Comment

US government has always been very careful in not allowing those aliens who are likely to be a burden upon them. It therefore, before issuing you a visa, verifies whether you have sufficient funds to meet your lodging, boarding and other miscellaneous expenses during your stay in America. In olden days, when people used to travel in ships the captain of the ship was instructed to physically verify whether the passenger has minimum $15 or not.

It has become a habit of the travel agents and visa consultants to ask all of their clients, intending to travel to US, and thus to apply for a B-1/B-2 visa of America to obtain an affidavit of support from their US relatives or friends. This affidavit of support is to be made in the prescribed form I-134.Now, they are not required to be signed before a notary. But along with affidavit the person who has made this affidavit has also to submit by way proof his latest bank statement and income tax returns.

If you intend to stay in US at a relatives or friends house, then of course you must produce their affidavit of support stating in box 11 of it, that they would provide you lodging and boarding during your stay in America. But if you are not intending to stay with your relative or your friend in America and are financially capable to stay in a hotel or motel there, then it may not be necessary to produce the affidavit of support. In such circumstances, production of the affidavit of support may lead to the consular officer drawing to some other conclusion such as you not being financially capable to support yourself in America.

Form I-134 is a two page document containing 11 boxes. A US citizen by birth or naturalisation or a permanent resident of US (Green Card Holder) is capable to make such affidavit. He should be 21 years and above and must be either employed or engaged in business or having deposits in saving banks in US or owning stocks and bonds or life
insurance or real estate of substantial value and should be aware of his responsibilities as a sponsor under the social security act and the food stamp act.

In form I-134, the sponsor has to disclose if he has previously submitted affidavit of support for any person or has submitted a visa petition to US citizenship and immigration services on behalf of any person. This affidavit of support is taken vary seriously by the US government and if a visa is granted to an alien on the basis of the affidavit of support, then the US sponsor is held liable for the conduct of the alien.

If the alien fall sick or meets with an accident and has to spend any amount towards his treatment but is unable to pay the same or for any reason the alien incurs debt in US, which he is legally liable to pay but is unable to pay then the sponsor who has provided affidavit of support for alien is held responsible by the US government for the said payment. Many Indians therefore do not provide affidavit of support even for their parents and siblings for the fear that they may be held responsible for their financial support of any kind in America.