Question 3: State how you know the applicant and the applicant’s partner or fiancé(e), and indicate how often you have been in contact with them:
I am the brother of the applicant’s spouse, Gemma Wayne. I have known Ben Walker for the last 2 years after he was introduced to our family by my sister.
I first met Ben in person in December 2014 when he travelled to Australia with Gemma to visit us. During this trip, Ben and Gemma stayed with my family at our Castle Hill residence for a few days while they were in Sydney.
During his stay in Sydney, my family and I took Gemma and Ben around Sydney, including to the Blue Mountains, the Royal National Park, Sydney CBD and the harbour area. We also took Ben shopping in the city before he departed Australia, when he needed to buy some presents for his family and friends back in Canada.
During the time that my sister has lived in Canada, we stayed in contact with her and Ben with calls every week or so. Based on my prior opportunity to spend a few weeks together in Sydney with Gemma and Ben, and also our regular calls, I know that their relationship is very committed and loving.
Question 4: State whether you believe the relationship of the applicant and his/her partner or fiancé(e) to be genuine and continuing, and give your reasons for your belief
Gemma told me about her friendship with Ben well before they started their relationship. She told me about the holidays that they took together, the activities they did together after she moved to Canada etc.
She also told me about how Ben helped her get over her prior divorce from her former partner, and also the financial assistance that he has provided to her after she moved into his apartment in Toronto.
I recently saw Ben again during his most recent visit to Australia (February to March 2016). My family attended my sister and Ben’s wedding. We don’t have too many family members in Australia, so their wedding was just attended by a few family members and friends.
My sister and Ben got married at St Andrew’s Church in San Sousi. We then all went to the Novartis Hotel Sydney for their wedding celebrations and reception.
30 thoughts on “Form 888 – Sample Answers”
Hi,
My partner and I (aus citizen) currently reside out of Australia, in Ireland. We intent to have 2 form 888’s signed in Ireland, one by an Aus citizen, and one by an Irish citizen. Do these need to be witnessed by anybody (in particular the Irish citizen) before they can be considered valid?
Hi James,
The Form 888 just needs to be signed by your witness – this doesn’t need to be signed by anyone else.
I see from the internet that there is an updated form 888, from July 2023, which is now no longer a stat dec, but more like a written statement instead. It also seems it’s no longer a requirement that the form must be completed by Australian PR or citizen, as well as that the person’s identity document that they provide with the form 888 no longer needs to be a ‘Certified True Copy’.
Is that true? If it is, that will make the whole process simpler.
Yes – you can use the current Form 888 from the Department’s website.
With the newest version of the Form 888, it states: The person completing this form must provide documentary evidence of their current name, age and, where applicable,
Australian citizenship or Australian permanent residency (for example, a copy of their birth certificate, Australian passport or passport containing a permanent visa).
Does this mean that only in the case that the person completing the form is Australian, they would provide evidence of being Australian? I want to get my wifes’ father to complete a form, but is is Japanese. Can he still complete the form?
Yes Form 888 can be completed by non-Australian.
Hi, my fiancee and I are in stage 2 of her PR and need to attached a form 888 does anyone know where we do this as its not like it was for TR
Hi Mark,
You can upload this to your online partner visa like with the TR stage.
Hi my friend is australia citizen who lives in oversea. Can he be suitable personal for signing my form 888?
Thank
Hi Wing,
Yes an Australian citizen living overseas can complete a Form 888 for your partner visa.
Hi, if my friends are Australian citizens living overseas, where and how can they take the completed Form 888 in person to an eligible prescribed person to arrange for signing and swearing of the declaration? Does it have to happen in Australia?
Hi Linda,
This is explained page 1 of Form 888:
If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident and you reside outside Australia, your statement cannot be considered a statutory declaration under Australian law, even if it is made using this form or the template provided by the Attorney-General’s Department. However, under policy, your statement should be witnessed or certified according to the legal practices of the country in which you make the statement. Failing that, it 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.
PC
Hi i am Australian permanent resident got married in Pakistan i applied my husband visa309/100 in 18 feb 2019 but we didn’t upload form 888 form my side can we upload now as its been 6 months of applied of hus visa but application still under process we hvnt get back from immigration or should we wait if tgey ask for and we prodive them thnx
Hi Noreen,
Yes you can upload further documents at any time during the Department’s processing time.
Hi my self Aman ,m from India ,two years ago I got married with australia pr boy
I just want to know about the declaration form 888
How he fill it bcoz his friends who are living in australia ,they were not coming in our marriage,his family and my family living in Punjab .so,how we fill that 888 form ,pls help
Is this form filled by Indian citizen persons who attend our marriage,pls guide
Hi Aman,
Page 1 of Form 888 states:
Note: If the visa applicant is outside Australia and is unable to have an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident complete this form, any person who knows the applicant and their partner or fiancé(e) may also complete this form.
My wife and I are going to be applying for 309/100 visa. I am Australian and she is from Philippines my friends and relatives have never met her in person. Only ovcassionally spoke to her on Skype when she is on video call with me. Can they still fill out a stat dec 888 for her application?
You can provide Form 888s from your friends and family who have not met your partner in person. However, you don’t need to provide the Form 888s at the time of application and you can wait until she has met your family and friends, or built up more contact with her over time before submitting these forms.
If we do not submit the stat dec 888 form at time of application. Will that not delay her approval for the 309 visa?
That depends on your application and the other evidence provided.
Please see Contact Us page and in relation to our Consultation Service – feel free to contact us if you need advice in relation to your visa options.
Hi
for non australian residents, does the statutory declaration form need to be on a stamp paper or certified by the indian embassy?
Hi Deepti,
No the declaration just needs to be properly sworn.
PC
hello..just wanna clarify if non-Australian resident/citizen they can use the statutory declaration form or the form 888 as long as both were certified.
Hi Krisha,
Unfortunately Form 888s are for permanent residents and Australian citizens.
You can copy and paste the same questions into a statutory declaration and get your non-Australian witnesses to complete these.
PC
Hi,
Would just like to clarify. The template you provided for non-Australian resident/citizen can be used and submitted right? Or they still need to answer the same set of questions as provided in Form 888? Thank you.
Hi Anne,
Yes, you can use the template and the link for non-Australian residents/citizens.
PC
HI, I have been reading that you still need the form witnessed but do not need a certified copy of the persons passport and that a colour scan is sufficient? I’m reading conflicting information as on the form it says passports must be certified but elsewhere on the gov site it says that if applying online then attached documents do NOT need to be certified?
Hi Sam,
We generally provide certified copies of the passport for a Form 888 as per the form’s instructions.
PC
I have asked my Brother to prepare an 888 for me. He only has a birth certificate extract. Can the extract be used as proof of Australian citizenship when submitting the form or does it need to be a full birth certificate?
Hi Michael,
Providing an extract of the birth certificate should be ok for these purposes.
PC