Proving Identity for Subclass 884: Documents and Consequences 2026

To prove your identity for the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884), you must provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, your personal details, and the passport issue and expiry dates — plus a national identity card if you have one, and proof of a change of name if that applies to you. If you cannot prove your identity, the Australian Department of Home Affairs states it will refuse the application, and it may decline to grant you another visa for 10 years. This reflects the department's official page for the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884), as of October 2026; it is general information rather than advice on any individual case, so check the current official page or a registered migration agent or legal practitioner before acting on your own circumstances.

What identity documents does Subclass 884 actually require?

The core item is your passport. Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, your personal details, and the passport issue and expiry dates.

On top of that, the department asks for:

a national identity card, if you have one
proof of change of name, if applicable

Separately, you and anyone applying for the visa with you must hold valid passports before the visa can be granted, so an expired travel document is a problem at decision time even if the rest of the file is complete.

Which documents prove a change of name?

The department accepts several kinds of evidence, and you only need this if your current name differs from a name on other records:

a marriage or divorce certificate
change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or from the relevant overseas authority
documents that show other names you have been known by

The third category is the one applicants overlook most often. If old records, prior passports, or family documents carry a name you no longer use, evidence linking that name to you closes the gap.

What happens if you cannot prove your identity?

The consequences listed on the official page are deliberately severe:

the visa application will be refused
you might not be granted another visa for 10 years
family members you listed on your application might not be granted a visa for 10 years

Note the wording differs between these points. Refusal is stated as a certainty, while the 10-year outcomes are stated as possibilities — but both flow from the same failure, and the third point means the risk is not confined to you.

There is also a separate duty to provide accurate and complete information, which carries its own consequences. Identity evidence and truthfulness are assessed as distinct requirements, so meeting one does not cure a failure in the other.

Who else on the application has to prove who they are?

Identity documents are not only for the main applicant. Each accompanying person is covered by their own document list.

Partner: identity documents, character documents, evidence of your relationship — a current marriage certificate, or documents proving a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before you apply — and documents about other relationships, if applicable.

Dependants under 18: identity documents, evidence of your relationship with them such as a birth or marriage certificate, and character documents if applicable.

Dependants 18 or over — to be included as a dependent child, your child must be over 18 but not yet turned 23 and dependent on you or your partner, or over 23 years of age and unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and dependent on you or your partner: identity documents, evidence of your relationship, documents about their other relationships if applicable, character documents, and proof of dependency. Dependency requires a completed Form 47A, proof of your relationship with the dependant (for example, a birth certificate or adoption papers), and evidence of financial dependency for at least 12 months before you apply, such as proof they live with you, their tax records, or proof they are currently studying.

Photographs are required too: four recent photos of anyone included in the application, passport-size (45 mm × 35 mm), less than six months old, good-quality colour rather than laser copies, showing the full face against a plain light-coloured background. Untinted prescription glasses are acceptable, and if a head covering is worn for religious reasons, only the face needs to be shown.

How are identity documents lodged, given this visa is paper-only?

Online lodgement is not available for temporary Contributory Aged Parent visa applicants. You must apply on paper, using Form 47PA, while you are in Australia and not in immigration clearance, and your sponsor must complete Form 40. Every family member aged 18 or over also completes Form 47A, even if they are not migrating.

Do not send original documents with the application, except police certificates — send certified copies only. Keep a copy of the completed application and supporting documents for your own records, because if any step is incomplete the application may be invalid and will not be processed, and it will only be returned if you request it.

After lodgement, you can import the paper application into ImmiAccount once you receive your acknowledgement letter. Doing that requires your application ID, your date of birth, and an identity document number — an ImmiCard, passport, or Titre de Voyage number — which is another reason to keep identity details consistent across the file.

What if your passport or name changes while the application is pending?

You must tell the department about changes to your passport, relationship status, family composition including the birth of a child, and your contact details. If you discover a mistake on the application, notify it as soon as you can using Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers. You must also be in Australia, and not in immigration clearance, when the decision is made.

Who may lawfully help with your application?

Only some people can help you with your application. If you appoint someone for that role, they must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person. You can appoint anyone at all to receive documents on your behalf as an authorised recipient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a national identity card replace my passport pages?

No. The passport pages showing your photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates are the primary requirement, and a national identity card is an addition you provide if you have one. Every person included in the application also needs a valid passport before the visa is granted.

I changed my name after a divorce — what should I submit?

A divorce certificate is listed as acceptable proof of a change of name. If your divorce documentation does not clearly link the old and new names, add change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the relevant overseas authority, or documents showing the other names you have been known by.

What happens if identity documents are missing when the application is lodged?

The department states it will refuse the application if you cannot prove your identity, and it may decline to grant you another visa for 10 years. Because an incomplete application can also be treated as invalid and returned unprocessed, missing identity evidence can stop the case before assessment even begins.

Does the 10-year consequence affect my family?

It can. The official page states that family members listed on your application might not be granted a visa for 10 years if you cannot prove your identity. Identity documents are separately required for partners and for dependants both under and over 18, so each person's evidence needs to stand on its own.

Should I post original certificates with the paper application?

No, with one exception. Send certified copies rather than originals; the only documents the department asks you to send in original form are police certificates. Keep your own copy of everything you lodge.

Who is allowed to charge for help with a Subclass 884 application?

Only a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person may give immigration assistance. Anyone can be appointed purely to receive documents on your behalf as an authorised recipient.