In Australia, a statutory declaration is a written statement that declares the truth of a statement in the presence of an authorized witness. It is used for various legal and administrative purposes and is governed by the Statutory Declarations Act 1959.
The declaration must be made in the presence of an authorized witness, and false declarations can lead to penalties. Common authorized witnesses include justices of the peace, police officers, lawyers, and registered medical practitioners.
Statutory declarations are used for many reasons, such as providing evidence of identity or citizenship and supporting visa applications. Although there is no specific form, a standard one is often available and should be used. Declarations are usually valid for a specified period, and individuals should seek legal advice to ensure compliance with current regulations.
Form 888 Statutory Declarations
Form 888 is a statutory declaration used in Australian immigration for Partner or Prospective Marriage visa applications. It provides evidence of the genuineness of a relationship between a visa applicant and their partner, completed by friends, family members, or acquaintances.
Please note - it is important to verify the latest information from the official website of the Department of Home Affairs or consult with a migration agent or legal professional as immigration forms and requirements can change.
Form 888s can only be completed by Australian citizens or permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens. The Department of Home Affairs recommends visa applicants submit at least two Form 888 declarations from individuals with personal knowledge of the relationship. As mentioned above, statutory declarations must be witnessed by an authorized person. Please see the respective link on who can witness your Commonwealth stat dec.
Information on who can witness your Commonwealth - statutory declaration:
Authorized Witnesses
Other Statutory Declaration Templates
To support your visa applications, we have shared some links of statutory declaration forms that you can download and/or fill in. Please note that these are not the same as Form 888 and do not replace the Form 888 requirements.
As mentioned in Documents Required, for all Partner or Prospective Marriage visa applications, we recommend both partners filling out a stat dec for the respective region/territory and including this in your applications.
This site has been created to support immigrants and newcomers. If you feel the information shared above is out of date, please do reach out to us so we can amend or update. Thank you in advance.
