Migration (IMMI 18/079: Arrangements for Parent Visa Applications) Instrument 2018

The instrument rests on a few tightly specified concepts drawn from the Migration Act and Regulations and the instrument’s own Schedule. These concepts determine what the instrument controls and what it leaves unchanged.

Approved form: The instrument uses the concept of an approved form as defined by subsection 5(1) of the Migration Act 1958. It does not itself define the content of those forms; it designates particular form identifiers (for example 47PA, 47PT) as the approved form for particular applicant kinds for specified Schedule 1 items of the Regulations (s 4; ss 6-11; Schedule 1, Column C). The instrument uses the approved-form mechanism to tie administrative requirements to Regulation items.

Place and manner for making an application: For each kind of applicant described in Schedule 1, the instrument specifies the place and manner for lodgement (Schedule 1, Column D). The instrument sets a postal lodgement option (Locked Bag) and a courier delivery option (Wellington Central, Ground Floor, 836 Wellington Street, West Perth WA 6005) for the Parent Visa Centre (Schedule 1, Column D). For newborn-child notifications in some temporary contributory subclasses the instrument permits Nil as the approved form where birth is notified in writing to those addresses (Schedule 1, items 5 and 6, Column C).

Kind of applicant: The Schedule distinguishes kinds of applicants relevant to each named Schedule 1 item in the Regulations. Examples include the plain label "All" (meaning all kinds of applicants for the subclass at item 1 and 2), holders of a particular temporary contributory parent visa (for example holders of Subclass 173 or 884), “relevant applicant and other applicant, being a member of the family unit” for item 3 (Schedule 1, Column B). These labels determine which approved form applies to which applicant (ss 6-11; Schedule 1, Columns B and C).

Tie to regulatory items: The instrument repeatedly references specific subitems and paragraphs of Schedule 1 to the Regulations when prescribing form and lodgement arrangements (for example subitem 1124(1) and paragraph 1124(3)(a), subitem 1130(1) and paragraph 1130(3)(a), etc.; ss 6-11). That establishes a direct administrative nexus between the Regulations’ listed visa items and the practical lodgement requirements in the instrument.

Repeal and replacement: Schedule 2 repeals the earlier instrument identified as Migration (IMMI 18/014: Addresses for Applications for Parent Visas) Instrument 2018 in full (Schedule 2). The instrument therefore functions as a replacement administrative specification for parent visa lodgement arrangements (Schedule 2).

Scope limitation: The instrument is administrative in scope. It does not alter substantive eligibility criteria, visa conditions, processing priorities, fees, or merits review rights. Its statutory authority is the subregulation mentioned at s 3. The definitions section (s 4) and the Schedule entries are the operative content used to implement the specified lodgement arrangements.

Primary affected persons and entities are the applicants for the parent visa subclasses listed in the Schedule, their authorised representatives, and the Departmental units charged with receiving and processing those applications.

Applicants and their representatives: The Schedule specifically applies to applicants for the following Schedule 1 items under the Regulations: Item 1124 (Subclass 103 Parent (Migrant) (Class AX)), Item 1124A (Subclass 804 Aged Parent (Residence) (Class BP)), Item 1130 (Subclass 143 Contributory Parent (Migrant) (Class CA)), Item 1130A (Subclass 864 Contributory Aged Parent (Residence) (Class DG)), Item 1221 (Subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) (Class UT)), and Item 1221A (Subclass 884 Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (Class UU)) (ss 6-11; Schedule 1). For each of these subclasses the Schedule identifies kinds of applicants, such as "All", holders of a specified temporary contributory visa, "relevant applicant and other applicant, being a member of the family unit", or "contributory parent newborn child" (Schedule 1, Column B). Those persons must follow the form and lodgement arrangements prescribed.

Departmental units and mail/courier handling: The Department of Home Affairs’ Parent Visa Centre is the specified recipient. The instrument prescribes a Locked Bag postal address (Parent Visa Centre, Locked Bag 7 Northbridge WA 6865) and a courier address (Wellington Central, Ground Floor, 836 Wellington Street, West Perth WA 6005) where these applications or notifications are to be sent (Schedule 1, Column D). Staff who manage intake, mailroom processing, and visa lodgement handling will need to operate these addresses and associated intake procedures consistent with the instrument.

Service providers and third parties: Courier companies and postal operators delivering to the specified addresses will be involved in the physical transfer of documents. Legal practitioners and migration agents lodging documents on behalf of applicants must direct documents to the specified addresses and use the specified approved forms where relevant.

Other stakeholders: Because the instrument repeals an earlier IMMI instrument (Schedule 2), any stakeholders who have internal procedures based on the repealed instrument must update those procedures to reflect the new addresses and form designations (Schedule 2). Internal compliance teams in sponsor households, businesses that assist migrants, and migratory-support NGOs will need to update checklists and filing processes.

What the instrument does not directly affect: The instrument does not change visa eligibility, visa entitlements, fees, the Migration Act or the Regulations substantively, or decision-making criteria. Those remain governed by the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994; this instrument only prescribes administrative lodging arrangements (s 3; s 4). It does not itself create new merits review routes, enforcement powers, or penalties in its text.

Who decides: The instrument was made by a delegate of the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection , Renelle Forster, Assistant Secretary, Visa Delivery Transformation Division , and is made under the regulatory authority specified at s 3 and signed on 14 June 2018 (cover page and s 1).

Geographical scope: The instrument’s addresses and procedural prescriptions are Australian operations-based; the postal Locked Bag and West Perth courier address are within Western Australia (Schedule 1, Column D). The instrument applies to persons wherever they are located who seek to lodge an application for those specific Schedule 1 visa items since it prescribes how applications must be made to the Department via those addresses (ss 6-11; Schedule 1).

This instrument creates administrative duties regarding which approved form to use and where and how to lodge applications for specified parent visa subclasses. It also preserves the underlying statutory framework in which rights and substantive duties are set out elsewhere.

Duty to use the specified approved form where one is identified: For each kind of applicant described in Schedule 1 Column B, the instrument prescribes the approved form by reference in Column C (ss 6-11; Schedule 1, Column C). For example, for Item 1124 (Subclass 103 Parent (Migrant) (Class AX)) the approved form for "All" kinds of applicants is 47PA (Schedule 1, item 1, Column C). For Item 1130 (Subclass 143 Contributory Parent (Migrant) (Class CA)), holders of Subclass 173 temporary visas are to use 47PT while other relevant applicants (including family unit members) use 47PA (Schedule 1, item 3, Column B-C). For Items 1221 and 1221A (subclasses 173 and 884 temporary contributory visas), the Schedule permits Nil as the approved form for a "contributory parent newborn child" where birth is notified in writing to the addresses in Column D (Schedule 1, items 5-6, Column C; Column D).

Duty to lodge at the specified place and manner: For each prescribed approved form, Schedule 1 Column D specifies the place and manner for making an application (ss 6-11; Schedule 1, Column D). The postal address is Parent Visa Centre, Department of Home Affairs, Locked Bag 7, Northbridge WA 6865; the courier address is Parent Visa Centre, Department of Home Affairs, Wellington Central, Ground Floor, 836 Wellington Street, West Perth WA 6005 (Schedule 1, Column D). The instrument therefore creates a duty to send applications or written birth notifications to those addresses where the Schedule prescribes that manner.

Duty where Nil is specified: For particular subclasses (Items 1221 and 1221A) the Schedule specifies Nil as the approved form for the special case "contributory parent newborn child", but only "where birth is notified in writing to the addresses mentioned in Column D" (Schedule 1, items 5-6, Column C). That creates a limited administrative pathway for certain notifications by written communication rather than using a formal approved form.

Right to rely on the instrument for administrative procedure: Applicants and their representatives have the right to rely on these prescribed lodgement pathways as the current administrative specification governing how to submit those applications or notifications to the Department, as the instrument implements those arrangements under its regulatory authority (s 3; ss 6-11; Schedule 1).

No substantive rights or merits changes in this instrument: The instrument does not give or remove substantive visa entitlements, does not alter eligibility criteria, does not change visa fees, and does not create new statutory rights to merits review or judicial review. It is limited to form and lodgement arrangements; the underlying statutory rights and duties regarding visa decision-making remain in the Migration Act and Migration Regulations (s 4).

No penalty provisions in this instrument: The instrument itself contains no penalty or enforcement clauses related to non-compliance with its entries. It does not specify consequences for failure to use the specified approved form or place and manner, nor does it set time limits beyond what is in the Regulations; such consequences, if any, must be inferred from provisions in the Migration Act or the Regulations and are not contained in this instrument’s text (see ss 1-11 and Schedules).

Duty to note repeal and update procedures: The Schedule 2 repeal of Migration (IMMI 18/014) requires affected practitioners and departmental processes to update internal lodgement procedures to reflect the new nominated addresses and form allocations (Schedule 2). The instrument itself provides no transitional steps in the text.

The instrument does not itself create express penalties, fines, or enforcement mechanisms. Its operation is limited to administrative prescription of approved forms and lodgement addresses; it does not contain enforcement clauses or criminal or civil penalty provisions.

No internal penalty provisions: There is no section in the instrument that prescribes sanctions, civil penalties, or criminal offences for non-compliance with the form or place/manner requirements set out in Schedule 1. The instrument’s operative provisions are directional: specifying which approved form applies and where and how to lodge (ss 6-11; Schedule 1).

Enforcement rests with the Act and Regulations: The instrument is made under subregulation 2.07(5) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (s 3). Any enforcement, invalidity consequences, or procedural consequences for failure to comply with prescribed forms or lodgement manner must derive from the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, and from departmental practice consistent with those statutes. The instrument itself does not identify which Act or Regulation provisions will be applied for non-compliance.

Administrative effect and practical consequences: Although the instrument is silent on explicit sanctions, the practical and administrative consequence is that the Department has a clear, published administrative route for receipt of parent visa applications and certain notifications (Schedule 1). In practice, departmental intake procedures and processing officers will rely on these specifications to determine whether an application has been lodged in the prescribed manner; the text of the instrument does not itself state the consequences of failing to do so.

Repeal does not contain transitional enforcement detail: Schedule 2 repeals an earlier IMMI instrument in full. The instrument does not include transitional enforcement arrangements or express instructions about whether applications lodged under the repealed instrument remain valid or need re-lodgement. That absence means any transitional approach, including acceptance of lodgements made under the prior instrument, is a matter for departmental policy or separate legal provision, not this instrument’s text (Schedule 2).

Delegation and departmental discretion: The instrument was made by a delegate of the Minister (cover page and s 1). The instrument therefore exercises administrative specification power delegated to the Assistant Secretary. It does not expand or constrain other departmental discretions in decision-making under the Migration Act and Regulations; enforcement remains within the statutory framework of those instruments rather than being specified here.

Summary statement: The instrument establishes the administrative mechanics for form selection and lodgement addresses but contains no direct penalty or enforcement rules. Any legal consequences for non-compliance will derive from the Migration Act, the Migration Regulations, or departmental practice, none of which are altered substantively in this instrument (s 3; Schedule 1; Schedule 2).

This instrument is an administrative instrument operating within a statutory framework. Its legal effect and limits are set by references to the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994 and by its repeal of an earlier IMMI instrument.

Statutory authority: The instrument is expressly made under subregulation 2.07(5) of the Migration Regulations 1994 (s 3). That subregulation is the enabling legal basis authorising the delegate to prescribe arrangements for making applications for visas. The instrument therefore operates as an administrative specification under the Regulations rather than as primary legislation.

Definitions linked to the Act: The instrument imports key definitions from the Act. It defines "approved form" and "visa" by reference to subsection 5(1) of the Migration Act 1958 (s 4). This links the instrument to the Act’s broader statutory scheme governing forms, documents, and formalities for lodgement. Any legal meaning of "approved form" or "visa" is therefore the statutory meaning in s 5(1) of the Act, as the instrument acknowledges.

Specific interaction with Schedule 1 to the Regulations: The operative clauses (ss 6-11) tie the instrument’s prescriptions directly to particular subitems and paragraphs of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, for example subitem 1124(1) and paragraph 1124(3)(a), subitem 1130(1) and paragraph 1130(3)(a), and subitems 1221(1) and 1221A(1). That means the instrument is designed to be read in conjunction with the Migration Regulations’ Schedule 1 listings for the relevant visa classes. The instrument supplies the administrative lodgement details that complement the substantive Regulation items.

No substantive change to primary rules: The instrument does not amend the Migration Act or the Migration Regulations substantively. It does not change eligibility criteria, visa conditions, or merits review rights. It is therefore an administrative complement to those laws.

Repeal of prior instrument: Schedule 2 expressly repeals Migration (IMMI 18/014: Addresses for Applications for Parent Visas) Instrument 2018 in its entirety (Schedule 2). That repeal interacts with any administrative practices established under the earlier instrument by replacing, as of commencement, the prior addresses or arrangements with the Schedule 1 entries in this instrument. The text does not provide transitional provisions; the legal effect of the repeal is to remove the earlier instrument from force, leaving this instrument as the current administrative specification (Schedule 2).

Operational interface with departmental practice: The addresses and approved forms specified in Schedule 1 will need to be integrated into departmental mailroom, intake, and case management systems. Departmental practice will apply these administrative directions when accepting and acknowledging applications. Those internal practices operate within the statutory framework; the instrument provides the public-facing legal basis for the specific lodgement pathways.

No reference to other Commonwealth or state instruments: The instrument does not reference other Commonwealth instruments beyond the repealed IMMI instrument, nor does it reference state or territory laws. Its operation is confined to directing how specified Migration Regulations items are to be lodged with the Department.

Limitations and interpretive posture: Because the instrument prescribes approved forms and lodgement addresses by reference to kinds of applicants and Regulation items, interpretation of who falls within a "kind of applicant" will require reading this instrument together with the Migration Regulations and the Acts that define visas and forms. The instrument’s text itself provides the practical mapping and must be read in conjunction with the underlying law it references (s 4; ss 6-11).

This instrument contains its own commencement date and a standalone repeal of a predecessor instrument. There are no other amendments recorded in the instrument text.

Dates and making: The instrument is dated 14 June 2018 on its face and specifies that it commences on 1 July 2018 (cover page; s 2). The instrument may be cited as IMMI 18/079 (s 1). It was made by Renelle Forster, Assistant Secretary, Senior Executive Service Band One, Visa Delivery Transformation Division, as a delegate of the Minister (cover page and s 1).

Repeal of prior IMMI instrument: Schedule 2 repeals Migration (IMMI 18/014: Addresses for Applications for Parent Visas) Instrument 2018 (F2018L00023) in full. The entry in Schedule 2 states "The whole of the instrument Repeal the instrument." There are no stated savings, transitional or grandfathering provisions contained within this instrument regarding applications lodged under the repealed instrument (Schedule 2).

No textual amendments to the Regulations or Act: The instrument does not purport to amend the Migration Regulations 1994 or the Migration Act 1958; it is made under the authority of subregulation 2.07(5) of the Regulations and operates as an administrative instrument. Therefore there is no amendment trace in this instrument to the primary legislation or regulations in terms of content; it only replaces an earlier administrative specification (s 3; Schedule 2).

No schedules amending this instrument: The instrument includes two schedules: Schedule 1 sets the approved forms and place/manner details; Schedule 2 effects the full repeal of the earlier IMMI instrument. There is no further schedule amending other legislative instruments or regulations beyond that single repeal (Schedules 1-2).

Absence of subsequent amendments recorded here: The instrument text supplied contains no further amendments or later instrument references. If any later amending instruments exist, they are not contained in the supplied text. Practitioners should note that the instrument itself records only the single repeal in Schedule 2 and does not otherwise annotate subsequent changes (Schedule 2).

Practical consequence of the amendment history: The only recorded change to earlier instruments in this text is the replacement of the prior IMMI 18/014 instrument. The practical effect as of the instrument’s commencement is that the Schedule 1 entries in IMMI 18/079 are the operative administrative prescription for parent visa lodgement arrangements from 1 July 2018 (s 2; Schedule 2).

The instrument text contains no references to any litigation, cases, or judicial treatment. It does not cite or rely upon any judicial decisions. There are no recorded legal proceedings or case law mentioned in the instrument.

No cases named or precedents invoked: The instrument is a short administrative specification and does not refer to legal determinations, tribunal decisions, or judicial interpretation. The text contains no subsections referencing prior decisions or litigation outcomes.

Implication for practitioners: Because the instrument does not refer to litigation, any questions about the legal effect of these administrative prescriptions, their interpretation, or consequences of non-compliance would need to be resolved by reference to the Migration Act, the Migration Regulations, the instrument text, and any separate case law that might later interpret similar administrative specifications. The instrument itself provides no litigation history or interpretive guidance by reference to judicial decisions.

Absence of transitional litigation notes: The instrument repeals an earlier instrument but does not contain transitional provisions or guidance that has been contested in litigation within this text. If disputes arise over whether applications lodged under the repealed instrument are valid or need re-lodgement, those would be matters for administrative policy or, if contested, for tribunal or court proceedings. None of those proceedings are recorded in this instrument.

Recordkeeping and evidentiary questions: The instrument prescribes addresses and approved forms but does not address evidentiary standards, proof of lodgement, or postal/courier receipt rules. Any litigation concerning alleged lost lodgements or disputes about the date of lodgement would therefore require reference to departmental practices and possibly external case law, not material contained in this instrument.

Summary: There is no litigation history or case law in the instrument text. The instrument is a procedural, administrative instrument and does not document any judicial interaction.

The instrument is concise but contains a number of practical points that can give rise to operational mistakes if not read carefully. These are matters where the Schedule’s formatting or the conditional use of alternate forms can catch practitioners out.

Different approved forms depending on applicant kind: The Schedule often uses the same approved-form identifier for multiple subclasses but carves out narrow exceptions where a different approved form applies. For example:

• Item 1130 (Subclass 143 Contributory Parent (Migrant) (Class CA)): if the applicant is a holder of a Subclass 173 (Contributory Parent) (Temporary) visa, the approved form is 47PT; in any other case, "relevant applicant and other applicant, being a member of the family unit" use 47PA (Schedule 1, item 3, Columns B-C).
• Item 1130A (Subclass 864 Contributory Aged Parent (Residence) (Class DG)) uses 47PT only if the applicant holds Subclass 884 temporary visa, otherwise 47PA (Schedule 1, item 4, Columns B-C).

If the practitioner misses the conditional trigger (for example, not confirming whether an applicant holds the specified temporary visa), they may select the wrong approved form. The instrument does not itself provide explanatory text about the substantive differences between 47PA and 47PT; it simply prescribes which to use for the stated classes (Schedule 1, Columns B-C).

Nil approved form for newborn notification only in narrow cases: For Items 1221 (Subclass 173) and 1221A (Subclass 884), the Schedule specifies Nil as the approved form "where birth is notified in writing to the addresses mentioned in Column D" for a "contributory parent newborn child" (Schedule 1, items 5-6, Column C). The wording requires two conditions: the applicant must be a contributory parent newborn child, and the birth must be notified in writing to the specified addresses. Practitioners must be careful to ensure both conditions are satisfied rather than treating Nil as a general exception.

Ambiguities in "All" and "relevant applicant and other applicant": Items 1 and 2 use "All" in Column B; Item 3 uses the phrasing "relevant applicant and other applicant, being a member of the family unit" (Schedule 1, Column B). These labels are not defined in the instrument. Determining whether a particular individual is the "relevant applicant" or an "other applicant" may require cross-reference to the Migration Regulations’ definitions or departmental guidance. The instrument itself does not define those terms.

Addresses repeated verbatim; no alternatives: The instrument prescribes two delivery methods , post to Locked Bag and courier to the specified Wellington Central address in West Perth (Schedule 1, Column D). There are no alternative lodgement channels (for example, in-person counter lodgement or electronic lodgement) mentioned in this instrument. Practitioners should not assume electronic or other methods are permitted on the basis of this instrument alone.

No transitional or saving provisions: The Schedule 2 repeal removes the earlier instrument in full (Schedule 2). This instrument does not include transitional wording stating how to treat applications that were sent under the earlier instrument but not yet processed. That gap means that the treatment of any applications lodged during the transition is not resolved in this instrument and will rely on departmental policy or separate legal provisions.

Form identifiers without content: The instrument specifies form numbers (47PA, 47PT, Nil) but does not include the text of those forms or the department’s instructions about completing them. Practitioners must source the actual approved forms from the Department to ensure they are the current form version. The instrument gives no version dates for the forms.

No penalties or consequences spelled out in the instrument: The instrument prescribes administrative requirements but includes no wording about the consequences of failing to use the specified form or to lodge at the specified address. Practical consequences may follow from the Regulations or departmental practice but are not set out here; parties should not assume the instrument itself lists or limits consequences.

Geographic specificity: The courier address is in West Perth and the postal address is a Locked Bag in Northbridge WA (Schedule 1, Column D). This raises logistical considerations for applicants offshore. The instrument does not address postage timing, acceptable courier services, or receipt confirmation procedures.

Delegation and signature: The instrument is made by a named delegate (Renelle Forster) on behalf of the Minister (cover page and s 1). If reliance on the instrument requires proof of delegation or validation of the instrument for administrative purposes, the text shows it was signed by a delegate. There are no further delegation chains noted in the instrument text.

In short, the main practical gotchas are the conditional selection of forms, the narrow Nil exception for newborn notifications, the undefined labels in Column B, the absence of transitional or penalty provisions in the text, and the requirement to use the specified physical addresses without alternative lodgement routes. Each of these is grounded in the Schedule entries and the clauses that tie them to specified Regulation items (s 6-11; Schedule 1; Schedule 2).

Compliance under this instrument requires following the Schedule’s mapping of visa Regulation items, kinds of applicant, approved form identifiers, and the specified place and manner for lodgement. The steps below follow directly from the instrument text.

1. Identify the relevant Regulation item and subclass.

   • Confirm which Schedule 1 item of the Migration Regulations 1994 applies to the intended lodgement: Item 1124 (Subclass 103 Parent (Migrant) (Class AX)), Item 1124A (Subclass 804 Aged Parent (Residence) (Class BP)), Item 1130 (Subclass 143 Contributory Parent (Migrant) (Class CA)), Item 1130A (Subclass 864 Contributory Aged Parent (Residence) (Class DG)), Item 1221 (Subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) (Class UT)), or Item 1221A (Subclass 884 Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (Class UU)) (ss 6-11; Schedule 1, Column A).

2. Determine the "kind of applicant" category that applies.

   • Read Schedule 1 Column B for the relevant item. Categories include "All", holders of a specified temporary contributory visa (for example Subclass 173 or 884), "relevant applicant and other applicant, being a member of the family unit", or "contributory parent newborn child" (Schedule 1, Column B). The instrument supplies these categories but does not define them; confirm whether the person meets the category by reference to the Migration Regulations and departmental guidance where necessary (ss 6-11; Schedule 1, Column B).

3. Select and obtain the specified approved form.

   • Use the form identifier given in Schedule 1 Column C for that item and applicant kind. Typical identifiers in this instrument are 47PA and 47PT. For specified newborn-child notifications in Items 1221 and 1221A, the approved form may be Nil where birth is notified in writing to the specified addresses (Schedule 1, Column C). Obtain the current version of the named approved form from the Department of Home Affairs; the instrument does not contain the form text (s 4; Schedule 1, Column C).

4. If the approved form is Nil for a newborn notification, prepare a written notification.

   • For Items 1221 and 1221A the Schedule states Nil is the approved form "where birth is notified in writing to the addresses mentioned in Column D" (Schedule 1, items 5-6, Column C). Prepare a written notification that contains the information the Department requires for birth notification. The instrument does not specify the content, so practitioners should confirm departmental requirements separately and ensure the notification is sent to the addresses in Column D (Schedule 1, Column D).

5. Lodge the application or written notification to the specified place and manner.

   • Send the completed approved form or written notification to one of the two specified addresses in Schedule 1 Column D:
     • Post application to: Parent Visa Centre, Department of Home Affairs, Locked Bag 7, Northbridge WA 6865; or
     • Courier application to: Parent Visa Centre, Department of Home Affairs, Wellington Central, Ground Floor, 836 Wellington Street, West Perth WA 6005 (Schedule 1, Column D).
   • The instrument does not specify alternative lodgement methods or electronic lodgement; do not assume them from this text.

6. Confirm postal and courier procedural requirements independently.

   • Because the instrument prescribes only the addresses and not mailroom procedures, obtain departmental guidance or receipts that confirm acceptance and the date of lodgement if proof of lodgement or timing is relevant. The instrument does not set out receipt, acceptance, or time-stamping rules.

7. Update internal processes to reflect the repeal of the earlier IMMI instrument.

   • Note Schedule 2 repeals Migration (IMMI 18/014) in full. Replace any procedures based on the earlier instrument with the mapping in Schedule 1 of IMMI 18/079. The instrument contains no transitional provisions; confirm with the Department whether previously lodged documents under the repealed instrument require any action (Schedule 2).

8. Keep documentary evidence of the chosen approved form and lodgement address.

   • Retain copies of the approved form used, postage receipts or courier consignment numbers, and any departmental acknowledgement. The instrument supplies the legal basis for the choice of form and address; documentary evidence will support compliance claims.

9. For cases hinging on temporary visa-holding status, verify visa status at the time of lodgement.

   • Several form choices are conditional on the applicant holding a specified temporary contributory visa (for example holder of Subclass 173 or Subclass 884) (Schedule 1, items 3 and 4, Column B-C). Confirm status at time of lodgement since the approved form selection depends on that factual condition.

10. Do not treat this instrument as altering substantive eligibility, fees or review rights.

    • The instrument prescribes administrative lodgement arrangements only. Substantive visa requirements and legal consequences remain governed by the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994 (s 4). For substantive legal questions consult the underlying statutes or departmental guidance.

11. Where in doubt, seek departmental confirmation.

    • The instrument is precise but brief. If there is doubt about which Column B category applies, the content required in a Nil notification, or whether the Department will accept a particular lodgement method in a particular circumstance, obtain written confirmation from the Department or refer to guidance accompanying the approved forms.

By following the mapping in Schedule 1 and ensuring document-level proof of lodgement to the specified addresses, practitioners will meet the administrative specifications set by this instrument. The instrument itself provides no further procedural detail beyond the form identifiers and the postal/courier addresses, so operational compliance requires obtaining the actual approved forms and any departmental instructions they contain and aligning internal processes with the repeal of the earlier IMMI instrument (s 2; ss 6-11; Schedule 1; Schedule 2).