Form 956 in Australia is the official document that is introduced by the Australian government to appoint a registered migration agent, lawyer, or exempt person to help you with your Australian visa, citizenship or review matters. With the changes in the migration scenes of Australia this document is more than just a simple contact form. It is a written authority that guarantees your representative can access your private details, operate legally on your behalf, and receive important government letters.
With more than 13 years of experience in related field, BJay Education & Visa Services has meticulously drafted this article on Form 956 to help you know about it. We here at BJay prioritize the precise execution of the Form 956 Australia to protect our clients’ interests. As of March 2026, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has moved towards a highly automated system.
Form 956
The Form 956 in Australia is the official document that is used for the appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person which is a prerequisite for you if you are looking to use professional immigration services. With the Migration Act 1958 in effect seeking immigration assistance in your visa program is strictly a regulated activity enforced by DHA.
Purpose of Form 956
The form 956 is primary used for 2 legal purposes:
Authorization of Representation: The first reason that this form is used is to confirm to the DHA that you have authorized a registered and qualified professional to help you with your application process and provide you with the legal advice that you seek and help you represent your required dealings with the Department.
Authority to Receive Documents: The next reason is that this form is used to designate your agents as the authorized recipient. This basically means that after filling in this form, all the sensitive information such as S56 Request for Information (RFI) or your Visa Grant Notice are visible to your agent.
What is the Difference Between Form 956 and 956A?
Both Forms 956 and Form 956A are used to manage how the DHA is able to communicate with you, they serve distinct purposes which are indifferent from each other. The main difference between these forms is regarding who can access your application and why. To ensure that your sensitive information is maintained by the right person and your legal rights are protected it is important to understand the difference between Form 956 and Form 956A.
Note: If you want to know more about Form 956A then make sure to check out our guide on Form 956A where we have talked about it in detail.
| Feature | Form 956 | Form 956A |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | The main purpose of this form is to nominate a professional (lawyer or migration agent) to assist and represent you. | The main purpose of this form is to identify an Authorized Recipient who will only accept and forward mail. |
| Who Can Be Appointed? | Registered Migration Agents (RMAs), Legal Practitioners, or Exempt Persons. | Anyone that can be trusted (friend, family member, or sponsor). |
| Immigration Assistance | Authorized to represent you in areas related to your visa and to offer legal advice. | Not authorized to represent you or offer any legal immigration advice. |
| Professional Credentials | Requires a MARN (Agent) or LPN (Lawyer) to be valid. | No professional registration or numbers required. |
| DHA Interaction | The agent can negotiate with the Department to investigate the merits of your case. | The recipient cannot defend your position or respond to legal inquiries and is only eligible to receive mail. |
| Common Use Case | The Most common use case for this form is when you choose to seek help from migration experts like BJay. | The most common use case for this form is when you want a family member to monitor your application but want to manage the visa yourself. |
Who Should Use Form 956?
With 2026 in effect, the DHA strictly regulates who is eligible to provide you with immigration assistance. If you are someone who wants to appoint a professional to manage your visa application or represent your application in legal matters with the government of Australia, you are required to fill out the Form 956. Unlike the form 956A, this form is only reserved for those individuals with legal authority to give support and act on your behalf.
This form must be used by the following people and organizations to formally announce their appointment:
- Registered Migration Agents (RMAs)
- Australian Legal Practitioners
- Exempt Persons
Registered Migration Agents (RMAs)
If you are someone who has hired any registered agent like Mr. Jay Oli (MARN: 1570827) from BJay, they are legally required to notify the DHA that they have been appointed within the 28days window. If you sign Form 956 and authorize the RMA to agree to the following tasks:
- Complete and lodge your visa application process.
- Respond to visa requirements like Request for Information (RFIs).
- Represent your case based on the Australian Migration Law.
Australian Legal Practitioners
Form 956 is also used by licensed lawyers with an active Australian practice certificate to inform the DHA that they are handling the legal migration services for someone. They enter their Legal Practitioner Number (LPN) on the form even though they lack a MARN.
Exempt Persons
For Form 956, there are certain individuals that are eligible to provide immigration assistance and handle your case even if they are not registered agents on condition that they do not charge any fees for this process. The following people must still fill out this form in order to establish their authority:
- Close Family Members like a spouse, child, parent or a sibling.
- Sponsors or Nominators which are especially common in visa programs like employer-sponsored visa or partner visa streams.
- Members of the Parliament or their designated staff.
- Members of a Diplomatic mission or a consular post.
Use 956 or 956A?
The following table is provided to you so that you are able to know which form you should choose between the form 956 and form 956A depending on the nature of your application.
| Case scenario | Use Form 956 | Use Form 956A |
|---|---|---|
| Give you legal advice on visa subclasses | Yes | No |
| Lodge a visa application for you | Yes | No |
| Only receive and pass on emails/letters | Optional | Yes |
| Represent you in a visa cancellation matter | Yes | No |
| Be a family member acting for free | Yes | No |
Step-by-Step Guide to Completing Form 956
In 2026, DHA requires you to complete Form 956 with utmost precision and accuracy. As of March 2026, the Department has implemented automated document scanning process due to which even minor errors in the form can lead to the form being rejected ultimately resulting in your agent to be unable to act on your behalf.
The step-by-step guide to complete Form 956 is as follows:
Step 1: Download the Latest Version of the Form
The first step in the process is to make sure that you download the latest version of the form from the official website given by the DHA. The current design date of the form is typically 08/22 so make sure that you double check the design date which is available on the bottom right and bottom left section of the form. Make sure to use the latest version as using the older versions can lead to your form in processing delays.
Step 2: Part A – Agent/Legal Practitioner Details
After you have verified that your form design date is not outdated, the next step is to identify who is being appointed for your case. In case you are working with us, this section will typically look like this:
- MARN: In case for Jay Oli, the MARN no will be 1570827.
- Business Address: Our registered business address will be Suite 28, Level 4/301 Castlereagh St, NSW.
- Email for correspondence: This must be a professional domain to ensure that it passes the DHA security filters like jay@bjay.com.au.
- Contact No: In this field you are required to fill out the contact details and in case of BJay you are required to fill in +61 2 8123 8313.
Step 3: Part A – New Appointment (Client Details)
In this section of the Form, you are required to provide your personal details as they are on your passport. In this section you are required to fill out the following details as per your details:
- Full Name: You are required to provide the family name and given names as they appear on your passport.
- Type of Assistance: In this field, you are required to tick one of the boxes in the criteria given that satisfies the requirement that you are seeking assistance for.
- Matter Details: In this field you are required to state the visa subclass like Subclass 115 Remaining Relative Visa
Step 4: Authorizing Communication
In this field you are required to provide a critical legal choice within the form where we recommend you ticking the “Yes” to authorize your agent to receive all the written information related to your application. Another field where you need to tick the box is in the health and character field where you need to make sure that you tick the box to allow your agent to receive sensitive health and character information. This is necessary for us to help you troubleshoot any potential medical or police check issues.
Step 5: Part B – Ending an Appointment (If Applicable)
We will finish Part B if you transfer your case from another migration firm to BJay Education & Visa Services. This officially “withdraws” the previous agent’s access, ensuring your private data is only accessible to your current representative.
Step 6: Part C – Declarations & Signatures
In this Part C of the form, you are required to provide declarations and signatures as Form 956 is not valid without authentic signatures from both parties. Both parties indicate the agent and the client where the agent is required to sign to confirm that they are registered and are authorized to handle the application whereas the client needs to sign to confirm the appointment.
Step 7: Final Submission
This is the last step in the process where you are required to submit the application which can be done digitally and paper lodgment as well.
Online lodgment: If you want to submit your application online then you should submit it via ImmiAccount. You need to scan the signed form in color format and upload it to the “Attach Document” section under the Legal/Sponsorship.
Paper lodgment: if you are someone who is applying for it while being outside of Australia then you need to include the original signed form in your application and sent it as a parcel to the processing center.
Pitfalls to avoid in Form 956
In 2026, the form 956 is a legal authorization that is used to bridge the gap between you and the DHA. With the introduction of the digital first triage and automated signature verification by the DHA, even a minor error can lead to your form being rejected.
The following are pitfalls that need to be avoided to make sure that your application doesn’t face any delays or rejections in the current migration landscape of Australia:
Using an Older Form Version
The main pitfall that you should avoid in Form 956 is that you must always check the form version in the bottom right corner of the Form. As the DHA frequently updates its forms to reflect the changes in the legislation of the country. As of March 2026, make sure that you are using form with the design date of 08/22 which can be verified.
Pitfall: Using a version which is outdated.
Solution: Make sure to download the latest version of the form 956 directly from the official DHA website.
Signature Authenticity
With the recent changes in the migration scenes of Australia, the DHA has increased its scrutiny of digital signatures to make sure that problems like identity fraud are avoided. If a signature seemed to be in a generic font or in poor quality, the form may be marked for manual identity verification.
Pitfall: Using a totally digitally typed font like a cursive font, using a blurry scan, or a copy-pasted signature.
Solution: A Wet Ink signature is highly recommended. The form should be printed, signed with black ink, and scanned at a minimum resolution of 300 DPI. This guarantees that both AI-driven verification technologies and human case officers will recognize the signature as a genuine sign and not be flagged.
Correspondence Hierarchy
While you are using the Form 956 for appointing an agent, it usually doesn’t mean that they will receive all the required mails up until you check the “Authorized Recipient” box. If checking this box is missing while filling out the form, then the Department will only send the deadlines and messages to the client side only.
Pitfall: Ticking on the No box in the Authorized Recipient field while you appoint an agent.
Solution: You are required to check the box “Yes” to authorize your agent to receive all the messages that are required for your application. This ensures that your application notifications are received by the agent.
The “Ghost Agent” Risk
While you switch from one migration agent to another, the Department must be notified and the records responding to your application must be updated to revoke your previous agent’s access and migrate access to the newer agent you chose.
Pitfall: Failing to Complete Part B of form 956 while you switch from an agent to a newer agent.
Solution: Make sure Part B is completed and signed if you are transferring your application to an agent from a different agent. This guarantees that your current records and personal health/character data stay safe with your current authorized professional by formally withdrawing the former agent’s right to your application.
Email Inconsistency
In 2026, Exact Match data protocols will be used by digital systems to connect forms to your visa application. A Data Conflict alert can be raised by even a single character variation in an email address.
Pitfall: Using a different email address on Form 956 than the email address that is used in the ImmiAccount portal.
Solution: Make sure the contact information on your visa application and the “Address for Correspondence” on your 956 form match exactly. To guarantee 100% data alignment.
FAQs
Form 956 is an official legal notice that is sent to the DHA that you have authorized a registered representative to handle your application on your behalf. It is the document that is used as your agent’s license to access your sensitive data like migration file, health and character records.
While both the forms are used to manage third-party involvements in your application, both of them are different to each other by how they grant authority. Form 956 is used when you want to appoint a professional to provide you with immigration support whereas Form 956A is used when you want to appoint an authorized receipt like a friend, family member or a sponsor.
In 2026, the DHA allows both online lodgment and paper-based lodgment depending on your status of the application.
Online Lodgment: If you are a new applicant then you are required to upload the signed PDF directly to your ImmiAccount during the lodgment process. While if you are an existing applicant then you must firstly login to your ImmiAccount, navigate to “Attach Document” section and upload it under the Legal/Sponsorship process.
Paper-based lodgment: If you are someone who has applied for legacy subclasses like Family Visas then you need to attach the form with the main visa application to the designated area.
The Cost for the processing or updating of a Form 956 is null as the DHA doesn’t charge a fee for it. But your Registered Migration Agent (RMA) or Legal Practitioner will charge you professional fees for the work that is performed under this authorization.
Your legal relationship with the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is based on Form 956. A single mistake on this form, such as an out-of-date version, an unverified signature, or a mismatched email, could prevent your representative from accessing your file and jeopardize your visa in the complicated migratory landscape of 2026. Don’t leave your career goals or your family’s future up to chance.
Why BJay?
Proven Expertise: With 13 years of experience in Visa services in Australia, we here at BJay Education & Visa Services have been providing tailored services to help you navigate through the complex migration scenes of Australia.
Expertise Team: Led by Mr. Jay Oli (MARN: 1570827), we have an exceptional team that is there to solve any queries and help you with your application. The team is well trained to provide the services that you may require assistance with.
Global Presence & Local Support: With offices present in multiple locations throughout Nepal (Putalisadak and Birtamode) and a head office in Sydney, BJay provides you with seamless support you may require whether you are in your home country or already in the turf of Australia.
End-to-End Security: From the initial process of Form 956 Australia lodgment to your final visa grant, we manage everything from start to end and manage everything on your behalf.
Confused with Form 956? Join a free nonobligatory consultation with BJay!
