Common Australian Visa Application Mistakes: Forms 1022, 1023 & PIC 4020
The visa application mistakes that actually matter: the legal duty to disclose, which form to use when you spot an error (1022 vs 1023), why Form 929 no longer applies, and the PIC 4020 exclusion period. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 Visa form mistakes that actually matter
- 0:14 Non-disclosure: PIC 4020
- 0:28 Two duties, two different forms
- 0:45 Form 929 is retired
- 0:56 Section 105 applies
- 1:06 Read each character question carefully:
- 1:19 4 evidence categories.
- 1:31 Common form-level errors
- 1:42 When in doubt, disclose.
- 1:55 Where to read more
Transcript
Most Australian visa refusals aren't about being ineligible — they're about how the form was filled in. Here are the mistakes that actually sink applications.
The most serious mistake is non-disclosure. Get caught giving false or misleading information, and Public Interest Criterion 4020 can exclude you from Australian visas for 3 years — or 10 years if it involves your identity.
Two different legal duties can apply after you've submitted. Section 104 covers circumstances that have changed since you applied — use Form 1022. Section 105 covers an answer that was already wrong when you gave it — use Form 1023.
Some older guides still mention Form 929. It's retired — Home Affairs now points you to Forms 1022 and 1023 instead.
The duty to correct an already-wrong answer, under section 105, doesn't end when your visa is granted. It applies even after you've been approved.
Character questions trip people up too. Some ask 'have you ever' — that means your whole life. Others only ask about the last 10 years. Read each one carefully.
Evidence gaps matter just as much. Partner visa evidence is checked across 4 categories. Most applications also need a complete address history for the past 10 years, with no gaps.
Form errors are their own category: the wrong visa subclass, the wrong stream, inconsistent answers across sections, or dates that don't match your other documents.
The single biggest mistake is staying quiet. When in doubt, disclose — and if you find an error after lodging, correct it in writing using the right form, rather than staying silent and hoping it isn't noticed.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.
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