Foreign Statements as to Character Statutory Declaration for applicants who have been legal practitioners in a foreign jurisdiction

If you are or have ever been a legal practitioner in a foreign jurisdiction your two statements as to character must be made by persons who have been associated in legal practice with you in that jurisdiction.

Character Statements are Statutory Declarations and must be declared and consented to in the presence of an authorised witness as set out under Section 30(2) of the Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018 (External link) using the precise wording provided. 

Please ensure you use the correct form:

  1. Foreign Practitioner - Applicant with disclosure statement available here

  2. Foreign Practitioner - Applicant without disclosure statement available here

A person who supplies a character statement need not be aware of any capacity disclosure. 

Any statutory declaration that relates to an applicant with a disclosure statement must state the date of the applicant's disclosure statement, not the date of reading the disclosure or the date of the character statement.

You must provide two statements as to your character, made by persons who:

i) have known you for at least 2 years; and

ii) are not related to you by blood, marriage or as a domestic partner

Statutory Declarations can be witnessed remotely and can be electronically signed.   However, they are required to be witnessed either in person or by audio-link with identification document, if required.

Please save the editable forms and have the statutory declaration signed/witnessed and uploaded to your application for assessment.

Witnessing Documents in Person or Via Audio Visual Link

A full description of witnessing statutory declarations (External link) and affidavits (External link) can be found on the Department of Justice and Community Safety's website.