Form 888 is the Department of Home Affairs supporting statement used in Australian partner visa and Prospective Marriage visa applications. The current form (design date 11/24) helps the Department assess the social aspects of the claimed relationship.
The current Form 888 is not a statutory declaration. Older guidance that automatically requires an Australian citizen or permanent resident and an authorised witness does not match the current form. Always open the latest official Form 888 before preparing a statement.
A critical exception for some onshore applicants without a substantive visa
Form 888 must not be substituted for a statutory declaration where Home Affairs specifically requires one. Its current subclass 820 instructions say that an eligible applicant who does not hold a substantive visa must include at least two statutory declarations made within the preceding six weeks by Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens confirming the relationship. Home Affairs expressly states that current and previous versions of Form 888 do not satisfy that particular requirement.
The same instructions require the sponsor's online sponsorship form and specified evidence of the sponsor's status, and warn that omitting the required information at lodgement may make the application invalid. This is a narrow but high-consequence exception: check the current subclass instructions and obtain individual advice before lodging if the applicant does not hold a substantive visa.
Who can complete the current form
- A person who is at least 18 years old.
- A person who knows the visa applicant, their partner or fiancé(e), and the history of their relationship.
- The current form does not say the person must live in Australia or be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Evidence of citizenship or permanent residency is requested where applicable.
What makes a useful supporting statement
The form asks for facts about how the person knows the couple and why they believe the relationship is genuine and continuing. Firsthand, specific detail is generally more useful than broad praise. A supporter can explain:
- How and when the author met each of you, and how they know you as a couple.
- Specific experiences — events they attended, contact they observed and how they saw the relationship develop.
- The factual basis for their view, expressed in their own words.
What to attach and check
- Identity evidence. The person completing the form must provide documentary evidence of their current name and age and, where applicable, Australian citizenship or permanent residency.
- Signature and date. Complete the declaration at Question 6. The 11/24 form does not include an authorised-witness section.
- Independent wording. Avoid giving several supporters an identical script. Each person should describe what they actually know.
- Current version. Check the design date and official instructions again at the time of lodgement.
Form 888 statements support the broader evidence; they do not replace financial, household, social and commitment evidence. Use the partner visa document checklist to understand those four areas. If you are preparing the matter yourself, the DIY partner visa application guide sets out a practical sequence. The Department may request further statements or contact the person who completed the form.
The same evidence principles can be relevant across the 820/801 onshore pathway, the 309/100 offshore pathway and a subclass 300 prospective marriage application, although the correct documents depend on the facts.