regions, it's mainly a matter of providing personal information and offering financial details. You may also need to prove that you have a personal connection with the person using the affidavit.
The first thing you will need is an affidavit of support form the UAE government for your local consulate. Next, you will need to write a letter to be attached with the form, as well as offer proof of your financial ability to support the applying individual. Finally, once you’re finished assembling the required information, you will likely need to find a notary to verify that the information provided has been witnessed.
Before you turn in your affidavit of support, you will need to gather several documents and offer information about you and the person applying for entry into the EAU.
First you will need to draft the affidavit. In the first paragraph, include information about yourself such as your name, place of birth, and your date of birth. In the second paragraph, explain your relationship to the applicant. In the third paragraph, detail how often you see this relative. You will need to include a declaration of intent to support the applicant financially, details of your financial status, proof that you can provide such support, and the duration you intend to offer support.
Next, you need to show proof of this information and include some additional details as well. It’s not a bad idea to consult with legal professionals that work in the UAE who can help make this process much easier and more efficient, but generally, you will need:
a. Personal identification - This should come in the form of photocopies of your passport, birth certificate, or Emirates ID.
b. Financial documents - Make copies of the certificate of employment issued by your employer, recent bank statements, or salary certificates. The goal is to show that your income is sufficient to support the applicant. The UAE has thresholds for income considered high enough to qualify as ‘supporting’ which are AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 ( ~$1,080 or $815) in addition to accommodation. You may attempt to include your assets cash value.
c. Proof of relationship - To provide proof of relationship, you can include a birth certificate of the applicant or a marriage certificate showing you are married to the applicant. You should also provide proof of accommodation in the form of an apartment contract or hotel booking.
Once you’ve gathered this information, the last step is to deal with how to apply an affidavit of support in UAE. You will need to sign your affidavit in the presence of a consulate official or through a notary service at Connect Legal. This will bind you to the declarations you wrote in the affidavit and the application, so make sure you are willing and able to fulfill those requirements to avoid legal complications later on.
Even though most of applying for an affidavit of support can be done individually, because penalties and legal ramifications are involved, it is strongly recommended that you consult with legal professionals like those at Connect Legal.
Lawyers in the UAE are familiar with the documentation, information, and processes of verifying an affidavit of support that can save you time and money down the road. The UAE government is strict about this process to keep financial burdens off of the state, and if you fall through on your commitments or do not understand what the requirements are, it can land you in legal hot water.
With Connect Legal’s professional staff, the process is more apparent, straightforward, and safer for both you and your relative. They can help you find and fill out the necessary paperwork, advise you on documentation of the required information, fulfill any verifications or notary requirements, and deliver everything to appropriate authorities. Immigration, travel, and visas can be tense, so let Connect Legal handle the difficult side of this process so you can enjoy your time with your relatives.
Check out how we can offer this service to you.
