Notarizing an Affidavit of Support for a Fiancé Visa when you are an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)

(Philippine legal perspective, updated 23 April 2025)

1. What the document is —and why consular officers ask for it

An Affidavit of Support (AoS) (sometimes called an Affidavit of Support and Guarantee or Declaration of Financial Support) is a sworn, written promise by a sponsor to shoulder the living, medical-and-repatriation costs of a visa applicant until that person can lawfully work or otherwise support themself. Many fiancé-class visas—including the U.S. K-1 (Form I-134), Canada’s TRV for fiancés, Schengen visit-for-marriage visas, Japan “nikkon” visas, and Gulf visit visas—list it as a core or “bring-it-just-in-case” requirement. citeturn1search1turn1search2turn1search4turn1search7

2. Governing Philippine law & policy

Topic	Key Philippine authority	Practical point
Notarial acts	2004 Rules on Notarial Practice (A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC)	Only a Philippine lawyer-notary in the Philippines or a consular officer abroad may validly notarize Philippine documents. citeturn0search1
Consular notarization abroad	Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, §5(f) (incorporated in Philippine consular manuals)	Embassies/consulates may take acknowledgments and jurats. citeturn0search2turn2search7
Authentication/Apostille	DFA Office of Consular Affairs Memo, 07 May 2019 → Apostille Convention effective 14 May 2019	Apostille replaces “red-ribbon” legalization if the document will be used in another Hague-member state. citeturn0search4turn0search0
Perjury	Art. 183, Revised Penal Code	False statements in an AoS are a crime.

3. Core elements your affidavit must contain

Affiant’s identity – full name, marital status, Philippine passport no., host-country work visa/ID.
Fiancé’s identity – name, date & place of birth, current address.
Relationship – confirm you are fiancés and intend to marry.
Undertaking of support – “I undertake to provide full financial support (housing, meals, medical care, travel, repatriation) until (trigger event).”
No public-charge clause – explicit promise that the beneficiary will not become a burden on the host state.
Duration & revocation – typical wording: “valid for six (6) months from date of execution unless earlier revoked in writing.”
Attachments – (a) latest payslips/COE; (b) bank statements; (c) employment contract/OWWA or POLO-verified job order; (d) copy of valid passport & resident/ikama/ID; (e) evidence of genuine relationship (optional but wise).
Oath & signature – signed in front of the notary/consular officer.

(Use plain, specific Pesos/foreign-currency figures; one affidavit per beneficiary.)

4. Where—and how—to notarize when you are overseas

Scenario	How to proceed	Extra step?
A. Your host country is Hague-Apostille member (e.g., Italy, Canada, Germany, Japan, U.S.)	1. Have the AoS notarized by a local notary; 2. Bring it to the host country’s competent apostille authority (court/foreign ministry).	None, unless the receiving embassy still insists on consular legalization (rare). citeturn0search0
*B. Host country is not* a Hague member (e.g., UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait)**	1. Notarize locally or at a Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO, if it offers notary); 2. Consularize at the Philippine embassy/consulate (they affix a gold-eyelet “Acknowledgment”).	Some posts (Dubai, Doha) require online pre-assessment and additional sponsor income proofs. citeturn2search1turn2search4
C. You prefer a straight Philippine consular notarization (any country)	Book an appointment; appear in person; present passport + draft AoS + one photocopy; pay US $25–35 equivalent; receive document with eyelet & seal.	If the fiancé’s destination embassy later needs an apostille, you may carry the consular-notarized AoS back to DFA-OCA in Manila for apostillization before filing. citeturn0search2turn2search7
D. You are home on vacation in the Philippines	Have it notarized by any commissioned lawyer-notary (bring passport & IDs); then apostille at DFA (₱ 100 regular / ₱ 200 express) because it will be used abroad. citeturn0search1turn0search4

Tip: The U.S. Embassy Manila will notarize only U.S.-related affidavits and warns that its seal may not meet DFA “certification” rules for Philippine use. citeturn0search6

5. Country-specific quirks to watch for

Destination	Extra documentary quirks
United States (K-1)	Form I-134 must be signed in ink; electronic notary is fine if apostilled; some Manila interviews don’t collect it but CFO may. citeturn1search1turn1search7
Canada (TRV / spousal)	Most visa offices accept a Philippine-consular AoS without apostille; follow checklist in AOSG form. citeturn1search2
Italy / Schengen	Italian questura often demands a consular AoS + apostille + Italian translation; Rome PE template is accepted nationwide. citeturn1search4
GCC states	Salary certificate and tenancy contract usually required; some posts decline AoS for non-relatives beyond 2nd degree. citeturn2search4

6. Step-by-step checklist for OFWs

Draft & print two original AoS pages + attachments.
Book slot (local notary, POLO, or consulate).
Bring: passport (original + copy), host-country ID, proof of income, pen.
Appear & sign in front of the officer; pay fee; receive notarized set.
Authenticate (apostille or consularize) if required.
Courier original to your fiancé in the Philippines.
Keep a scan and the payment receipt.

7. Validity, revocation & liability

Shelf-life – unless a destination embassy states otherwise, AoS are treated as fresh for six months.
Perjury & estafa – lying about income or relationship exposes you to Art. 183 RPC perjury, plus possible estafa if money is collected under false pretenses.
Civil liability – many Western jurisdictions can sue the sponsor for welfare costs; in the U.S. an I-134/I-864 creates an enforceable debt.

8. Frequently-asked questions

FAQ	Short answer
May I e-notarize?	Only if your host country’s e-notary system issues a qualified certificate that can then be apostilled or consularized.
Does my fiancé need to present it at NAIA immigration?	For fiancé visas normally no—but BI officers sometimes ask; better safe than sorry.
Can a relative co-sign?	Acceptable, but each co-sponsor must execute a separate, duly notarized AoS.
What if the embassy wants “original stamp”?	Send the wet-blue signed, embossed copy, not a scan; most posts do not accept photocopies.

9. Practical drafting template (bare-bones)

AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT
I, JUAN DELA CRUZ, Filipino, single, of legal age, holder of Phil. Passport P1234567A and Qatar QID 987654321, presently employed as Site Engineer at ABC LLC-Doha, do hereby depose:

1.  That I am the fiancé of MARIA SANTOS, Filipino, single, born 14 Feb 1996 in Manila;  
2.  That I earn QAR 12,500 (≈ PHP 188,000) net monthly and maintain BDO savings account **₱ 920,000**;  
3.  That I undertake to provide **full financial support**, including return airfare, board, lodging, medical care, and any immigration fines, for said MARIA SANTOS during her residence in Qatar under Family Visit Visa, and guarantee that she will not become a public charge;  
4.  That this affidavit is executed to support her visa application and is valid for six (6) months unless revoked in writing.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF …

(Attach income proofs; sign before notary.)

10. Final reminders

Check both the host-country embassy’s visa checklist and the Philippine consulate’s notarization rules—they sometimes conflict. Keep originals, avoid cut-and-paste errors, and do not skip the apostille/consular step if the receiving visa officer lists it as mandatory. When in doubt, email the embassy’s visa section in writing and keep the reply for your records.

(This guide is for general information only and is not a substitute for personalised legal advice.)