Question 1

Who has to complete Form 80?

Accepted Answer

Any applicant aged 16 or over whom the Department asks to complete it. Form 80 is commonly requested in most permanent visa applications, and is particularly important where character is in issue or the matter is complex. Each person completes their own form.

Question 2

Is Form 80 required for a partner visa?

Accepted Answer

Almost always. Form 80 is almost always requested in partner visa applications, so if you are applying for a partner visa you should expect to complete one — and keep it perfectly consistent with your partner visa application.

Question 3

How far back does the 10-year history go, and what if there are gaps?

Accepted Answer

The last ten years, but going back no further than your final year of schooling. Give a continuous, chronological account of your addresses, employment and unemployment, and overseas travel across that period, with no gaps in the timeline. Where a period cannot be accounted for, explain the gap on the form rather than leaving it blank — and get advice before lodging.

Question 4

Can I save Form 80 and finish it later?

Accepted Answer

Form 80 is a downloadable PDF that you complete offline, not a live online form. Save the PDF to your own device, complete it in stages, and keep your working copy. You submit the finished form to the Department (for example, by uploading it to your application), so there is no server-side autosave — the master copy is the one you keep.

Question 5

What happens if I make a mistake on Form 80 after lodging it?

Accepted Answer

Do not stay silent. Form 1023 is one of the chief ways to address a mistake after lodgement, where an answer was incorrect when you gave it; a Form 1022 covers a change in your circumstances. Get advice before you lodge either — a false or misleading answer can engage Public Interest Criterion 4020 and its exclusion periods.

Form 80: Personal Particulars for Character Assessment

Who has to complete Form 80?