Affidavit? What is that? People are scared off by this sort of legal jargon. Some of my clients find it difficult to pronounce correctly.
Simply speaking, an affidavit is used for purpose of giving written evidence in judicial proceedings. The same document can be prepared in the form of statutory declaration if it is not to be used in court proceedings.
I would like to show how an affidavit looks like as below:
Affidavit
I, ____________ presently residing at __________________ do solemnly and sincerely declare
THAT I am currently single and therefore I am free to marry.
THAT I intend to marry Ms XXX. I have no direct blood tie or kinship within 3 generations with Ms XXX.
THAT To the best of my knowledge and belief there is no legal or other impediment to my marriage to the said Ms XXX.
I made the above statement believing it to be true.
Sworn by the said ____________________
at 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ, this ________
in the year Two Thousand and Twelve
Before me
Stephen Yiu
Notary Public
London – England
After executing the document, you have to make an oral statement like this:
I (full name),swear by Almighty God, that this is my name and handwriting and that the contents of my affidavit are true.
If you are not Christian, you can affirm like this:
I (full name),do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that this is my name and handwriting and that the contents of my affidavit are true.