888 - Statutory declaration by a supporting witness ...

1 Form888 Statutory declaration by a supportingwitness relating to a partner visa applicationA full list of prescribed persons can be found in the StatutoryDeclarations Regulations 1993, which is available through theAttorney-General s Department blank Statutory declaration form is also available from thesame you are outside Australia and are unable to get an Australiancitizen or Australian permanent resident to complete astatutory declaration in support of your relationship with yourpartner, you may obtain statements from people who knowyou and your sponsor. Such statements are not statutorydeclarations under Australian law. However, in accordancewith policy, they should be witnessed or certified according tothe legal practices of the relevant country. Failing that, theyshould be witnessed by a person whose occupation orqualification is comparable to those listed above. This personshould sign, date and specify their occupation at the bottomof the should confirm the requirements with the nearestAustralian mission overseas when you lodge your details for Australian missions are available on thedepartment s : Under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959, peoplewho intentionally make a false statement in astatutory declaration are liable for punishment of4 years imprisonment.

2 In addition, the MigrationAct 1958 (the Act) provides penalties for providingfalse or misleading statements of 12 months or afine of AUD12, Please read this information carefully beforecompleting this Statutory declaration . Once you havecompleted this declaration we strongly advise that you keep acopy for your assessing a partner class visa application theDepartment of Immigration and Citizenship(the department) is required to consider the social aspects ofthe claimed relationship. Statements from persons who knowyou and your sponsor may be provided to support department s policy is that these statements be providedin the form of Statutory declarations. This form is for thispurpose. It is also the department s policy that the personcompleting this Statutory declaration form: know both the partner class visa applicant and their sponsorand the history of their relationship; be aged 18 years or over; and be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent of the person s Australian citizenship or Australianpermanent resident status must be attached to this form (forexample, a certified copy of the birth certificate, Australianpassport or passport containing a permanent visa ).

3 Suchevidence must show the current name of the person makingthe person completing this declaration may be required tosubmit up to 3 separate declarations during the processing ofthe application to remain permanently in Australia. They maybe contacted by the department for further comment andinterview in relation to the information given in this there is insufficient space, please attach aseparate sheet showing which questions theinformation refers Australia, Statutory declarations must be witnessed by aperson prescribed by the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 andRegulations. Any attachments to the declaration must becertified by a prescribed person. Prescribed persons includethose 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 continuousyears of service; postal manager or permanent employee of the AustralianPostal Commission with 5 or more continuous years ofservice; police officer; or public servant with 5 or more continuous years of (Design date 07/09) - Page 1 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009 Continued on the next pageAbout the information given in this formThe department is authorised to collect information providedon this form under Part 2 of the Act.

4 The informationcollected will be used in the assessment of an application forthe applicant to remain permanently in Australia on spouse,interdependency or de facto partner grounds. Theinformation provided might also be disclosed to agencies whoare authorised to receive information relating to bordercontrol, health assessment, health insurance, health services,law enforcement, payment of pensions and benefits, taxation,and review of information form 993i Safeguarding your personalinformation gives details of agencies to which yourinformation might be disclosed. The form is available from thedepartment s website or fromyour nearest office of the department or Australian department has authority under the Act to collect a rangeof personal identifiers from non-citizens, including visaapplicants, in certain circumstances. For more detailedinformation, you should read information form 1243i Yourpersonal identifying information, which is available from thedepartment s website or fromyour nearest office of the department or Australian 131 881 during business hoursin Australia to speak to an operator (recordedinformation available outside these hours).

5 If you are outside Australia, please contactyour nearest Australian lineHome keep these information pages for your reference888 (Design date 07/09) - Page 2 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009888 (Design date 07/09) - Page 3 Office use onlyFile numberState whether you believe the relationship of the applicant andhis/her partner to be genuine and continuing, and give your reasonsfor your belief4 Continued on the next pageFamily nameGiven namesFor how many years haveyou known the applicant?Applicant s name1 Family nameGiven namesFor how many years have you knownthe applicant s partner ?Name of applicant s partner (spouse or de facto partner )2 State how you know the applicant and the applicant s sponsor,and indicate how often you have been in contact with them3 YEARSYEARSForm888 Statutory declaration by a supportingwitness relating to a partner visa applicationFamily nameGiven namesYour residential addressPOSTCODEO ccupation or qualificationTelephone numbersOffice hoursAfter hours(AREA CODE )(AREA CODE )Details of person making the Statutory declarationmake the following declaration under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959:ofI,If insufficient space, please attach additional detailsIf insufficient space, please attach additional detailsTick where applicable Please use a pen, and write neatly in English using BLOCK (Design date 07/09) - Page 4 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2009 State any other matters you wish to add5 WARNING.

6 Giving false or misleading information is a serious understand that a person who intentionally makes a false statement ina Statutory declaration is guilty of an offence under section 11 of theStatutory Declarations Act 1959, and I believe that the statements in thisdeclaration are true in every signatureOnFamily nameDetails of person before whom the declaration is made in printed lettersGiven namesPreferred titleMrMrsMissMsOtherSignature ofqualifiedpersonDateDeclared atDAYMONTHYEARDAYMONTHYEARC ontact addressPOSTCODEO ccupation or qualificationTelephone numberOffice hours(AREA CODE )Before me,If insufficient space, please attach additional detailsWe strongly advise that you keep a copy of this statutorydeclaration and all attachments for your records.