Form 888 example answers (fictional, for style only)

Short answer

A good Form 888 answer is specific and first-hand: when and how the witness met each person, how often they’re in contact, and things they have seen themselves, with rough dates. The examples below are about fictional people, to show the level of detail. Every witness must write their own answer.

Checked against Form 888 (08/26) and Home Affairs’ pages on 19/10/2026General information, not migration advice

What makes a good Form 888 answer?

Specific beats general. The questions ask how the witness knows you and why they believe the relationship is genuine, so details only they would know are what make an answer useful.

Vague and specific Form 888 answers compared
	Vague	Specific
How you met	“I've known them for years.”	“I met Sam at university in 2016 and met Alex at Sam's 30th in March 2021.”
Contact	“We're close.”	“I see them about twice a month and we message most weeks.”
Shared time	“We do lots together.”	“We spent Easter 2025 camping together at Jervis Bay.”
Your belief	“They're a great couple.”	“I've seen them plan their move to Brisbane together and support each other through Alex's new job.”

All names, places and dates are fictional.

Question 3 example: a friend

Question 3 asks the witness to state how they know the applicant and their partner or fiancé(e), and how often they’ve been in contact.

Fictional example · friend, question 3 · for style only, don’t copy

I have known Sam since we started at the same university in 2016, where we shared a flat for two years. I first met Alex at Sam’s 30th birthday in March 2021, and since then I see them both about twice a month, usually for dinner at their place or ours. We message most weeks, and in Easter 2025 we went camping together at Jervis Bay for four days.

Question 3 example: a colleague

Fictional example · colleague, question 3 · for style only, don’t copy

I have worked with Alex at the same accounting firm since February 2022. I met Sam at our work Christmas party that December, and Sam has come to most team events since. Outside work, my partner and I have had dinner with them about once every two months, most recently in August 2026.

Question 4 example: why the relationship is genuine

Question 4 asks the witness to state whether they believe the relationship is genuine and continuing, and to give their reasons.

Fictional example · friend, question 4 · for style only, don’t copy

Yes, I believe Sam and Alex’s relationship is genuine and continuing. When I stayed with them for a week in January 2026, I saw how they share the running of their home and look after each other. They have talked to me about their plans to buy a house in the next two years, and Alex was with Sam’s family at every family event I attended over the past three years.

What goes in “other matters”?

Other matters is optional. The form asks the witness to state any other matters they wish to add in support of the application. If the questions above covered everything, it can be left empty.

What are common Form 888 mistakes?

Copying an example or a template instead of writing what the witness knows
Using an old statutory-declaration version of the form (how to spot one)
Writing in a language other than English (the form asks for English)
Forgetting the ID evidence (what to attach) or the signature and date
Guessing dates: approximate is fine (“around March 2021”) when the witness says so

Our tool shows each witness prompts and style examples like these beside every question, and puts their own words on the official form. See how to fill in Form 888, question by question.

Questions

Can I copy a Form 888 example?

No. Form 888 is the witness's own statement and they declare it is true in every particular. Use examples only to see the kind of detail that helps, then write about what you actually know. Migration Act 1958 section 234 sets a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment or 1,000 penalty units, or both, for false or misleading statements.

How long should a Form 888 answer be?

There's no word count on the form. Question 3's box has about 14 lines and question 4's about 18; the form says “If insufficient space, please attach additional details”. Specific, first-hand detail matters more than length.

What should a friend write on Form 888?

A friend answers the same questions as anyone else: how and when they met each of you, how they know you as a couple, how often they're in contact, and why they believe the relationship is genuine and continuing, based on what they've seen themselves.

Does the witness have to say the relationship is “genuine and continuing”?

Question 4 asks them to state whether they believe the relationship is genuine and continuing and to give their reasons. What they write is their own honest view.

Can family members write a Form 888?

Form 888 must be completed by someone who is at least 18 and knows the visa applicant, their partner or fiancé(e), and the history of their relationship. Neither the form nor the visa pages say whether relatives can or can't make one.