The affidavit is an instrument that collects the statements that a person makes before a notary. This document serves as proof that said statements were made at a specific place and time, as recorded in the minutes. In today’s post we will address what specific uses it has, what procedures it is required for and when it is necessary to translate an affidavit.
What is this document used for?
Before explaining some of its uses, it is important to highlight that in an affidavit, the notary limits itself to recording the statements without making value judgments, so the declarant assumes all responsibility for him. In other words, the record does not certify the veracity of what was declared, but rather the act of having made such statements.
For this reason, the affidavit usually accompanies other documents to provide evidence of what was declared, such as wills, divorce proceedings and other legal matters. Some of the main uses it has are:
- Verify the identity of a person, with the interested party presenting a current identity document.
- Recognize signatures on documents, certifying that the signature that appears on said document corresponds to the signatory.
- Issue statements under oath of truth. Protocolize documents, the notary inserting a text of a statement of declaration into the document.
The affidavit in administrative procedures:
In addition to the uses already mentioned, the affidavit, by itself, may be required for administrative procedures in which it is necessary to collect the will of the citizen to carry out said procedure. This may be the case of:
- Request a visa before any Consulate of Spain or before the corresponding administration issuing the residence permit the applicant is processing.
- Apply for a student or tourist visa at the Spanish Consulate, with the interested party declaring their willingness to cover the expenses of the foreign person requesting the visa.
- Prove a stable relationship in cases where the couple has not married or is a de facto couple.
When is a sworn translation of a document necessary?
Translations of an affidavit are quite frequent, since they are necessary so that the citizen can pre-construct evidence of facts that will probably have to be alleged in judicial, administrative procedures or in matters of a private nature. The affidavit is documentary evidence in which the narration and explanation of the circumstances and facts of the interested person predominate. We should not confuse the translation of an affidavit with that of notarial deeds, which have a negotiating or contractual nature.
It is important that the translation of the affidavit be sworn so that it is official and can be used in the procedures mentioned above. The translation must bear the seal and signature of the translator to certify its validity.
We hope this post has helped to clarify some aspects about these documents and the needs to translate them.
Stay tuned for next posts and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any more doubts or if you need a translation!
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