Form 80 for Children and Minors: Who Signs and What Applies

Key Facts
Applies to	Minors (under 18) included in any visa application where Form 80 is requested
Typical request age	Generally 16+ — but the Department can request Form 80 at any age
Who signs Part S	Parent or legal guardian — the child does not sign
Employment history (Part F)	Leave blank if not applicable — explain in Part T with the child's age
Address history (Part D)	List all addresses the child has lived at — typically follows parents' history
Criminal history (Part K)	Disclose any relevant history — juvenile matters in any country

Quick answer: Form 80 may be requested for a child under 18, but a parent or legal guardian must sign Part S (the declaration) on the child's behalf.

Does a child need to complete Form 80?

The Department of Home Affairs can request Form 80 for any visa applicant, including children and infants. Whether a minor is asked to provide Form 80 depends on the visa subclass, country of residence, and the case officer's assessment of the application — there is no fixed age threshold below which Form 80 is automatically excluded.

In practice, Form 80 requests for very young children are less common because most history sections will have little or no applicable content. However, if the Department issues a formal document request for Form 80 in your child's ImmiAccount, it must be completed and submitted — even if most sections contain minimal information. See the s56 request guide if you have received a formal notice.

If you are unsure whether your child needs to complete Form 80, check your ImmiAccount application for an active document request, and consult a registered migration agent if you are uncertain how to respond.

Who signs Form 80 for a minor?

Part S (the declaration) must be signed by a parent or legal guardian when the applicant is under 18. The child does not sign. The parent or guardian is making a statutory declaration that, to the best of their knowledge, the information provided in the form is true, accurate, and complete.

If the child turns 18 before Part S is signed, they must sign for themselves. The date of signing in Part S determines who is responsible for the declaration — not the date the form was started.

Where a child has two legal guardians, either may sign — but only one signature is required. If the child is in the care of a legal guardian rather than a biological parent, the guardian signs using their own name and relationship to the child.

Which parts of Form 80 apply to a minor?

All 20 parts of Form 80 must be addressed, even for a child. For sections with no applicable information, write "not applicable" or leave the section blank — but always add a brief explanation in Part T (Additional Information) stating why. The table below shows how each part typically applies to minors:

Part	Section	Applies to minors?
A	Names and identity	Yes — full legal name, aliases, date and place of birth
B	Passport details	Yes — all current and expired passports, including children's passports
C	Languages and identity documents	Yes — all languages and identity documents held
D	Address history (10 years)	Yes — all addresses, typically matching parents' history
E	Travel history (10 years)	Yes — all international trips; shorter list for younger children
F	Employment history	Usually not applicable — explain in Part T
G	Education history	Partially — list school attendance from the start; primary school included
H	Spouse or de facto partner	Typically not applicable — note in Part T
I	Children	Typically not applicable — note in Part T
J	Parents and siblings	Yes — full names, dates and places of birth
K	Criminal history	Yes — disclose all matters in any country
L	Military service	Typically not applicable — note in Part T
M	Organisation memberships	Yes — sports clubs, scouting, and other organisations
N–Q	Character and security declarations	Yes — each question requires a yes/no response
R	Visa refusals and cancellations	Yes — include any refusals in the child's name
S	Declaration and signature	Signed by parent or legal guardian, not the child
T	Additional information	Use to explain all not-applicable sections

Employment and education history for minors

Employment history (Part F)

If the child has never worked — which is standard for any applicant under 16, and common for those under 18 — Part F can be left blank. However, you must add an entry in Part T explaining why it is blank. A brief note is sufficient, for example: "Applicant is 14 years old and has no employment history."

If the minor has worked — for example, as a part-time employee or in a family business — list that employment as you would for any applicant: employer name, full address, role, and start and end dates. Even short-term or casual work should be included.

Education history (Part G)

Unlike employment, education history is almost always applicable for a minor. List the child's schooling from the earliest entry point — even primary school is appropriate to include when the child has no other history to provide. For each entry include the school or institution name, full address, and the start and end dates of attendance (or "present" if currently enrolled).

If the child is too young to have started school, note in Part T: "Applicant is [age] years old and has not yet commenced formal education."

Address and travel history for minors

Address history (Part D)

Part D requires all residential addresses for the 10 years before signing (or the child's entire life if they are under 10). For most minors, this will mirror the family's address history — the child lived wherever the parents lived. List each address separately with move-in and move-out dates, and ensure there are no unexplained gaps.

If the child has lived with different family members at different times (e.g., during family separation or when abroad), list each address accurately even if it differs from the primary parent's address history.

Travel history (Part E)

Part E requires all international travel in the 10 years before signing. For young children this will typically be a short list. Include all trips — holidays, visits to family overseas, transit stops where immigration was cleared — with the country visited, approximate dates, and purpose of travel. If the child was an infant for most of the 10-year window, the list may have few entries, which is entirely appropriate.

Use Part T to note: "Travel history reflects the child's trips as a minor travelling with parents or guardians." This gives context to an otherwise sparse history.

Criminal history for minors (Part K)

Part K must be completed honestly even for minors. The Department of Home Affairs requires disclosure of all criminal history in any country — including juvenile matters, charges that were withdrawn or dismissed, and offences that did not result in a conviction. There is no age threshold below which criminal history is excluded.

Australia's spent convictions scheme under the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) does not apply to immigration assessments. If the child has any criminal or juvenile justice history — even a minor matter dealt with by a youth court — it should be disclosed in Part K, with full details provided in Part T if needed.

If the child has no criminal history whatsoever, tick "No" to each question in Part K. This is the most common outcome for minors completing Form 80.

Using Part T for a minor's Form 80

Part T (Additional Information) is the most important tool when completing Form 80 for a child. Use it to explain every section that has been left blank or partially completed due to the child's age. Clear, brief explanations prevent the case officer from querying gaps that are simply a result of the applicant being a minor.

Suggested Part T notes for a minor's Form 80:

• Employment (Part F): "Applicant is [age] years old and has no employment history."
• Education (Part G, if not yet school-aged): "Applicant is [age] years old and has not yet commenced formal education."
• Spouse/partner (Part H): "Not applicable — applicant is a minor."
• Children (Part I): "Not applicable — applicant is a minor."
• Military service (Part L): "Not applicable — applicant is a minor and has not served in any military or armed force."
• Travel history (Part E): "Travel history reflects the child's trips as a minor accompanying parents or guardians."
• General note: "Form 80 is completed on behalf of [child's name], date of birth [DOB], who is [age] years old. Part S is signed by [parent/guardian name], [relationship], as parent/legal guardian."

Using FormMate 80 for a minor's Form 80

FormMate 80 can be used to complete Form 80 on behalf of a minor. When filling in the form, enter the child's personal details as the applicant — name, date of birth, place of birth, passport details, and all applicable history. Do not enter the parent's details in the applicant fields.

For sections that do not apply to the child (such as employment or military service), leave those sections blank in the wizard and use the Part T section to add the age-based explanation. The downloaded PDF will be the official Form 80 filled with the child's information. The parent or guardian then signs Part S of the printed or electronically signed PDF before uploading it to ImmiAccount.

See the how to fill Form 80 guide for a step-by-step walkthrough of the full form completion process.

Frequently asked questions

At what age does a child need to complete Form 80?

There is no fixed minimum age — the Department of Home Affairs can request Form 80 for any applicant. In practice, Form 80 requests for very young children are less common than for applicants aged 16 and over, but the Department retains discretion to request it regardless of age. If your child's ImmiAccount shows a Form 80 document request, it must be completed.

Can I, as a parent, fill in Form 80 on my child's behalf?

Yes. A parent or legal guardian completes the form using the child's details as the applicant. You sign the declaration in Part S as the parent or guardian. You should also add a note in Part T identifying yourself and your relationship to the child, for example: "Form 80 completed and signed by [your name], parent/legal guardian of [child's name] (DOB [date])."

My child has no employment history — what do I put in Part F?

Leave Part F blank and add an explanation in Part T stating the child's age and that they have no employment history. Do not invent entries. A brief, accurate note — "Applicant is 12 years old and has no employment history" — is all that is needed. This prevents the case officer from treating the blank as an omission.

Does my child need to disclose a juvenile criminal matter in Form 80?

Yes. Part K requires disclosure of all criminal and justice history in any country, regardless of the applicant's age at the time, the outcome of the matter, or whether convictions are spent under domestic law. Immigration assessment is not subject to spent conviction protections. If your child has any juvenile justice history, disclose it in Part K and provide full details in Part T. Seek advice from a registered migration agent before submitting if you are uncertain.

Can FormMate 80 help complete Form 80 for my child?

Yes. Enter your child's personal details as the applicant in the FormMate 80 wizard. Leave non-applicable sections blank and use Part T to add age-based explanations. Download the completed PDF, sign Part S yourself as the parent or guardian, then upload the signed PDF to ImmiAccount. FormMate 80 is free to use and covers all 20 sections of Form 80.