Notarizing Affidavits, Declarations, and Sworn Statements

Affidavits, declarations, and sworn statements are commonly used for legal, business, personal, financial, school, family, and international document matters. These documents often include written facts or statements that the signer is confirming as true.

Because these documents can be important, many people are told they need to have them notarized before submitting them to an attorney, court, government agency, school, employer, foreign office, or business.

At Notary by Alissa, we provide notary and apostille services for clients who need affidavits, declarations, sworn statements, and related documents completed properly. We offer in-office notary appointments in Eagle Rock and mobile notary services for clients who need us to travel to their home, office, hospital, care facility, or another convenient location.

What Is an Affidavit?

An affidavit is a written statement of facts that a person swears or affirms to be true. Affidavits are often used when someone needs to provide a formal statement for legal, personal, business, or government purposes.

Common examples include:

• Identity affidavits

• Name correction affidavits

• Residency affidavits

• Financial affidavits

• Relationship affidavits

• Lost document affidavits

• Single status affidavits

• Business affidavits

• Immigration-related affidavits

• Affidavits for apostille services

Because an affidavit usually involves swearing or affirming that the statement is true, it often requires a jurat notarization.

What Is a Declaration?

A declaration is also a written statement, but it may not always require notarization. Some declarations are signed under penalty of perjury and may be accepted without a notary, depending on the agency or situation.

However, some declarations are prepared with notarial wording or are specifically requested to be notarized. If the person, agency, court, attorney, school, or company requesting the document says it must be notarized, the signer should confirm what type of notarization is required before the appointment.

What Is a Sworn Statement?

A sworn statement is a written statement that the signer swears or affirms is true. Like an affidavit, a sworn statement often requires the signer to take an oath or affirmation before a notary.

Sworn statements may be used for:

• Legal matters

• Personal records

• School documents

• Business matters

• Immigration paperwork

• International document requests

• Apostille-related documents

• Family matters

• Court-related paperwork

If the document requires the signer to swear or affirm the truthfulness of the statement, it will usually require a jurat.

What Is a Jurat?

A jurat is a notarial act often used for affidavits and sworn statements. With a jurat, the signer appears before the notary, provides acceptable identification, signs the document in the notary’s presence, and takes an oath or affirmation.

The oath or affirmation means the signer is swearing or affirming that the contents of the document are true.

A jurat is different from an acknowledgment. An acknowledgment confirms that the signer acknowledged signing the document willingly. A jurat involves an oath or affirmation about the truthfulness of the statement.

Do Not Sign Too Early

One of the most common mistakes with affidavits, declarations, and sworn statements is signing the document before meeting with the notary.

If the document requires a jurat, the signer must sign in front of the notary. If the document was already signed, the notarization may not be able to move forward as requested.

To avoid problems, bring the unsigned document to your appointment unless you are certain signing ahead of time is allowed.

The Notary Does Not Verify the Truth of the Statement

A notary does not read the document and decide whether the statement is true. The notary does not give legal advice, confirm the facts, or approve the contents of the document.

The notary’s role is to verify the signer’s identity, administer an oath or affirmation when required, witness the signature when required, and complete the notarial certificate.

The signer is responsible for the truthfulness of the affidavit, declaration, or sworn statement.

What Should You Bring to Your Appointment?

To help your notary appointment go smoothly, bring:

• A valid, acceptable photo ID

• The full document that needs notarization

• Any instructions from the agency, attorney, court, school, business, or organization requesting the document

• Any required witnesses, if needed

• Payment for the notary appointment and travel fee, if mobile service is requested

Make sure the document is complete before the appointment, but do not sign it early if the signature must happen in front of the notary.

What If the Document Does Not Include Notarial Wording?

Sometimes a document says “needs to be notarized,” but it does not include a notarial certificate. This can delay the appointment because the notary cannot choose the type of notarization for the signer.

If your document does not include notarial wording, ask the person or organization requesting the document whether they need a jurat, acknowledgment, or another notarial act.

This is especially important for affidavits and sworn statements because they often require a jurat, but the notary still cannot make that decision for you.

What If the Name on the Document Does Not Match Your ID?

Name differences can cause delays. If your ID says one name but your affidavit, declaration, or sworn statement says another, the notary may not be able to confirm your identity.

This can happen because of marriage, divorce, maiden names, hyphenated last names, nicknames, missing middle names, or spelling errors.

Before your appointment, check that your name is spelled correctly and reasonably matches your ID. If the document was prepared by an attorney, agency, school, or business, contact them before the appointment if a correction is needed.

Can These Documents Be Used for Apostille Services?

Yes, affidavits, declarations, and sworn statements are commonly used for international matters and may need an apostille after notarization.

Common examples include:

• Single status affidavits

• Identity affidavits

• Name affidavits

• Residency affidavits

• Business affidavits

• Permission letters

• Authorization statements

• Family or relationship statements

If the document will be used in another country, confirm the destination country and whether the document needs an apostille or authentication. Some countries may also require specific wording, translations, or additional steps.

At Notary by Alissa, we offer both notary and apostille services, which can make the process easier for clients preparing documents for international use.

When Mobile Notary Service May Be Helpful

Mobile notary service can be helpful if you are busy, unable to travel, coordinating multiple signers, or helping someone at a hospital or care facility.

A mobile notary can come to your home, office, hospital, care facility, business, or another agreed-upon location. This can save time and make the process more convenient, especially when documents are urgent or difficult to complete during regular business hours.

How Notary by Alissa Can Help

Notary by Alissa assists clients with affidavits, declarations, sworn statements, and other important documents that may require notarization. We offer in-office appointments in Eagle Rock and mobile notary services for clients who need flexible support.

We also provide apostille services for documents being used internationally, including affidavits and sworn statements that may need notarization before apostille processing.

Final Thoughts

Affidavits, declarations, and sworn statements are important documents that often require careful preparation. If your document requires a jurat, you will need to appear before the notary, provide acceptable identification, sign in the notary’s presence, and take an oath or affirmation.

Before your appointment, confirm what type of notarization is needed, bring valid ID, and avoid signing too early.

For reliable notary and apostille services, Notary by Alissa offers convenient appointments at our Eagle Rock office and mobile notary services for clients who need us to travel.