Form 1022: Notification of Changes in Circumstances

The legal duty behind Form 1022

Section 104 of the Migration Act 1958 requires visa applicants to notify the Department of Home Affairs if their circumstances change in a way that affects the accuracy of an answer given in their visa application. This isn't optional paperwork — it's a statutory obligation, and Form 1022 is the Department's designated way of meeting it.

The underlying logic is straightforward: a visa decision is made based on the information in the application at the time it's assessed. If something material has changed since lodgement — even something the applicant answered completely honestly at the time — the Department needs the current picture, not a stale one, to make an accurate assessment.

Critically, this is a different situation from Form 1023. With Form 1022, nothing about the original answer was wrong — it was true when given. What's changed is the underlying fact, not the honesty of the original answer.

What counts as a notifiable change

The range of changes covered by Form 1022 is broad because the range of things that can affect a visa application is broad. Commonly notified changes include: a change of residential address; a new or renewed passport with a different number or expiry date; a marriage, de facto relationship, or separation; the birth of a child during the application period; a change of employer or occupation (particularly relevant for skilled and employer-sponsored visas where the nominated occupation or sponsoring business matters); a name change; and changes to health or character circumstances that weren't previously disclosed because they hadn't yet occurred.

Not every minor life event needs a Form 1022 — the test is whether the change affects the accuracy of an answer you gave. A short domestic holiday generally doesn't need reporting; a change of address does, because your address is a specific answer on the form. If you're genuinely unsure whether something needs to be notified, treat borderline cases as worth notifying — there's little downside to over-disclosing a change, but a real downside to a material change going unreported.

Timing — when does the duty apply, and when does it end

The notification duty under section 104 applies while your visa application is being processed — from lodgement until a decision is made. Once the visa has been granted, the ongoing duty to notify changes under this specific provision generally ends: if you applied for the visa while in Australia, the duty typically stops at grant; if you applied from outside Australia, it typically stops once you've been immigration-cleared on the visa (that is, once you've physically arrived and cleared immigration on that visa).

This matters because people sometimes assume they need to keep updating Home Affairs indefinitely after their visa is granted — that's generally not the case under this particular provision, though separate obligations can apply for other purposes (for example, some visa conditions or later applications, like citizenship, have their own currency and disclosure requirements). If your circumstances change after your visa is already granted and cleared, check what's actually required for your situation — a MARA-registered agent can advise, and Migratio matches you with one free.

Don't wait until a decision seems imminent to notify a change you're already aware of — notify as soon as practicable after the change occurs.

Form 1022 vs Form 1023 vs Form 929

These three forms cover related but distinct territory, and picking the right one avoids confusion for both you and the case officer.

Form 1022 (Notification of changes in circumstances) is the broadest of the three — it covers changes in circumstances since a truthful answer was given, across almost any category: relationships, employment, children, health, and more.

Form 1023 (Notification of incorrect answer(s)) is for a narrower situation — an answer that was already wrong at the time it was given, not something that's changed since.

Form 929 (Change of address and/or passport details) is narrower still — it's specifically for address and passport-detail updates, and for a straightforward passport renewal or address change with nothing else going on, it's the more targeted form. Form 1022 can also be used for a passport or address change, particularly where other circumstances have changed at the same time (for example, a name change alongside a passport renewal) — see our dedicated Form 929 guide for when to use each.

How to lodge Form 1022

Form 1022 is free and available from the Department of Home Affairs form-listing page — always download the current version rather than reusing an old saved copy. Complete the form with your updated details, the nature of the change, and the date it occurred, along with your application or reference number.

If you have an application on foot in ImmiAccount, the completed form (along with any supporting evidence — a birth certificate for a newborn, a marriage certificate, evidence of a new address) is uploaded through the document attachment function against the relevant application. Follow the standard ImmiAccount file rules: each document under the size limit, no encrypted or form-fillable PDFs, and clear filenames.

If your matter isn't linked to an active ImmiAccount application, Form 1022 can be lodged by post to the address on the form. Keep your own copy of everything submitted and the date it was lodged.

Common mistakes

The most frequent issue is simply not notifying a change at all — either because the applicant didn't realise the duty existed, or assumed a minor-seeming change didn't need reporting. Given the notification duty is a legal obligation under the Migration Act, treating it as optional is a real risk, not just an administrative nicety.

Other recurring problems: using an outdated version of the form; failing to attach supporting evidence for the change being notified (a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or similar); notifying a change that's actually a correction of a past error rather than a genuine change (which should go on Form 1023 instead); and delaying notification until close to a decision, rather than notifying as soon as the change occurs.

What is Form 1022 used for?

Form 1022 notifies the Department of Home Affairs of a change in your circumstances since you lodged your visa application — such as a new address, new passport, marriage, separation, new baby, or change of employer — that affects the accuracy of an answer you originally gave.

Is notifying changes with Form 1022 a legal requirement?

Yes. Section 104 of the Migration Act 1958 creates a legal duty to notify the Department of changes affecting your application's accuracy while it's being processed. Form 1022 is the Department's designated way of meeting that duty.

Do I need to notify Home Affairs of changes after my visa is granted?

Generally, the notification duty under section 104 ends once your visa is granted (if you applied onshore) or once you've been immigration-cleared on it (if you applied offshore). Separate requirements can apply to other matters, like later applications or visa conditions — check what applies to your situation.

What's the difference between Form 1022 and Form 1023?

Form 1022 notifies a genuine change in circumstances since a truthful answer was given. Form 1023 corrects an answer that was already incorrect at the time it was given. If nothing about your original answer was wrong and something has simply changed since, use Form 1022.

Should I use Form 1022 or Form 929 for a passport renewal?

For a straightforward passport renewal with nothing else changing, Form 929 is the more targeted form. If other circumstances have also changed at the same time — such as a name change — Form 1022 can cover the broader set of changes.

What happens if I don't notify a change in circumstances?

Because the notification duty is a statutory obligation, not disclosing a material change can affect how your application is assessed and, in some circumstances, can be grounds for visa refusal or cancellation. If you're unsure whether something needs notifying, it's safer to notify — a MARA-registered agent can advise on your specific situation.

Where do I get Form 1022?

Form 1022 is a free PDF from the Department of Home Affairs form-listing page (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) — always download the current version rather than reusing an old saved copy, since forms are periodically updated.