# Need help with Form 888 by Non-Australian's!



## kira123 (Oct 28, 2013)

Heya guys,

Ive been trying to research but cant find any answers - 
We are applying for off-shore partner visa and have 3 form 888's filled out by friends and family who are Australian citizens. As we have moved to France (where my partner lives) and have been here for 6 months I would like to include some of our friends here too.

My question is, as they are non-Australians do they need to supply a certified copy of their passport to prove their IDENTITY or is getting the stat dec witnessed enough?

Any help would be much appreciated 
Cheers


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

Non-Australians won't use the stat dec they will just write a statement on a blank piece of paper.

The embassy where my fiance applied they just signed the statement (did not have to be witnessed) and provided a photocopy of their id/passport (not certified).

I would check with the embassy you are applying at. Alot of embassy's from what I have read need the statement witnessed and certified copy of id - where we applied is probably one of the few exceptions


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## tara.jatt (May 15, 2012)

Hello Kira123,

I applied from DC Australian consulate and submitted a statement on plain paper and copy of the passport of non Australians relatives/friends providing us relationship witness declaration. Both documents were Notarized from their country.


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## kira123 (Oct 28, 2013)

Great, sounds good to me!
Thanks to both of you for your answers


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

Mish said:


> Non-Australians won't use the stat dec they will just write a statement on a blank piece of paper.
> 
> The embassy where my fiance applied they just signed the statement (did not have to be witnessed) and provided a photocopy of their id/passport (not certified).
> 
> I would check with the embassy you are applying at. Alot of embassy's from what I have read need the statement witnessed and certified copy of id - where we applied is probably one of the few exceptions


do they also need to provide their contact details and how often they are in touch with each couple, etc as mentioned on form 888?

thnaks very much


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

curious110 said:


> do they also need to provide their contact details and how often they are in touch with each couple, etc as mentioned on form 888?
> 
> thnaks very much


They didn't put their contact details on the statement. They just wrote why they believe we are genuine and when they met me.


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

Mish said:


> They didn't put their contact details on the statement. They just wrote why they believe we are genuine and when they met me.


regarding these witness certifying, wether form 888 or blank piece of paper or personal statement by applicant and the fiance, do people who witness sign need to read what has been said or they just sign it?

thanks very much


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

I did have overseas family complete the 888 and they had the forms notarized and included notarized copies of their passports. I supplied 3 from my husband's family in the USA.


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

curious110 said:


> regarding these witness certifying, wether form 888 or blank piece of paper or personal statement by applicant and the fiance, do people who witness sign need to read what has been said or they just sign it?
> 
> thanks very much


No, they are simply stating that the person made the statement and signed it in their presence. It's not their concern what's written in the statement.


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## kira123 (Oct 28, 2013)

curious110 said:


> regarding these witness certifying, wether form 888 or blank piece of paper or personal statement by applicant and the fiance, do people who witness sign need to read what has been said or they just sign it?
> 
> thanks very much


Witnessing and certifying are two different things. If they are certifying it, they are certifiying that the copy of a document is a true copy of the original that you provide them. If they are witnessing it, they only need to watch/witness you sign the document in question, and no, they do not need to know what is in or on the document. This is different in some countries especially when the language is not English and you are providing them with an English form, they become a little suspicious and worried. In my experience, I had to provide them with an unofficial translation of the document in order for them to witness it. Silly yes, but it was the only way for them to witness our documents. Hope this helped and good luck


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

curious110 said:


> regarding these witness certifying, wether form 888 or blank piece of paper or personal statement by applicant and the fiance, do people who witness sign need to read what has been said or they just sign it?
> 
> thanks very much


You are applying for a pmv. As form 888 is not mandatory I would not bother myself with it. There is enough stuff to do as it is don't bother doing things you don't need too. We just used a stat dec or blank piece of paper for all of ours.

The witness does not read it they just witness the signature. However, they may not witness documents if they can't read English.


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

online form requires you to give all details including contact details of people who will write a supporting statement. is that only for australian ones?

can I just get the non-australians to write on a piece of paper and witness signed it and a copy of their id and attach them to application and dont worry about filling their name on the online application which asks for their details?

I mean would the case officer wanna see that atatched statements are matching the list we have provided details on the online form?
would they ask then for their contact details? or just throw in bin those statements that the writer's details havent been uploaded online?!

the online form actually specifically asks for 2 supporters, so I assume they mean the australian supporters! am I right? and we just attach the letters of non-asutralinas withough giving details and filing their details online!
thanks very much


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

curious110 said:


> online form requires you to give all details including contact details of people who will write a supporting statement. is that only for australian ones?
> 
> can I just get the non-australians to write on a piece of paper and witness signed it and a copy of their id and attach them to application and dont worry about filling their name on the online application which asks for their details?
> 
> ...


We lodged via paper so was different for us.

If they want contact details for people writing statements that will be for everyone regardless of if they are in Australia or not.

Our non- Auatralians did not have to have their statements witnessed. Only the person making the statement signed it.

I would be giving details of everyone making statements. What it sounds like they want is 2 Australians as a minimum. Some people only submit 2 statements but being from a high risk country you should submit more than that. I think from memory we provided 13. Just remember the Australian does not have to have met your fiancee they just need to know about the relationship and say why they believe it to be genuine.

Hope that helps


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## kangaroogirl (Aug 25, 2012)

curious110 said:


> online form requires you to give all details including contact details of people who will write a supporting statement. is that only for australian ones?
> 
> can I just get the non-australians to write on a piece of paper and witness signed it and a copy of their id and attach them to application and dont worry about filling their name on the online application which asks for their details?
> 
> ...


I'd put their details and have them all witnessed regardless of Australian or overseas, I think it adds more weight to the statement.


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

Mish said:


> We lodged via paper so was different for us.
> 
> Just remember the Australian does not have to have met your fiancee they just need to know about the relationship and say why they believe it to be genuine.
> 
> Hope that helps


thanks very much for your answer. but reagarding Austrtalian not have to have met my fiance, but then why in q 3 of form 888, it syays that:

"State how you know the applicant and the applicant's partner or fiance and indicate how often you have been in contact with them"

????

what you are saying is a great news to me since I can get so many of these to be done by the Australain friends, but so far I thought that they had to know her and be in contact with her as well! so do you reckon that as long as they know me and know I'm married and about my relationshiop, then they just answer qs 4 and that's it!!!! ( off course get it witness sign as well and copy of their ID)


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

do non-australians who are writing on a blank piece of paper have to written their statement by hand or can they just type then sign and witness it?


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

curious110 said:


> thanks very much for your answer. but reagarding Austrtalian not have to have met my fiance, but then why in q 3 of form 888, it syays that:
> 
> "State how you know the applicant and the applicant's partner or fiance and indicate how often you have been in contact with them"
> 
> ...


Are you married or not? If you are married and applying for the 309 you need the 888's if you are not married and applying for the 300 pmv you do not need the 888's.

We used stat decs for Australian's and no form 888. 6 Australian's provided stat decs and none of them had met my fiance as he could not get a tourist visa.


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

curious110 said:


> do non-australians who are writing on a blank piece of paper have to written their statement by hand or can they just type then sign and witness it?


Either is fine.

It may not need to be witnessed. In Egypt they don't have anyone that does witnessing so witnessing was not required.


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

Mish said:


> Are you married or not? If you are married and applying for the 309 you need the 888's if you are not married and applying for the 300 pmv you do not need the 888's.
> 
> We used stat decs for Australian's and no form 888. 6 Australian's provided stat decs and none of them had met my fiance as he could not get a tourist visa.


I'm applying for 300 Prospective Marriage visa off shore. are you sure we dont need to provide 888!!!! Im pretty sure supporting witness is still required for class 300


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

curious110 said:


> I'm applying for 300 Prospective Marriage visa off shore. are you sure we dont need to provide 888!!!! Im pretty sure supporting witness is still required for class 300


Not when we applied the form 888 wasn't required. It said it in the partner booklet from memory.

Supporting witnesses are required but they do not need a form 888 you just use a stat dec instead.


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## Maggie-May24 (Jul 24, 2011)

curious110 said:


> so do you reckon that as long as they know me and know I'm married and about my relationshiop, then they just answer qs 4 and that's it!!!!


I realise you've gone through a marriage ceremony but that's it's not legally recognised in either your your fiance's home country or in Australia. But you have to stop saying you're married. If you do that anywhere in your application, you run the risk that DIBP will ask questions about your relationship. You don't need a little mis-phrase to cause them to think you don't qualify for a PMV.


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

maggie-may24 said:


> I realise you've gone through a marriage ceremony but that's it's not legally recognised in either your your fiance's home country or in Australia. But you have to stop saying you're married. If you do that anywhere in your application, you run the risk that DIBP will ask questions about your relationship. You don't need a little mis-phrase to cause them to think you don't qualify for a PMV.


yes, I know that was just a typo in my above qs.


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## Maggie-May24 (Jul 24, 2011)

I know, but it can be hard to re-program your brain. Similar advice has been given to other posters to make sure they don't refer to their partners as their 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend' for the same reason. You don't want the little things to trip you up.


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