Certified Copies for a Partner Visa
A partner visa lodged online through ImmiAccount needs colour scans of the original documents rather than certified copies, and certification matters in only 2 cases: documents you send the Department on paper, and the attachments Form 1229 itself asks to be certified.
When a certified copy is needed, it is a photocopy of the original signed by an authorised person who has seen the original. Everything else in a partner visa is uploaded as a colour scan or photograph.
| Situation | What to upload or send | Certified copy needed | Who can certify it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online partner visa lodgement (820, 309, 300) | Colour scans or photos of the originals | No | Not applicable |
| A paper document you post because you cannot use ImmiAccount | The original or a certified copy | Yes | A person on the Home Affairs list, or a registered migration agent |
| Form 1229 consent for a child | Certified copies of the child's birth certificate and the consenting parent's identity document | Yes, the form says so | A person on the Home Affairs list |
| A document in another language | The original plus an English translation | No. This is the translation rule | Not applicable |
| A statutory declaration | The signed declaration | No. It is witnessed, not certified | An authorised witness |
| Form 888 | The signed supporting statement, plus a copy of the supporter's identity or status document | No | Not applicable |
Do you need certified copies for a partner visa lodged online?
No. You do not need certified copies for a partner visa lodged online. The Home Affairs pages for the subclass 820 and 309 visas, last updated on 10 August 2026, and the subclass 300 page all say "You do not need to have any documents certified". They ask you to scan or photograph every document in colour, clearly enough to read, and to save a multi-page document as one file. Both the 820 and the 309 must be applied for online, so partner visa certified documents are the exception, not the rule.
When does a partner visa document need to be certified?
- When you send it on paper. Home Affairs says "When you apply on paper you must provide certified copies". Regulation 2.13(5) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) requires a document sent with a written communication to be the original or a certified copy. For a partner visa this arises when you cannot use ImmiAccount and post a form such as Form 1022.
- When a form asks for it. Form 1229 (design date 11/23) tells the consenting parent to attach a certified copy of the child's birth certificate, if not already lodged, and of their own passport, driver licence, national identity card or birth certificate. The partner visa pages say no certification is needed, but the form's own instruction is the safer one to follow.
The partner visa document checklist shows the certification rule for every document.
Who can certify a copy of a partner visa document?
In Australia
Home Affairs says the certifier must be an Australian citizen, must not be related to you by birth, marriage or de facto relationship, and must work in a listed occupation. As at 23 September 2026 the list includes:
- justices of the peace, commissioners for declarations and commissioners for affidavits
- legal practitioners, judges, magistrates, registrars and clerks of court, bailiffs and sheriffs
- medical practitioners, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, physiotherapists, optometrists, chiropractors and veterinary surgeons
- police officers, and members of the Australian Defence Force with 5 or more years of continuous service
- full-time teachers at a school or tertiary institution
- marriage celebrants and ministers of religion registered under the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth)
- bank, building society, credit union and finance company officers, and permanent employees of Australia Post or any government, each with 5 or more years of continuous service
- members of listed accounting, engineering and company secretary bodies, and members of parliament or local councils
- registered migration agents whose registration is not suspended or subject to a caution
The last item matches reg 2.13(5)(b)(iv), which lets a registered migration agent certify copies for a visa application.
Outside Australia
If you do not know an Australian citizen, Home Affairs accepts a certifier who is a citizen of the country you are in, is not related to you, and works in one of the listed occupations. An Australian consular or diplomatic officer can also certify, where the embassy or consulate offers the service.
How is a copy certified for a partner visa?
- Make a copy of the original.
- Take the original and the copy to the certifier.
- The certifier checks the copy against the original.
- On a single page they write or stamp "This is a certified true copy of the original as sighted by me". On a longer document they certify the first page for the stated number of pages and initial every other page.
- They add their signature, full name, occupation, phone number and the date. Their address is optional.
Certified copy, certified translation or witnessed declaration for a partner visa?
| Term | What it proves | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copy | The copy matches the original | An authorised certifier who sighted the original |
| Certified translation | The English text matches a document in another language | A NAATI-accredited translator in Australia, or an endorsed translator overseas |
| Witnessed statutory declaration | The person made the statement in front of a witness | An authorised witness for a statutory declaration |
For translations, see translating documents for a partner visa. For declarations, see who can witness a statutory declaration.
Is a certified copy as good as the original for a partner visa?
For paper documents, yes: reg 2.13(5) accepts either. The Department can still require the original of a document you have already sent electronically, under reg 2.13(7). Keep every original.
Questions about certified copies for a partner visa
Does a certified copy expire?
The Home Affairs certified copy page sets no expiry. Where a form or officer asks for a certified copy, a recent one avoids questions.
Can a JP certify a document from another country?
Yes, if they sight the original. A document not in English also needs a translation.
Do you certify colour or black-and-white copies?
The Home Affairs certified copy page does not say. Online uploads must be in colour.
Does the sponsor need certified copies?
Not for an online application. The sponsor uploads colour scans like the applicant.
Certified copies and the partner visa document checklist
Certification is a format rule across all four factors of partner visa relationship evidence. It proves none of them. For documents in another language, see translating documents for a partner visa. For Form 888 and statutory declarations, check who can witness a statutory declaration.
Format mistakes rarely refuse an application on their own, but a missing certification on a consent form can hold up a child's visa. An application prepared by a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner is more likely to succeed, because they know which forms still need certified copies and can certify copies themselves. No adviser can promise a grant.
The partner visa document checklist applies this rule to each document in its certified-copy column.
Questions people ask
Do you need certified copies for a partner visa?
Not for documents uploaded to an online application. The Home Affairs pages for the subclass 820, 309 and 300 visas say you do not need to have any documents certified, and ask for clear colour scans or photographs. Certified copies are needed for documents sent on paper and where a form, such as Form 1229, asks for them.
Who can certify documents for a partner visa in Australia?
An Australian citizen who is not related to you and works in one of the occupations Home Affairs lists. The list includes justices of the peace, legal practitioners, pharmacists, police officers, registered migration agents whose registration is not suspended or under caution, and bank, post office and government employees with 5 or more years of continuous service.
Who can certify documents for a partner visa outside Australia?
If you do not know an Australian citizen, a citizen of the country you are in who is not related to you and works in one of the listed occupations. An Australian consular or diplomatic officer may also certify copies where the embassy or consulate offers that service.
Is a certified copy as good as the original?
For documents sent on paper, reg 2.13(5) of the Migration Regulations 1994 accepts either the original or a certified copy. The Department can still ask to see an original under reg 2.13(7), so keep every original safe.
Sources
Primary sources this page was checked against on 23 September 2026.
- Department of Home Affairs, Certified copy immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Partner visa (subclass 820) immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Partner visa (subclass 309) immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Department of Home Affairs, Form 1229 immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
- Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), reg 2.13 www.legislation.gov.au