Documents
Affidavit of support in Abu Dhabi: how to get it drafted and sworn
An affidavit of support in Abu Dhabi is a sworn statement in which you promise to pay for another person's living costs, usually a spouse, parent, child or relative who needs a visa or permit that depends on your income. We draft it, and our in-house notary public notarises it in person at Business Bay, online, or at your home. Service is available 24/7, and you can sign in Dubai if the receiving office accepts a UAE notarised affidavit.
Send the office's instructions on WhatsApp +971 52 947 5935.
Who asks for an affidavit of support
It is not one government form. Different bodies ask for it:
- A foreign embassy, when a relative in your home country applies for a visa to visit you.
- A school or university, when a student depends on a relative for fees.
- A foreign authority in a spouse financial support matter, for example proof that one spouse maintains the other.
Some embassies use their own title, such as an affidavit of support and guarantee of the visitor's return and costs. The words differ. The core is the same: who supports whom, for how long, and with what means.
What the affidavit contains
- Your full name, nationality, passport number and Emirates ID number.
- Your address in Abu Dhabi, your occupation and employer.
- The full name, relationship and passport number of the person you support.
- What you will pay for: accommodation, living costs, travel, medical costs, fees.
- The period the support covers.
- A statement that the contents are true, sworn before the notary.
Evidence travels with the affidavit, not inside it: a salary certificate, bank statements, a tenancy contract, and proof of relationship such as a birth or marriage certificate.
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Step by step
How to get an affidavit of support in Abu Dhabi, step by step
Get the receiving office's instructions.
Their wording decides the draft. If they supplied a form, we draft to it.
We draft the affidavit.
Names exactly as in the passports, the support in clear terms, the period stated.
We prepare the Arabic through a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice. You check names, passport numbers and the period.
Our in-house notary public notarises it.
You swear it at Business Bay, in an online session, or at home, with your original passport and Emirates ID. For the Abu Dhabi court route, see our Abu Dhabi court notary guide.
Attestation if it goes abroad.
MOFAIC lists a personal document at AED 150.
The affidavit of support alternative way in the UAE
Sometimes the route people expect is closed: the embassy has no appointment for weeks, or it no longer issues its own form. The alternative way in the UAE is usually a notarised affidavit before a UAE notary, attested by MOFAIC, which the office then accepts in place of its own form. This works only if that office accepts it, so ask them in writing before you pay for anything.
If you are outside the UAE, swear the affidavit before a notary where you are and have it attested by that country's foreign ministry and the UAE embassy there, then by MOFAIC. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone does not replace that chain.
Cost: how much is an affidavit of support in the UAE
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our service: drafting, Arabic and notarisation | From AED 600 |
| Federal fee to execute and notarise an affidavit | AED 300 |
| Dubai private notary route | AED 100 per party registration plus AED 100 per signature |
| Notarising a translation included in the instrument | AED 50 per page |
| MOFAIC attestation of a personal document, if used abroad | AED 150 |
All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay. The fees page lists every document.
Dubai or Abu Dhabi: the difference
Dubai runs its notaries under a separate local law, Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013. The instrument is in Arabic, and an English affidavit needs an Arabic translation by a certified translator, both signed (Article 27). If you live in Abu Dhabi but work in Dubai, you can sign in either emirate, as long as the receiving office accepts a UAE notarised affidavit. Our Dubai Courts notary guide explains the Dubai side.
Watch for
Mistakes to avoid
- The affidavit is drafted before the office's instructions arrive, and has to be redone.
- The supported person's passport number is from an expired passport.
- The affidavit is signed but not sworn, when the office asked for a sworn statement.
- It is sent abroad without MOFAIC attestation.
How we help
How we help
We have an in-house notary public at our Business Bay office, and we offer in person, online and home visit notary public services in Dubai and the UAE. We start with the receiving office's instructions and draft the affidavit to match. If it is going abroad, we take you through the MOFAIC step. See the personal documents page for other papers.
Questions
Questions about the affidavit of support
Where can I get an affidavit of support in Abu Dhabi?
From a notary. We prepare it and our in-house notary public notarises it, or you can use the Abu Dhabi court notary route yourself. Signing in Dubai works if the receiving office accepts it.
Can I swear one for a person who is not my relative?
You can swear one, but the receiving office decides whether it accepts support from a non-relative. Check with them first.
Does the affidavit need MOFAIC attestation?
If it will be used outside the UAE, usually yes. For use inside the UAE, the receiving office will say.
How long is an affidavit of support valid?
The law sets no general expiry for an affidavit. The receiving office may want one signed recently, so ask it.
Contact
Send us your question
Tell us the document, who signs it and where it will be used. We reply with the route, the list of what to bring and your price.
Sources for this page
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 on notary fees, items 11 and 12: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491
- Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai, Article 27: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4)%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html
- Dubai private notary fees, Dubai Courts decision: https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/december/29-12/dubai-courts-is-preparing-to-implement-the-decision-regulating-the-fees-of-the-private-notary-public
- MOFAIC FAQ, attestation fees: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs
- HCCH Apostille Convention status table: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
- Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Notary Public: https://www.adjd.gov.ae/EN/Pages/notarypublics.aspx
- Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Guidance Manual for Notarisation and Attestation Services: https://www.adjd.gov.ae/AR/Documents/%D8%AF%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84_%D8%AE%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%A8_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%84_%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%8A%D9%82Eng.pdf