Official form guide
Form 956A: Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient
Form 956A is a Department of Home Affairs form used to appoint or withdraw an authorised recipient for immigration-related communications. An authorised recipient receives written correspondence from the department on behalf of a visa applicant or sponsor. It does not authorise the person to provide immigration advice or represent you.
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Form Overview
Home Affairs Form 956A - Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient
Form 956A is a Department of Home Affairs form used to appoint or withdraw an authorised recipient for immigration-related communications. An authorised recipient receives written correspondence from the department on behalf of a visa applicant or sponsor. It does not authorise the person to provide immigration advice or represent you.
Risk Radar
Scan points- 1The most common mistake is confusing Form 956A with Form 956 — they serve different purposes and are not interchangeable.
- 2Confusing Form 956A (authorised recipient) with Form 956 (migration agent/exempt person appointment)
- 3Forgetting to include all relevant visa application IDs or file numbers
- 4Appointing someone who is giving immigration advice without being a registered migration agent
- 5Not withdrawing a previous authorised recipient when circumstances change
Plain English
This form lets you nominate someone you trust to receive letters and emails from Home Affairs about your visa matter. That person can then pass those communications on to you. It's handy if you want a family member, friend, or organisation to handle your mail, but it doesn't make them your migration agent.
Submission Date
- Filing date: Submit this form when you first want to appoint an authorised recipient, when you want to change who receives your correspondence, or when you want to withdraw an existing appointment.
- Preparation window: collect IDs, supporting records, and signatures in advance.
- Final review: verify names, dates, and required fields before submission.
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What this form is for
- Use this form to let someone receive written correspondence from Home Affairs about your matter
- Do NOT use this form to appoint a registered migration agent — use Form 956 instead
- Use this form if you want to withdraw an existing authorised recipient arrangement
- Use this form for each separate visa application if you want the arrangement to apply to multiple applications
- Do not use this form to authorise someone to give you immigration assistance
Form selector
Use this form or another form?
You want to appoint a registered migration agent to provide advice and representation
Form 956 is for migration agents and exempt persons who assist with your application
✓ Not clearly stated in the provided official source
You want to appoint an exempt person (e.g. family member) to provide immigration assistance
Exempt persons who give immigration assistance must be appointed via Form 956
✓ Not clearly stated in the provided official source
You need to update your own contact details
Form 956A is only for appointing another person to receive your correspondence
✓ Not clearly stated in the provided official source
You want to withdraw a migration agent
Withdrawing a migration agent or exempt person is done on Form 956, not 956A
✓ Not clearly stated in the provided official source
Deadline or filing window
There is no fixed statutory deadline for submitting Form 956A, but it should be lodged as early as possible so that correspondence goes to the right person from the start. If withdrawing a recipient, submit promptly to avoid mail going to someone who should no longer receive it.
Before you submit
- 1Applicant or sponsor details are complete and match your visa application
- 2Authorised recipient's full name, address, and contact details are accurate
- 3Visa application IDs or file numbers are listed for each relevant application
- 4The form is signed and dated by the applicant or sponsor
- 5You have not confused this with Form 956
- 6The form is the current version from the Home Affairs website
- 7You have indicated whether this is an appointment or a withdrawal
How to file this form
- 1Download the latest Form 956A from the Department of Home Affairs website
- 2Complete the applicant or sponsor section with your personal details
- 3Fill in the authorised recipient's details and indicate appointment or withdrawal
- 4List all relevant visa application or file reference numbers
- 5Sign and date the declaration
- 6Lodge the form via ImmiAccount or as directed for your application type
- 7Keep a copy of the completed form for your records
Known limitations
- 1An authorised recipient cannot provide immigration assistance unless they are a registered migration agent or exempt person
- 2Appointing an authorised recipient does not give them authority to make decisions on your application
- 3The form may need to be submitted separately for each visa application if you have multiple matters
- 4Not confirmed in official source whether all visa streams accept this form electronically
Field map
Compact field-by-field guide
Applicant
3 items
Your name exactly as shown in your passport.
Your date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY).
Passport number, country of issue, and expiry date.
Contact
1 items
Current residential address, postal address, email, and phone number.
Request
1 items
The visa, citizenship, or sponsorship request this form relates to.
Evidence
1 items
Certified copies of identity and other documents required for the request.
Declaration
1 items
Declare that the information is true and correct, then sign and date.
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Fillable formOpen in Editor->Form 956A remains a current form issued by the Department of Home Affairs. Always download the latest version from the official Home Affairs website before completing it.
What changed or needs a fresh check
- Confirm you have the current version from the Home Affairs website
- Check whether your visa stream allows online lodgement via ImmiAccount
- Verify whether any fields or declarations have changed since your last submission
- Ensure the form still reflects your current visa application type
Quick Facts
Downloads & source
Sources
- SRCForm 956A is titled 'Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient' — confirmed by form name
- SRCIssuing agency is the Department of Home Affairs — confirmed by user-provided metadata
- SRCForm 956A is distinct from Form 956 which deals with migration agents and exempt persons — reasonably inferred from form naming conventions
- SRCImmiAccount is the standard online portal for Home Affairs visa-related lodgements — reasonably inferred from agency context
- SRCSpecific lodgement methods for each visa stream — not confirmed in official source
- SRCWhether the form is available for all visa types — not confirmed in official source
- SRCCurrent version number or recent revision date — not confirmed in official source
Common confusion points
Mixing up Form 956A (authorised recipient) with Form 956 (migration agent/exempt person)
Believing an authorised recipient can act as your migration agent
Not realising you may need to submit the form for each separate visa application
Forgetting to withdraw a previous authorised recipient when switching to a new one
Leaving visa application reference numbers blank or incorrect
Not signing the form before lodgement
Source transparency
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