Master prompt
Sworn declaration templates per EU jurisdiction
Country-specific sworn declaration formats. Portugal declaração sob compromisso de honra. Spain declaración jurada / responsable. Italy dichiarazione sostitutiva di certificazione (DPR 445/2000). France attestation sur l'honneur. Netherlands plechtige verklaring. Witness, notary, and apostille requirements per country.
EUSworn declarationAffidavitDPR 445/2000Declaración juradaAttestation sur l'honneur
Draft the sworn declaration for [DECLARANT_NAME] for [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] purpose [DECLARATION_PURPOSE]. Each EU member state has its own form and notarisation requirement.
INPUT
• Declarant: [DECLARANT_NAME]
• Target country: [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY]
• Purpose: [DECLARATION_PURPOSE]
• Facts: [KEY_FACTS]
• Where sworn: [DECLARANT_LOCATION]
• Witnesses: N/A
§1 — WHY A SWORN DECLARATION
EU immigration authorities use sworn declarations to:
(a) Bridge a gap where no public-record document exists (single status, source of funds, support undertaking)
(b) Reconcile name variations across documents (one-and-the-same-person affidavit)
(c) Acknowledge legal duties (host declaration, financial responsibility)
(d) Substitute for documents that cannot reasonably be obtained (lost original)
Penalty for false declaration: criminal offence under all EU jurisdictions (perjury / false statement to public authority). Penalties: fines + imprisonment 6 months to 5 years + immigration consequences (refusal under "good character" + lifetime bans).
§2 — PORTUGAL — declaração sob compromisso de honra
Legal anchor: Código do Procedimento Administrativo Art 11; Lei 23/2007 (Foreigners Act) Art 16.
Format:
• Drafted on plain paper OR pre-printed AIMA form
• Signed before:
(a) Notário (notary) — most formal, used for declarations going to AIMA / Consulate
(b) Câmara de Comércio — alternative
(c) Junta de Freguesia (local civic office) — for simple in-country declarations
• Recognised abroad: at Portuguese Consulate (declaração consular)
• Apostille: if signed outside Portugal → apostille of the country of signature
Template opening (Portuguese):
"EU, [DECLARANT_NAME], portador(a) do Passaporte n.º [PASSPORT], emitido em [PLACE], em [DATE], residente em [ADDRESS], DECLARO sob compromisso de honra, para os devidos efeitos legais, o seguinte:..."
Closing:
"Por ser verdade, faço esta declaração que assino, perante o(a) Notário(a)/Funcionário(a) do Consulado/Câmara de Comércio, ciente das consequências legais de prestar declarações falsas, nos termos do artigo 348.º-A do Código Penal."
Stamp: notary + revenue stamp ("imposto do selo") ~€25-50.
§3 — SPAIN — declaración jurada / declaración responsable
Legal anchor: Ley 39/2015 (Procedimiento Administrativo Común) Art 69 — declaración responsable; Código Civil Art 1218 for sworn declarations.
Two formats:
(a) DECLARACIÓN RESPONSABLE — administrative declaration of compliance; signed by declarant; binds them to liability; typically filed with administrative paperwork (e.g. application for renewal) WITHOUT notary
(b) DECLARACIÓN JURADA — sworn declaration before notary OR Spanish consulate; for substantive facts (single status, source of funds, support)
For Spanish consulate / Oficina de Extranjeros submissions: typically declaración jurada (notarised).
Template opening (Spanish):
"Yo, [DECLARANT_NAME], mayor de edad, de nacionalidad india, con pasaporte n.º [PASSPORT], y con domicilio en [ADDRESS], por la presente DECLARO BAJO JURAMENTO Y BAJO MI EXCLUSIVA RESPONSABILIDAD, a los efectos de [PURPOSE], lo siguiente:..."
Closing:
"Manifiesto que los datos consignados son ciertos, siendo conocedor(a) de las consecuencias previstas en el Código Penal español (artículo 458 y siguientes) para el delito de falso testimonio.
Fecha y lugar: [PLACE], [DATE]
Firma: [SIGNATURE]"
If signed in India: notary + state attestation + MEA apostille + traductor jurado translation in Spanish. If signed in Spain: notario público (€50-100).
§4 — ITALY — dichiarazione sostitutiva di certificazione (autocertificazione)
Legal anchor: DPR 28 dicembre 2000 n. 445 (Testo Unico delle disposizioni legislative e regolamentari in materia di documentazione amministrativa) Articoli 46, 47, 76.
Two flavours:
(a) DICHIARAZIONE SOSTITUTIVA DI CERTIFICAZIONE (Art 46) — replaces public-register certificate (place of birth, marital status, residence, citizenship); valid only for use with Italian public administration; no stamp needed
(b) DICHIARAZIONE SOSTITUTIVA DELL'ATTO DI NOTORIETÀ (Art 47) — atto notorio; sworn by declarant; broader subject-matter (e.g. heirship, one-and-the-same-person)
For most purposes [DECLARATION_PURPOSE] = atto notorio:
• Signed before:
(a) Pubblico Ufficiale (notary, Tribunale, Comune secretary)
(b) Italian consulate abroad
• Bollo (revenue stamp): marca da bollo €16
• Penalty clause (Art 76 DPR 445/2000) — explicit mention required
Template opening (Italian):
"Il/La sottoscritto/a [DECLARANT_NAME], nato/a a [PLACE OF BIRTH] il [DATE OF BIRTH], cittadino/a indiano/a, titolare del passaporto n. [PASSPORT], residente in [ADDRESS], consapevole delle sanzioni penali previste dall'art. 76 del DPR 28 dicembre 2000 n. 445 per le ipotesi di falsità in atti e dichiarazioni mendaci ivi indicate,
DICHIARA
sotto la propria responsabilità che:..."
Closing:
"Il/La dichiarante autorizza il trattamento dei dati personali ai sensi del Regolamento (UE) 2016/679 (GDPR).
Luogo, data: [PLACE], [DATE]
Firma: [SIGNATURE]"
§5 — FRANCE — attestation sur l'honneur
Legal anchor: Code Pénal Art 441-7 (false attestation = up to 1 year imprisonment + €15,000 fine).
Format:
• Handwritten OR typed; the French administrative tradition strongly favours HANDWRITTEN attestations for personal declarations (host declaration "attestation d'hébergement," support, single status)
• No notary required for most administrative purposes
• Signed by declarant + dated + accompanied by photocopy of ID
• For weightier declarations (succession, custody): notarised "acte authentique" by notaire
Template (French, handwritten):
"Je soussigné(e), [DECLARANT_NAME], né(e) le [DOB] à [PLACE], de nationalité indienne, titulaire du passeport n° [PASSPORT], demeurant [ADDRESS],
atteste sur l'honneur que :
[facts]
Je reconnais avoir été averti(e) que toute fausse déclaration de ma part m'expose à des sanctions pénales prévues à l'article 441-7 du Code pénal.
Fait à [PLACE], le [DATE]
pour servir et valoir ce que de droit
Signature : [SIGNATURE]"
For [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] = France: typically NO apostille needed if signed in France. If signed in India: notarised + MEA apostille + sworn French translation by Cour d'Appel-registered translator.
§6 — NETHERLANDS — verklaring onder ede / plechtige verklaring
Legal anchor: Algemene Wet Bestuursrecht Art 4:6; criminal sanction Wetboek van Strafrecht Art 207 (false oath = up to 6 years).
Format:
• Two paths:
(a) VERKLARING ONDER EDE — under oath (with religious component "zo waarlijk helpe mij God almachtig")
(b) PLECHTIGE VERKLARING — solemn affirmation (without religious component, "dat verklaar en beloof ik")
• Signed before:
(a) Notaris (notary) — €100-200
(b) Gemeente (municipality) officer — for some declarations
(c) Rechter (judge) at Rechtbank — for serious sworn statements
Template opening (Dutch):
"Ik, ondergetekende, [DECLARANT_NAME], geboren op [DOB] te [PLACE], van Indiase nationaliteit, houder van het paspoort met nummer [PASSPORT], wonende te [ADDRESS],
verklaar plechtig en onder strafsanctie van artikel 207 van het Wetboek van Strafrecht het volgende:..."
Closing:
"Aldus verklaard te [PLACE], op [DATE]
Handtekening: [SIGNATURE]"
§7 — BELGIUM — déclaration solennelle / verklaring op erewoord
Format similar to France (attestation sur l'honneur) or Netherlands (plechtige verklaring), per linguistic region:
• Wallonia: "déclaration sur l'honneur" — Code Pénal Art 196 for false statement
• Flanders: "verklaring op erewoord" — same penal anchor in Strafwetboek Art 196
• Brussels: bilingual; either works
• Notarised for substantive declarations; simple administrative use with photocopy of ID otherwise
§8 — AUSTRIA — eidesstattliche Erklärung
• Sworn before notary (Notar) OR Bezirksgericht (district court) OR consulate
• Anchor: Strafgesetzbuch §288 (false oath = up to 3 years)
• Notary fee €50-150 + Beglaubigungsgebühr
§9 — DECLARATION DRAFTING FOR [DECLARANT_NAME] — [DECLARATION_PURPOSE]
Now draft the actual declaration. Use the [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] format from §2-§8.
Components to include based on [KEY_FACTS]:
¶ Identity block — full name, DOB, place of birth, nationality, passport number, address
¶ Awareness clause — explicit acknowledgement of penal consequences for false statement (cite the article)
¶ Substantive facts — one numbered point per fact in [KEY_FACTS]
¶ Specific dates — never vague ("approximately last year"); always YYYY-MM-DD
¶ Connecting documents — reference attached supporting documents (apostilled originals)
¶ Witness block (if N/A indicates witnesses) — name, address, ID number of each
¶ Place + date + signature
§10 — WHERE TO SIGN ([DECLARANT_LOCATION])
If [DECLARANT_LOCATION] = "India":
Step 1: Drafted in target-country language + English
Step 2: Signed before Notary Public in India on non-judicial stamp paper (₹100-500)
Step 3: State Home Department attestation (if civil-status implications)
Step 4: MEA apostille
Step 5: Sworn translation by target-country sworn translator
Time: 2-4 weeks
If [DECLARANT_LOCATION] = "Target EU country":
Step 1: Drafted in target-country language
Step 2: Signed before target-country notary / consulate / authority
Step 3: NO apostille needed (already local)
Time: 1-3 days
If [DECLARANT_LOCATION] = "Both":
Use the most convenient OR both versions (declaration of facts may be done in India then re-affirmed at consulate / post-arrival)
§11 — WITNESS REQUIREMENTS
By country:
• Portugal: 2 witnesses for notarial atos; not for compromisso de honra
• Spain: typically no witnesses for declaración jurada; required for some testamentary acts
• Italy: 2 witnesses for atto notorio (Art 1, R.D. 9 luglio 1939 n. 1238 if formalised at registry)
• Netherlands: 2 witnesses at notary for some declarations
• France: typically no witnesses for attestation sur l'honneur
• Belgium: 2 witnesses for "déclaration solennelle" before notary
• Austria: 2 witnesses for eidesstattliche Erklärung at Notar
For N/A = "Yes — 2 adults": include witness block. For "No": confirm jurisdiction allows zero-witness format (most administrative declarations OK without).
§12 — RED FLAGS
• Vague language ("I believe", "to the best of my knowledge") undermines weight — declare facts, not opinions
• Internal contradictions between declaration and other filed documents → refusal for misrepresentation
• Missing the criminal-sanction acknowledgement clause → declaration may be rejected for form
• Single-status declarations: declarant should obtain new declaration if marital status changes between filing and decision
• Source-of-funds declarations: must trace specific accounts + amounts; vague is worse than no declaration
End with: "DRAFT — for country-specific immigration lawyer review (Portugal AIMA-registered, Spain colegiado, Italy iscritto in albo). Verify against current member-state guidance before submission."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt