How Do You Correct Mistakes or Notify Changes After Lodging Subclass 151 in 2026?
How to fix errors on a lodged Subclass 151 application with Form 1023, and which post-lodgement changes you must report.
2026-09-29
A mistake on a lodged Former Resident visa (subclass 151) application is corrected with Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers, while things that happen after lodgement — a new passport, address or phone number, a change in marital or de facto status, the birth of a child, or a decision to withdraw — are handled through the change-in-situation channel. Both routes are set out on the Department of Home Affairs' Former Resident visa (subclass 151) official page, current as of August 2026.
That distinction matters more for subclass 151 than for most visas, because the application is paper-only: it is made on Form 47SV and mailed to the department's Sydney office, and it cannot be lodged in person or online. Everything that happens afterwards depends on whether the paper file has been pulled into ImmiAccount, which is the department's online service used to attach documents, view messages, update details, check status, apply for a bridging visa, or withdraw.
Is it a wrong answer, or a change that happened later?
The two are handled differently, and mixing them up is the most common reason a correction sits in the wrong queue. An answer that was already wrong when you signed the form is an incorrect answer; something that became true afterwards is a change in situation.
| What happened | What the official page directs you to use |
|---|---|
| An answer was wrong when you lodged | Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers |
| Passport, address or phone number changed | Change-in-situation notification |
| Marital or de facto status changed | Change-in-situation notification |
| A child was born | Change-in-situation notification; Form 1436 if the child is to be added to the application |
| You want to withdraw | Change-in-situation notification; withdrawal is also an action available in ImmiAccount |
| The authorised recipient or adviser changes | Form 956A or Form 956 |
How do you get Form 1023 to the department?
Complete Form 1023 and send it by whichever channel your file supports. If the paper application has been imported into ImmiAccount — using the application ID, date of birth and identity document number (passport, ImmiCard or Titre de Voyage number) — the completed form can be uploaded there. If ImmiAccount cannot be used, the completed form is attached to the Resident Return, Former Resident, Australian Declaratory and Transitional (permanent) visa processing centre form.
The official page asks you to let the department know as soon as you can after discovering a mistake. It is worth reading that alongside the department's separate requirement to provide accurate and true information, which applies to identity, character and relationship evidence on this visa: for subclass 151 that includes passport pages, proof of any change of name, and documents proving a marriage or a de facto relationship of at least 12 months.
Which changes must you report after lodging?
The page lists four categories explicitly:
- changes to your phone number, address or passport
- changes to your marital or de facto status
- the birth of a child
- you want to withdraw your application
The passport obligation does not end at grant. The subclass 151 visa is linked to the passport it was granted against, so a new passport has to be reported after the visa is granted as well as during processing. Marital status changes sit directly on top of the relationship evidence the visa already depends on, and a change from married to separated or divorced can affect a partner who was included in the application.
How is a newborn added to the application, rather than just reported?
Notifying a birth and adding the child are separate steps. To add a member of the family unit before a decision is made, complete Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement and:
- send it to the email address the department gave you when you lodged the application
- include evidence of the child's relationship to you
- include other supporting documents for the child, such as identity documents
- pay the additional application charge
The same logic applies to adding any family member, not only a newborn, provided it is done before the department decides the application.
What if the person helping you changes?
Two different roles are involved, and only one of them is restricted. Immigration assistance can only be given by a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person — appointed using Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person. Receiving documents on your behalf is a separate, unrestricted role: anyone can be appointed as authorised recipient using Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient.
Both forms are also the mechanism for ending an appointment, so a change of adviser or recipient after lodgement is done with the same form used to make it. Once lodged, the completed form is uploaded in ImmiAccount if the application has been imported, or attached to the Resident Return, Former Resident, Australian Declaratory and Transitional (permanent) visa processing centre form if it cannot be.
Does a correction or withdrawal change the fee outcome?
Fees are handled separately from corrections. The application charge must be paid before the application is sent, and the department will not process the application until the correct charge is paid — it will tell you if an incorrect charge was paid. Adding an applicant after lodgement carries an additional application charge. On refusal, the official page states the application charge will not be refunded; for withdrawal, check the current position published on the official page, as refund settings there can change.
Corrections also interact with the accurate-information requirement rather than replacing it. The department does not acknowledge receipt of documents sent after lodgement, so keep your own record of what was sent and when. Where the correction relates to identity, relationship or character evidence, the department may still ask for further information. This article is general information about published procedures, not personalised advice for a specific case, and the current official page or a registered migration agent or legal practitioner should be the reference for your own circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I use Form 1023 for a new passport?
No. Form 1023 is for answers that were incorrect when the application was lodged. A new passport, new address or new phone number is a change in situation and is reported through the change-in-situation channel.
Can I fix a mistake after importing my paper application into ImmiAccount?
Yes. Once the paper application is imported using the application ID, date of birth and identity document number, the completed Form 1023 can be uploaded in ImmiAccount. If ImmiAccount cannot be used, attach the form to the Resident Return, Former Resident, Australian Declaratory and Transitional (permanent) visa processing centre form instead.
How do I add a child born after I lodged?
Report the birth as a change in situation, and if the child is to be included in the application, complete Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement. Send it to the email address given at lodgement with evidence of the relationship and the child's supporting documents, and pay the additional application charge.
Who is allowed to help me correct the application?
Only a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an exempt person can give immigration assistance, appointed on Form 956. Anyone can be appointed to receive documents as authorised recipient on Form 956A, and both forms are also used to withdraw a person from those roles.
Can I withdraw a subclass 151 application online?
Withdrawal is listed as one of the actions available in ImmiAccount once the paper application has been imported, and it is also listed as a change to notify. The official page confirms the application charge is not refunded on refusal; for withdrawal, rely on the current published position.
Do I still need to report a new passport after the visa is granted?
Yes. The subclass 151 visa is linked to the passport it was granted against, so a new passport has to be reported after grant as well as during processing.
References
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