Look, let’s skip the technical information regarding how to fill in a form 888 as you can watch a video I uploaded in 2015 about this. It’s a little stiff, I know but watch it and replay it if you didn’t understand it. The technical stuff in there.
I want to share with you my 22 years of experience about what is happening within the department and how they view the Form 888 under its current policy directives by the Minister of Home Affairs.
I want to share with you ‘some of the good stuff I have discovered’ and man alive here are some crackers that actually helped get the de facto or spouse visa applications over the line.
Question 3 reads “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?”
Now trust me on this that your witnesses are going do the normal mumbo, jumbo statements here, right, so let me give you ‘one tip’ to prevent what almost ruined one of my earlier applications.
Before I commence let me remind everyone of the very stiff penalties of providing a false declarations. In fact let’s just copy and paste that now directly below so you don’t get any funny ideas:-
Warning: Under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959, people who intentionally make a false statement in a statutory declaration are liable for punishment of 4 years imprisonment. In addition, the MigrationAct 1958 (the Act) provides penalties for providing false or misleading statements of 12 months imprisonment or a fine of AUD12,000.
In this section ensure your witness declares (if this is in fact the case) that they were also aware and knew that you actually flew to the Philippines and specify the duration of your trip(s) to, a) meet the applicant and their family and friends on the sponsors initial trip(s) there and any other subsequent trip(s) to the Philippines or other third-country destination such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc., that you and you partner holidayed or traveled together for business or play.
Now this may all sound all trivial but in applications involving de facto visa and convincing the case officer of the strict 12 month co-habitation requirements, it may all spell the difference between success and or failure.
You need to ensure that you cultivate and refresh their memories about how the history of you relationship developed and it all begins with you sharing your feeling and thoughts with those that knew how you developed all those feeling for the ‘love of your life’.
Get those details appropriately and properly documented and stated in these form 888’s as they are powerful insights from third party statements that will fortify and amplify your partner visa application with the Department of Home Affairs, in Australia.
Question 4 reads “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?”
Here is where so many witnesses just go all watery in the eyes and miss the point completely.
The answer needs to be compelling folks. Not wishy washy.
Use expressions like ‘I can see a close relationship develop, I heard good things happening between Applicant and Sponsor’s relative getting along, There appears to be team works between the couple and other members of their family unit, I can see that they have already settled into a healthy routine,I get positive feedback from applicant /sponsor about each other when we are out socializing privately, I do not see nor hear applicant/sponsor complaining about their relationship and maybe finish with, I can state that their relationship appears to be strong, solid, genuine and continuing and am happy to provide this statement to the department.
Question 5 reads “State any other matters you wish to add in support of the visa application?’
Here is a great opportunity for your witness to end with a BIG BANG.
Perhaps a statement that says “I have now known the applicant for just on a 1/2/3 year now and sponsor for almost 5/10/15 years and can say that I would be very happy to maintain my social engagement, on-going support for their transitional period, as they are in a great relationship, I have enjoyed their company as a couple during the past 12/24 months, they have also assisted me with some of my own issues.
Are you getting the picture now on how to fill in a form 888?
Ask the witnesses to sit back and just take a moment to write down in point form what they really know about your relationship and articulate it in the most descriptive and affirmative manner.
Just as a shout out, the department “strongly advises that the witness and you as the sponsor and applicant keep a copy of the statutory declaration and all attachments i.e. their identification evidence, for your records.
