Marriage-based immigration support affidavits
Bona Fide Marriage Affidavit Sample Structure for Immigration Support
Bona fide marriage affidavit sample structure + guided support
A useful marriage-support affidavit should sound like the person who actually knows the couple. ASN helps friends, family members, neighbors, employers, religious leaders, and community members organize firsthand observations into a clear draft your attorney can review.
ASN does not provide legal advice, file immigration forms, or guarantee immigration outcomes. We help organize supporting affidavit material so it is easier to review with your immigration counsel.
Looking for a bona fide marriage affidavit sample?
Many people search for a “bona fide marriage affidavit,” “marriage support letter,” or “I-130 affidavit sample” when preparing marriage-based immigration materials. A sample can help with structure, but the strongest statements usually come from real firsthand observations — not copied template language.
This page gives a safe structure for a third-party support affidavit and explains how ASN helps organize statements without replacing legal advice.
- understand what a friend or family member can usually describe;
- organize firsthand observations about the couple;
- avoid generic or exaggerated template language;
- prepare draft materials for attorney review.
A marriage-support affidavit is not the same as Form I-864
People often confuse two different things:
A third-party bona fide marriage affidavit is a personal statement from someone who knows the couple and can describe what they have personally observed.
Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, is a financial sponsorship form used in many family-based immigration cases. It is a separate legal and financial document.
ASN helps organize relationship-support statements. It does not prepare financial sponsorship forms, provide legal advice, or decide what evidence should be submitted in a specific case.
What a bona fide marriage support affidavit usually includes
A useful affidavit is specific, honest, and based on firsthand knowledge. The writer should explain who they are, how they know the couple, what they have personally observed, and why those observations show a real relationship from their own perspective.
Who is writing
The writer’s name, relationship to the couple, and context for knowing them.
How the writer knows the couple
How long the writer has known one or both spouses, where they met, and how often they interact.
Firsthand observations
Specific examples the writer personally saw: time spent together, family involvement, shared responsibilities, travel, celebrations, caregiving, communication, or everyday married life.
Timeline details
Approximate dates, places, and relationship milestones when the writer personally witnessed them.
Limits of knowledge
The writer should not pretend to know private facts or legal conclusions they cannot personally support.
Signature and contact information
The final format may depend on attorney instructions, receiving agency, court, or case type.
Bona fide marriage affidavit sample structure
This is a general structure, not an official USCIS form and not legal advice. Replace bracketed text with real facts. Do not include anything the writer has not personally observed.
[Date] Re: Support statement regarding the marriage of [Spouse 1 Full Name] and [Spouse 2 Full Name] To Whom It May Concern: My name is [Writer Full Name]. I am [briefly describe who you are, such as a family member, friend, neighbor, employer, coworker, religious leader, or community member]. I have known [Spouse 1], [Spouse 2], or both spouses for approximately [length of time]. I am writing this statement because I have personally observed their relationship and marriage. Based on my own experience, I can describe the following: First, [explain how you know the couple and when you first became aware of their relationship or marriage]. Second, [give a specific example you personally observed, such as time spent together, family involvement, shared responsibilities, celebrations, caregiving, travel, communication, or everyday married life]. Third, [give another specific example. Include approximate dates, places, or context if helpful]. Fourth, [optional additional example showing what you personally observed about their relationship, commitment, or shared life]. I understand that this statement may be used in an immigration matter. I am not offering legal advice. I am only describing what I personally know and have observed. Sincerely, [Signature] [Writer Full Name] [Phone or Email, if appropriate] [Address, if appropriate]
Avoid copying this word-for-word. A real support affidavit should sound like the actual writer and should include truthful, specific observations.
Where affidavits fit among other bona fide marriage evidence
A third-party affidavit is usually only one type of supporting evidence. Marriage-based immigration cases may also involve documents showing shared residence, shared finances, family life, travel, photos, communication, insurance, leases, property, children, or other evidence depending on the case.
Not every couple has every category of evidence. Long-distance couples, newly married couples, blended families, couples with separate finances, or couples affected by immigration processing delays may need careful attorney guidance.
Do not use an affidavit to fill gaps with invented facts. If evidence is limited, the statement should be honest about what the writer personally knows.
What to avoid in a bona fide marriage affidavit
Do not write facts you did not personally observe
The writer should not guess about private details, finances, immigration strategy, or the couple’s intent.
Do not rely only on “they love each other”
General praise is less useful than concrete examples the writer personally saw.
Do not use identical template letters
Multiple identical affidavits can look weak. Each statement should reflect that writer’s real relationship with the couple.
Do not confuse this with Form I-864
A relationship-support affidavit is different from the financial Affidavit of Support.
Do not ignore attorney instructions
Your attorney may want specific topics included or avoided depending on the case.
Can friends or family write a bona fide marriage affidavit?
Friends and family members may be able to write useful support statements if they have real firsthand observations. The best statement is not necessarily from the person with the most formal title. It is often from someone who can truthfully describe how they know the couple and what they have personally seen.
What if the couple has lived apart?
Some couples have lived apart because of immigration processing, work, school, military service, caregiving, finances, or country-specific barriers. A support statement should not pretend the couple lived together if they did not. Instead, the writer can describe what they personally observed about communication, visits, family involvement, commitment, planning, or shared responsibilities.
I-130, I-751, and other marriage-based contexts
Bona fide marriage evidence can matter in different marriage-based immigration contexts, including spouse petitions and removal of conditions. The exact strategy and evidence package should come from a licensed immigration attorney or accredited representative.
How ASN helps organize bona fide marriage support affidavits
ASN is built for situations where the couple knows who can support them, but supporters may not know how to write a clear statement. Instead of handing every person a blank page or a generic template, ASN guides supporters toward specific, firsthand observations.
- Create a draft caseSave the case context and the type of support statement you are preparing.
- Add people who know the coupleFriends, family members, employers, neighbors, landlords, religious leaders, or community members — only people with genuine firsthand knowledge.
- Supporters answer guided promptsThe flow encourages concrete examples instead of vague praise.
- Optional clarity reviewWhere available, ASN may help clean up grammar, organization, and readability while preserving the supporter’s meaning and facts.
- Review, signature, and notary steps where supportedFinal steps depend on product availability, case needs, and attorney instructions.
- Organized materials for counselThe goal is to make supporting statements easier for your immigration attorney or representative to review.
Bona Fide Marriage Affidavit Sample Outline
Download a blank outline you can fill in with your supporter's own observations — not a completed affidavit.
Download sample outline PDFRelated ASN guide
Also preparing character support materials? See ASN's guide to good moral character letter structure for immigration support.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an official USCIS bona fide marriage affidavit sample?
No. This is a general support-affidavit structure from ASN. It is not an official USCIS form, not legal advice, and not a guarantee that your statement will be accepted or helpful in a specific case.
Is a bona fide marriage affidavit the same as Form I-864 Affidavit of Support?
No. Form I-864 is a financial sponsorship form. A bona fide marriage support affidavit is a personal statement from someone who knows the couple and can describe firsthand observations about the relationship.
Who can write a bona fide marriage affidavit?
A useful writer is someone who personally knows the couple and can describe real observations. This may include friends, family members, neighbors, employers, coworkers, religious leaders, landlords, or community members.
What should a friend or family member include?
The writer should explain how they know the couple, how long they have known them, what they personally observed, and specific examples that show the relationship from their own perspective.
Should the affidavit be notarized?
Notary requirements depend on the receiving body, case type, attorney instructions, and final document format. Ask your attorney before assuming notarization is required or unnecessary.
Can I copy the sample exactly?
No. A copied template is usually weaker than a specific, truthful statement. Use the structure as a guide, but write real observations from the witness’s own experience.
What if the couple does not live together?
Do not pretend they live together if they do not. The writer can describe what they personally observed about communication, visits, family involvement, commitment, shared planning, or other real facts.
Can ASN write the affidavit for my supporter?
ASN is designed to guide supporters through structured prompts and help organize their own observations. The supporter should review and approve the final statement because the facts and meaning must be their own.
Can AI help polish the statement?
Where available, ASN may offer optional clarity editing to improve grammar, organization, and readability. The final statement should still reflect the supporter’s own knowledge, memory, and intended meaning.
Is ASN available for bona fide marriage cases now?
ASN is currently in pre-launch. You can create a saved draft case and prepare recommender information. Live sending and later signature or notarization steps do not begin until those features open and you review and approve next steps.