Statutory declaration by a supporting witness relating to a partner visa application

Form

888

Important – Please read this information carefully before completing this statutory declaration. Once you have completed this declaration we strongly advise that you keep a copy for your records. When assessing a Partner class visa application the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (the department) is required to consider the social aspects of the claimed relationship. Statements from persons who know you and your sponsor may be provided to support your claims. The department’s policy is that these statements be provided in the form of statutory declarations. This form is for this purpose. It is also the department’s policy that the person completing this statutory declaration form: • know both the Partner class visa applicant and their sponsor and the history of their relationship; • be aged 18 years or over; and • be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident. Evidence of the person’s Australian citizenship or Australian permanent resident status must be attached to this form (for example, a certified copy of the birth certificate, Australian passport or passport containing a permanent visa). Such evidence must show the current name of the person making the declaration. A person completing this declaration may be required to submit up to 3 separate declarations during the processing of the application to remain permanently in Australia. They may be contacted by the department for further comment and interview in relation to the information given in this form. Where there is insufficient space, please attach a separate sheet showing which questions the information refers to. In Australia, statutory declarations must be witnessed by a person prescribed by the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 and Regulations. Any attachments to the Declaration must be certified by a prescribed person. Prescribed persons include those who are a: • Justice of the Peace; • medical practitioner; • legal practitioner; • civil marriage celebrant or registered minister of religion; • dentist; • nurse; • optometrist; • pharmacist; • physiotherapist; • full-time teacher; • bank manager or bank officer with 5 or more continuous years of service; • postal manager or permanent employee of the Australian Postal Commission with 5 or more continuous years of service; • police officer; or • public servant with 5 or more continuous years of service.

A full list of prescribed persons can be found in the Statutory Declarations Regulations 1993, which is available through the Attorney-General’s Department website www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/agdhome.nsf/Page/Portfolio A blank statutory declaration form is also available from the same website. If you are outside Australia and are unable to get an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident to complete a statutory declaration in support of your relationship with your partner, you may obtain statements from people who know you and your sponsor. Such statements are not statutory declarations under Australian law. However, in accordance with policy, they should be witnessed or certified according to the legal practices of the relevant country. Failing that, they should be witnessed by a person whose occupation or qualification is comparable to those listed above. This person should sign, date and specify their occupation at the bottom of the statement. You should confirm the requirements with the nearest Australian mission overseas when you lodge your application. Contact details for Australian missions are available on the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/ Warning: Under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959, people who intentionally make a false statement in a statutory declaration are liable for punishment of 4 years imprisonment. In addition, the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) provides penalties for providing false or misleading statements of 12 months or a fine of AUD12,000. Continued on the next page

© COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009

888 (Design date 07/09) - Page 1

About the information given in this form
The department is authorised to collect information provided on this form under Part 2 of the Act. The information collected will be used in the assessment of an application for the applicant to remain permanently in Australia on spouse, interdependency or de facto partner grounds. The information provided might also be disclosed to agencies who are authorised to receive information relating to border control, health assessment, health insurance, health services, law enforcement, payment of pensions and benefits, taxation, and review of decisions. The information form 993i Safeguarding your personal information gives details of agencies to which your information might be disclosed. The form is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/ or from your nearest office of the department or Australian mission overseas. The department has authority under the Act to collect a range of personal identifiers from non-citizens, including visa applicants, in certain circumstances. For more detailed information, you should read information form 1243i Your personal identifying information, which is available from the department’s website www.immi.gov.au/allforms/ or from your nearest office of the department or Australian mission overseas.

Home page www.immi.gov.au General Telephone 131 881 during business hours enquiry line in Australia to speak to an operator (recorded information available outside these hours). If you are outside Australia, please contact your nearest Australian mission.

Please keep these information pages for your reference
888 (Design date 07/09) - Page 2 © COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009

Statutory declaration by a supporting witness relating to a partner visa application

Form

888

Please use a pen, and write neatly in English using BLOCK LETTERS. Tick where applicable



3

State how you know the applicant and the applicant’s sponsor, and indicate how often you have been in contact with them

Details of person making the statutory declaration

I,

Family name Given names

of Your residential address

POSTCODE

Occupation or qualification

Telephone numbers Office hours After hours
(AREA CODE (AREA CODE ) )

make the following declaration under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959:

If insufficient space, please attach additional details

4 1
Applicant’s name Family name Given names

State whether you believe the relationship of the applicant and his/her partner to be genuine and continuing, and give your reasons for your belief

For how many years have you known the applicant?

YEARS

2

Name of applicant’s partner (spouse or de facto partner) Family name Given names

For how many years have you known the applicant’s partner?

YEARS

Office use only
File number

If insufficient space, please attach additional details
Continued on the next page
© COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009 888 (Design date 07/09) - Page 3

5

State any other matters you wish to add

6

WARNING: Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence.

I understand that a person who intentionally makes a false statement in a statutory declaration is guilty of an offence under section 11 of the Statutory Declarations Act 1959, and I believe that the statements in this declaration are true in every particular.

Your signature Declared at
DAY MONTH YEAR

On

Before me,
Signature of qualified person
DAY MONTH YEAR

Date Details of person before whom the declaration is made in printed letters Family name Given names

Preferred title

Mr Other

Mrs

Miss

Ms

Contact address

POSTCODE

Occupation or qualification Telephone number Office hours
(AREA CODE )

We strongly advise that you keep a copy of this statutory declaration and all attachments for your records.

If insufficient space, please attach additional details

888 (Design date 07/09) - Page 4

© COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009