Form 80 Translation Guide: Completing the Form in English

Form 80 must be completed in English

The official Form 80 is an English-only document. The Department of Home Affairs does not accept Form 80 completed in any other language. Every field — addresses, employer names, institution names, countries, answers to character questions, and explanations in Part T — must be written in English.

This applies regardless of your level of English proficiency. If English is not your first language, you may:

• Use a migration agent or qualified assistant to help you understand each question and formulate your answers in English
• Use an online translation tool to understand the questions, while ensuring the answers you type are in English
• Use FormMate 80, which presents each section of the form with plain-English guidance, reducing the need to interpret the official PDF instructions

The key risk for non-English speakers is accidentally leaving an answer — or part of an answer — in another language. A field completed in Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, or any other language will be treated as incomplete or unreadable by a case officer who cannot read that language.

When supporting documents need certified translation

Form 80 itself is not translated — you write it in English from the start. The translation requirement applies to the supporting documents you submit alongside your visa application. Any document in a language other than English that you submit to the Department must be accompanied by a full English translation.

Documents that commonly require certified translation in the context of a Form 80 submission include:

• Overseas police clearance certificates — if the clearance is issued in a language other than English, a certified translation is required
• Foreign birth certificates and identity documents — if requested as supporting evidence
• Foreign marriage or divorce certificates — relevant to family background questions in Part C
• Overseas educational qualifications — transcripts, certificates, or diplomas in a foreign language
• Foreign court records or legal documents — relevant if you have disclosed criminal history in Part K
• Overseas employment records — if your employer cannot provide documents in English

Submit the original document (or a certified copy) and the certified English translation together. The translation must state that it is a true and accurate translation of the original, and must include the translator's name, qualifications, and the date of translation.

What NAATI-certified translation means

NAATI stands for the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. It is the national standards body for translation and interpreting in Australia. When the Department of Home Affairs requires a "certified translation," it means a translation prepared and certified by a NAATI-accredited translator (or an equivalent credentialled professional for translations arranged overseas).

A NAATI-certified translation includes:

• A complete English translation of the original document
• A certification statement from the translator confirming that it is a true and accurate translation
• The translator's full name and NAATI credential number
• The translator's signature and the date of translation
• The language pair (for example, "translated from Mandarin Chinese to English")

To find a NAATI-accredited translator in your language, use the NAATI online directory at naati.com.au/find-a-professional. Search by language pair to find translators who are accredited for your specific source language.

For translations arranged outside Australia: If you obtain a translation in another country, the Department generally accepts translations by a translator who is a member of a recognised professional translation body in that country, or who provides an equivalent credential. The translation must still include a certification statement with the translator's qualifications and signature. If you are unsure whether an overseas translation will be accepted, obtain a NAATI-accredited translation in Australia to be safe.

Handling names that differ across languages and scripts

Name inconsistencies across documents are one of the most common complications for applicants from non-English-speaking backgrounds. They arise because the same name can be romanised differently across different documents, systems, or time periods — and because some cultures use given name and family name in different orders.

Use your passport name as the primary name in Form 80. The name in your current passport is the name the Department will use to identify your application. In Part A of Form 80, enter your name exactly as it appears on your passport — same spelling, same order of given name and family name as shown in the machine-readable zone.

Common situations and how to handle them:

• Chinese names with multiple romanisations. A name romanised as "Zhang Wei" in a current passport may appear as "Chang Wei" (Wade-Giles) in an older document, or as "Zhāng Wèi" with tone marks in some academic records. Use the passport romanisation in Form 80's primary name field. List the alternative romanisations in the "other names used" or "aliases" field.
• Arabic names with variant spellings. "Mohammed" / "Muhammad" / "Mohamed" / "Muhammed" are all romanisations of the same name. Use the spelling in your current passport as the primary name, and list alternatives used in other documents.
• Indian names with changed order. Some Indian applicants have their given name and father's name or family name recorded in different orders across documents. Use the order as it appears in your current passport; note alternative ordering in other names if relevant.
• Name changes through marriage or legal process. If your name has changed, list both your current name (as in your passport) and your former name(s). Form 80 asks for all names you have used — include all of them.
• Names with characters not representable in Latin script. If your name contains characters that cannot be directly represented in Latin script (such as Japanese kanji or Korean hangul), enter the romanised version in the form field. You may optionally include the original script in brackets in Part T if you wish to clarify.

The overriding principle is consistency between Form 80 and your passport. Every other document — skills assessment, employment records, educational qualifications — should be cross-referenced to explain any name variations, either in Part T or through a NAATI-certified statutory declaration if the variation is significant.

Tips for applicants whose first language is not English

Completing a 20-section government form in a second language is challenging. These practical steps reduce the risk of errors:

• Read each question twice before answering. The character questions in Part K especially contain specific legal language — "charged with", "convicted of", "detained" — that have precise meanings. If you are unsure what a question is asking, confirm with a migration agent before answering.
• Use typed text, not handwriting. If completing the PDF, type your answers rather than handwriting. Typed English text is unambiguous; handwritten text in a second language is more prone to being misread. FormMate 80 generates a typed-text PDF automatically.
• Do not mix languages in a single field. If an employer name is in Chinese, write the English transliteration in the form field. Do not leave the field in Chinese characters and expect the case officer to read them. You may optionally add the characters in brackets after the English, but the English must be the primary entry.
• Have an English speaker review the completed form before signing. Ask a trusted English-speaking colleague, community contact, or migration agent to read through Part T (Additional Information) and the character question answers in particular. These are the sections where unclear English phrasing is most likely to cause misunderstanding.
• Use Part T to explain anything unusual. If you are disclosing something that requires context — a document inconsistency, a name that appears differently across records, an overseas matter that needs explanation — write the explanation in Part T in clear, simple English. Short sentences work better than complex ones.
• Do not use machine translation for your Part T explanations and submit them unchecked. Machine-translated English often contains errors in grammar or phrasing that change the meaning of a sentence. Write in English directly, or have a person verify any machine-assisted draft.

Related guides

• Form 80 Australia: complete guide to all 20 sections
• How to fill in Form 80: step-by-step guide

Frequently asked questions

Can Form 80 be completed in a language other than English?

No. Form 80 is an English-only document. The Department of Home Affairs does not accept Form 80 completed in any other language. Every field must be answered in English — including employer names, institution names, addresses in other countries, and explanations in Part T. If English is not your first language, you may seek assistance to understand the questions and formulate your answers, but the form itself must be in English when submitted.

Do supporting documents like overseas police clearances need to be translated?

Yes, if they are not already in English. Any document submitted to the Department that is in a language other than English must be accompanied by a full certified English translation. This includes overseas police clearances, foreign birth certificates, foreign marriage certificates, overseas educational qualifications, and any court or legal documents. Submit the original document alongside the certified translation — not the translation alone.

What is a NAATI-certified translation and do I need one?

NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) is Australia's national translation standards body. A NAATI-certified translation is one prepared and certified by a NAATI-accredited translator, who attests that the translation is accurate and complete. The Department of Home Affairs requires translations by a NAATI-accredited professional (or equivalent overseas credential). You can find accredited translators through the NAATI directory at naati.com.au. Translations typically cost $80–$200 per page depending on language pair and complexity.

My name is written differently in my passport and in my overseas degree certificate — which do I use in Form 80?

Use your current passport name as the primary name in Part A of Form 80 — enter it exactly as it appears in your passport. List the alternative spelling (as it appears on the degree certificate or other document) in the "other names used" field. In Part T, briefly explain the reason for the difference — for example: "My degree certificate from [year] uses an earlier romanisation of my name. My current passport name [name] is the same name." This makes the variation transparent to the case officer and avoids it being treated as a discrepancy.

Can I translate my own documents for Form 80?

No. The Department of Home Affairs requires certified translations by a qualified professional — you cannot certify a translation of your own documents even if you are fluent in both languages. Similarly, a friend or family member who speaks both languages cannot provide a certified translation for immigration purposes. You must use a NAATI-accredited translator (in Australia) or an equivalently credentialled professional translator (if the translation is arranged overseas).