Information to Help Prepare Your Application

Make sure you read all the information provided in the links below before you lodge your application.

Certified documents

Do not supply original documents with your application unless asked to do so.
Note: Police checks are the exception. You must provide original police checks.

You should provide 'certified copies' of original documents. 'Certified copies' are copies authorised, or stamped as being true copies of originals, by a person or agency recognised by the law of the country in which you currently reside. All departmental offices outside Australia have the facility to certify or witness documents if necessary; this service may attract a charge.
See: Immigration Offices outside Australia

Statutory declarations

Only certain people may witness a Commonwealth statutory declaration.
See: Attorney General's Department Website

All departmental offices outside Australia have the facility to witness statutory declarations if necessary; this service may attract a charge.

Translating documents into English

Documents in languages other than English that you provide with your application must also be accompanied by an accurate English translation of each of those documents.

If you are applying for a visa outside Australia and you are having documents translated outside Australia, it is recommended that you use a translator who is professionally qualified.

If you are applying for a visa in Australia and you are having documents translated in Australia, it is recommended that you use a translator who has been accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translations and Interpreters (NAATI). Further information on NAATI is available from their website.
See: NAATI Website

Communicating electronically with the department

The department may use a range of means to communicate with you. Electronic means such as fax or email will only be used if you indicate your agreement to receiving communication in this way in Form 1193.

To process your application the department may need to communicate with you about sensitive information, for example health, police checks, financial viability and personal relationships. Electronic communications unless adequately encrypted are not secure and may be viewed by others or interfered with. If you agree with the department communicating with you by electronic means the details you provide will only be used by the department for the purpose for which you have provided them, unless there is a legal obligation or necessity to use them for another purpose, or you have consented to use for another purpose. They will not be added to any mailing list

The Commonwealth Government accepts no responsibility for the security or integrity of any information sent to the department over the internet or by other electronic means.

If you authorise another person to receive documents on your behalf and they wish to be contacted electronically, their signature is required on the form to indicate their consent to this form of communication. If you or your authorised recipient choose not to communicate with the department electronically and would prefer to receive communication by way of post, then your application may take longer to finalise if the department needs to contact you about your application.

See: Form 1193 Communicating By E-mail With The Department ( 62KB PDF file)

Appointing an authorised recipient

An authorised recipient is someone you appoint to receive written communications from the department about your application. An authorised recipient must be a natural person and cannot be a business, a corporation or an organisation.
Example: A family member, a friend, a migration agent, a lawyer.

By appointing an authorised recipient, the department will be required under the Migration Act 1958 to send your authorised recipient any written communication relating to your visa application that would otherwise have been sent to you. The department will only send your authorised recipient information which you are entitled to receive and may provide you with copies.

The department will communicate with the most recently appointed authorised recipient, as you may only appoint one authorised recipient at any one time.

To appoint an authorised recipient you need to complete and return to the department Form 956 – Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient. You do not need to separately complete Form 956A if you are being assisted in your application by a migration agent or an exempt person and they have completed Form 956 – Advice of a Migration Agent/exempt person of immigration assistance.
See:
Form 956 – Advice by a migration agent/exempt person of providing immigration assistance (116KB PDF file)
Form 956A - Appointment or withdrawal of authorised recipient (116KB PDF file)

When the department reaches a decision concerning your visa application, the appointment of an authorised recipient will come to an end. This means that if the department needs to communicate with you after you have been notified of the outcome of your visa application, the department will communicate with you directly.

Using a migration agent

You are not required to use a Migration Agent. If you want to use a Migration Agent please read the information for clients using a Migration Agent.
See: Using a Migration Agent

Assistance in completing applications

If you choose to receive assistance completing this application, be aware that section 98 of the Migration Act 1958 provides that where an application is completed by someone on behalf of the applicant, then the applicant is taken to have completed the application him/herself; and is responsible for any information provided in the application.