Immigration Forum / Australia and NZ / November 2007

I'm not a lawyer, [or solicitor, or barrister] , and I don't know
how much you know about stat decs in general.  They are widely
used in Australia for a wide variety of purposes, and can be
countersigned in front of not only a Justice of the Peace, but a
wide number of other people.  For details, see a typical stat dec
form at
http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(CFD7369FCAE9B8F32F341DBE097801FF
)~StatutoryDeclaration200602.pdf/$file/StatutoryDeclaration200602.pdf

Alternatively,
http://tinyurl.com/yueoxx

This is a typical form, under the Statutory Declaration Act of
1955, and it may have been altered since then.  However,
basically the act provides that the person or persons is telling
the truth under penalty of law, and the maximum penalty for
a false declaration had, at the time, a maximum penalty of
four years imprisonment for an intentional false declaration.

Basically, as I see it, it can be, and is, used for a wide
variety of purposes.  

For example, suppose that years ago I were expecting to receive a
a tax refund cheque in my mailbox.  Someone may steal it and cash
it.  In applying for another cheque as a replacement, was asked
to produce a stat dec.

Now, naturally, I wouldn't know if it was sent in the first
place, lost in the mail system, was stolen out of my mailbox, or
whatever.  

So I simply stated that I hadn't rec'd it.  Got it signed someone
who was a J.P, at local bank, and that was good enough for
the department.

What the immigration authorities actually want to you to certify
might be best found out by simply asking what they expect as
proof of your relationship.

Cheers,
Kangaroo16