Form 80 Personal Contacts in Australia: Who to List

What Form 80 asks about personal contacts

In the later sections of Form 80, the Department asks you to provide details of people currently residing in Australia who know you personally. For each contact you need to provide their full name, your relationship to them, their residential address in Australia, and their phone number. An email address is useful to include where available.

These people may be contacted by the Department of Home Affairs as part of the character assessment process. You should only list people who actually know you and can speak to your character if approached.

Who counts as a personal contact

A personal contact is someone in Australia who knows you well enough to speak about your character. This can include:

• Your visa sponsor or nominator, if applicable to your visa type
• Australian relatives — parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins — who are currently living in Australia
• Close friends who are residents or citizens of Australia and who know you personally
• Former colleagues or supervisors in Australia with whom you have a genuine relationship
• Community members, religious contacts, or others who know you well

Your contact does not need to be an Australian citizen. They do need to be residing in Australia at the time you complete the form, and they need to know you personally — not just professionally or in passing. The key question is: if the Department contacted this person and asked about your character, could they give a meaningful, genuine response?

What details are required

For each personal contact, provide:

• Full name — as it appears on their identification, not a nickname
• Relationship to you — for example, "Friend", "Sister", "Former supervisor", "Visa sponsor"
• Residential address in Australia — a street address, not a PO box. If you do not have the full street address, include suburb and state at minimum
• Phone number — their Australian mobile or landline number
• Email address — not always required but helpful to include if you have it

Privacy and asking permission

It is good practice to inform anyone you plan to list as a personal contact before you submit the form. While Form 80 does not require their written consent, the Department may contact them, and it is courteous — and practical — to let them know in advance.

When you speak to your intended contact, let them know:

• You are completing a visa character assessment form
• You have listed them as someone who knows you in Australia
• They may receive a call or letter from the Department of Home Affairs
• They may be asked general questions about how they know you and about your character

A contact who is caught off guard by an official inquiry is in a more difficult position than one who is prepared. Giving them advance notice is a reasonable courtesy.

What if you do not have contacts in Australia

If you genuinely have no personal contacts in Australia — for example, if this is your first visit, you have never lived in Australia, or your Australian connections are limited — be honest in the form. Do not fabricate or invent names and addresses.

If the section asks for contacts and you have none, explain this clearly. You may be able to note the situation in Part T (Additional Information). If you are unsure how to handle this, consult a registered migration agent who can advise you on how to respond given your specific visa type and circumstances.

Do not invent contact details

Providing false information in a visa application form — including invented names, addresses, or contact details — is a serious matter. It can result in your application being refused and may have further consequences for future applications. It can also cause distress to any real person whose details are used without their knowledge.

Only list people you genuinely know, whose details you have confirmed, and who you have informed about being listed. If you are unsure whether a contact is appropriate to list, seek advice from a registered migration agent rather than including someone inappropriately.

What FormMate 80 can help with

• Providing structured input fields for each personal contact — name, relationship, address, and phone number
• Guiding you through all sections of Form 80, including the personal contacts section
• Auto-saving your progress so you can gather contact details and return to complete this section
• Generating a complete, downloadable PDF that you can upload to ImmiAccount

What FormMate 80 cannot do

• FormMate 80 is not affiliated with the Australian Government or the Department of Home Affairs
• It does not provide migration advice, legal advice, or visa advice
• It cannot advise you on how many contacts to list or which specific people are suitable for your application
• It does not submit Form 80 to the Department on your behalf — you must upload the PDF to ImmiAccount yourself

Frequently asked questions

How many personal contacts do I need to list?

Check the current version of Form 80 for the specific number of contact fields provided. The form typically asks for at least two contacts. If you have more genuine contacts available, listing additional people is not a problem. Always check the form itself for the required number.

Can I list my migration agent as a personal contact?

Your migration agent has a professional relationship with you, not a personal one. They are generally not appropriate to list as a personal contact for a character assessment. List people who know you personally and can speak about your character, not professionals who represent you.

What if my contact moves address before my application is decided?

If you become aware that a contact's address has changed, you may wish to notify the Department of the update. Contact the Department through ImmiAccount or by correspondence. Keeping your information current is part of your responsibility as an applicant.

Can I list someone who is in Australia on a temporary visa?

Yes. The contact does not need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. They need to be residing in Australia at the time you complete the form and to know you genuinely. If their visa status may change before your application is decided, bear this in mind when choosing contacts.

Will my contacts definitely be contacted by the Department?

Not necessarily. The Department does not contact every listed person for every application. Whether or not your contacts are approached depends on the individual circumstances of your application and the case officer's assessment. However, you should assume any contact you list could be contacted and act accordingly.