What each category of non-judicial family violence evidence must state in 2026

A psychologist's letter has to do three things for it to work as family violence evidence: record that you have made a claim of family violence, give the psychologist's professional opinion on whether your account is consistent with you having been subjected to family violence, and identify the alleged perpetrator — or give information from which that person's identity can reasonably be inferred. That is the standard published by the Australian Department of Home Affairs on its Family violence evidence page, as at October 2026.

Psychologist evidence is one of eight non-judicial categories on that page, and each category carries its own list of required content. All of them must be produced by someone acting in a professional capacity, and you can only submit one document from each category. What follows is a general description of those published requirements rather than advice about any individual claim, so where exact wording or current status matters, the Department's pages as currently published remain the reference.

What does every piece of family violence evidence have to show?

Two threshold facts sit above the category lists. Your evidence must show that at least part of the family violence happened while you were in a relationship with your former partner or spouse, and that your former partner or spouse was the alleged perpetrator.

On top of that, all evidence must be in writing, in English, and in the format and level of detail requested. For a Partner visa applicant, the alleged perpetrator must be the former sponsor; for a secondary applicant, it must be the primary applicant of the visa application.

Who has to write the document, and in what form?

Non-judicial evidence must be made by a person acting in their professional capacity. The Department gives one explicit example: for medical evidence, that means a medical practitioner, registered nurse or midwife. The same logic runs through the other categories — the document has to come from the professional named in the category, writing as that professional.

Category	Accepted document forms	Written by
Medical	Medical report, hospital report, discharge summary, letter, statutory declaration	Medical practitioner, registered nurse or midwife
Police	Report, record of assault or family violence, risk assessment, witness statement, statutory declaration, witness statement by someone other than the alleged victim given to a police officer during an investigation	Police officer
Child welfare officer	Report, letter, statutory declaration	Child welfare officer
Family violence support service provider	Report, letter, risk assessment, statutory declaration	Family violence support service provider
Social worker	Report, letter, statutory declaration	Social worker
Psychologist	Report, letter, statutory declaration	Psychologist
Family consultant / family relationship counsellor	Report, letter, statutory declaration	Family consultant or family relationship counsellor
Education professional	Report, letter, statutory declaration	Education professional

How many documents do you need to provide?

Non-judicial evidence is either a joint undertaking made before the court, or a minimum of two pieces of evidence. If you go the two-piece route, you must also complete a Commonwealth statutory declaration form; the Department points to Form 1410i — Completing a statutory declaration for a family violence claim for how to do that.

The two pieces must come from different categories. A hospital report from a nurse and a statutory declaration from a medical practitioner cannot be combined, because both sit in the medical category. You can still submit other evidence beyond the minimum, and the decision maker may consider it as part of a whole assessment.

What must medical evidence state?

Medical evidence must identify the alleged victim and detail the injuries or treatment of the alleged victim that may be consistent with family violence. Note the wording: it does not have to prove violence, only record injuries or treatment that may be consistent with it.

What must police evidence state?

Police evidence must identify the alleged victim, identify the alleged perpetrator or give information so the identity of the alleged perpetrator can reasonably be inferred, and detail the incident or incidents of family violence. This is the only category with an incident-detail requirement in those terms, and it is also the only one that expressly accepts a witness statement made by someone other than the alleged victim during a police investigation.

What must child welfare officer evidence state?

Child welfare officer evidence must detail fears for the dependent child's safety due to family violence within the household, and identify the alleged perpetrator or give information so that identity can reasonably be inferred. The focus here is the child's safety in the household rather than the applicant's own account.

What must a family violence support service provider's document state?

The document must state that the alleged victim has made a claim of family violence, state in the provider's professional opinion whether the claims are consistent with the person having been subject to family violence, and identify the alleged perpetrator or give information so the identity can reasonably be inferred. Along with police evidence, this category accepts a risk assessment alongside reports, letters and statutory declarations.

What must social worker evidence state?

Social worker evidence carries the same three requirements: state that the alleged victim has made a claim of family violence, state the social worker's professional opinion on whether those claims are consistent with the person having been subject to family violence, and identify the alleged perpetrator or provide information allowing that identity to be reasonably inferred.

What must psychologist evidence state?

Psychologist evidence must state that the alleged victim has made a claim of family violence, state in the psychologist's professional opinion whether the claims are consistent with the person having been subject to family violence, and identify the alleged perpetrator or give information so the identity can reasonably be inferred.

The middle element is the one most often missed. A letter that only repeats what the person reported, without the psychologist's own professional opinion on consistency, does not cover all three required points.

What must a family consultant or family relationship counsellor state?

This evidence must state that the alleged victim has been treated or counselled by the family consultant or family relationship counsellor, state in their professional opinion whether the claims are consistent with the person having been subject to family violence, and identify the alleged perpetrator or give information so the identity can reasonably be inferred. The treatment or counselling relationship itself is part of what has to be recorded.

What must education professional evidence state?

Education professional evidence must state that the professional has made, or been made aware of, observations that are consistent with the alleged victim's claims of being subject to family violence, give details of those observations, and identify the alleged perpetrator or give information so the identity can reasonably be inferred. Unlike the psychologist and support service categories, the required content is built around observations and their details rather than a professional opinion on the claims.

What happens after the evidence is submitted?

The Department assesses whether the relationship was genuine first, then assesses the family violence claim. It may ask for more information, and it says it will give you more time to submit documents if you need it.

If the Department is not satisfied that family violence occurred, it will refer you to an independent expert, tell you it has done so, and the expert will arrange an interview. The Department must accept the independent expert's opinion. If the expert determines that family violence has not been experienced, you will be given the opportunity to comment on that opinion before a decision is made. The same pages also note that a person has a right to a safe environment in Australia regardless of visa status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit two documents from the same profession?

No. You can only give one document from each category of evidence, so two psychologist documents, or a psychologist report and a psychologist letter, count as one category only.

Does the psychologist have to name the perpetrator directly?

Not necessarily. The requirement is to identify the alleged perpetrator or give information so the identity of the alleged perpetrator can reasonably be inferred.

Is one strong letter enough?

Generally no. Non-judicial evidence requires a minimum of two pieces from different categories, plus a completed Commonwealth statutory declaration form, unless you are relying on a joint undertaking made before the court.

Does my own statutory declaration count as one of the two pieces?

No. When you provide two pieces of non-judicial evidence, you must also complete the Commonwealth statutory declaration form; it sits alongside the two pieces rather than replacing one of them.

Who can write medical evidence?

The Department states that medical evidence must be made by a medical practitioner, registered nurse or midwife acting in their professional capacity.

Do documents in another language need translation?

All evidence must be in writing and in English, in the format and level of detail requested, so a document that is not in English does not meet that requirement on its own.