What is Form 956A?
Form 956A names an authorised recipient rather than appointing someone to provide immigration assistance. Home Affairs’ PDF is titled “Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient” and carries the design date 03/21.
Home Affairs’ Form 956A allows only one authorised recipient for each application or matter. Documents go to the most recently appointed recipient, and in most circumstances you receive no separate copy.
Under section 494D of the Migration Act 1958, in the compilation in force on 4 June 2026, the Minister must give documents to the authorised recipient instead of you. A document given to that person is taken to have been given to you: the appointment changes who receives it, not its legal effect.
Who can be an authorised recipient?
Yes—anyone can be an authorised recipient, according to Home Affairs’ authorised recipients page, updated 23 September 2024. The condition is that they cannot give immigration assistance unless they are also a lawyer, a registered practitioner or an exempt person.
Under section 494D of the Migration Act 1958, only you—not the recipient—can vary or withdraw the appointment, at any time. The recipient can update their own address. Choosing someone to receive letters does not itself authorise that person to discuss your case with Home Affairs, as Form 956A explains.
What an authorised recipient receives
Home Affairs’ authorised recipients page, updated 23 September 2024, explains that an authorised recipient receives:
- All written communication about the application.
- Requests for more information, including a section 56 request, often called an s56 request.
- The decision letter, not just routine correspondence.
- Letters containing health and character information, where that information is included in the correspondence.
The consequence is important: under section 494D of the Migration Act 1958, a document given to the recipient counts as given to you. Any response period therefore operates as though you received the letter yourself, not from the later date when the recipient forwards it.
Form 956A vs Form 956
Form 956A names a correspondence recipient; Form 956 appoints someone to act for you and optionally receive documents. Home Affairs’ two forms distinguish these roles as follows.
| Feature | Form 956A | Form 956 |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Names a person to receive letters only | Appoints a representative to act for you, and optionally receive letters |
| Who | Anyone | An Australian lawyer, an exempt person or the other practitioner category the form allows |
| Can Home Affairs discuss your case? | No, unless also your representative or separately authorised | Yes, within the representative’s appointed role |
| Ends with | Form 956A withdrawing the recipient appointment | Part B of Form 956 or written notice; end any recipient appointment too |
| Design date shown on the Home Affairs PDF | 03/21 | 08/22 |
How to appoint, change or end an authorised recipient
Home Affairs’ Form 956A and authorised recipients page explain three actions:
- Appoint: name the person in the relevant section of your ImmiAccount application, or lodge Form 956A with the application or at the office processing it.
- Change: lodge a new Form 956A. Documents go to the most recently appointed recipient.
- End: lodge Form 956A to withdraw the appointment.
For family members, Home Affairs’ Form 956A requires each person aged 16 or over who wants a different authorised recipient to complete a separate form.
When changing lawyers, check both appointments. Home Affairs’ Form 956 and legal practitioner guidance explain that if the former lawyer was also your authorised recipient, that appointment needs to end too; otherwise correspondence continues to go to them.
Authorised recipients on an 858 EOI and visa application
For the National Innovation visa (subclass 858), the EOI and visa application use different submission channels. Home Affairs’ program page explains that the EOI is a separate online departmental form, while the visa application is lodged in ImmiAccount.
At EOI stage, Home Affairs’ EOI form page, updated 30 September 2026, requires someone submitting on your behalf to have your written consent and attach Form 956 or Form 956A. Do not assume the visa application’s recipient section replaces those EOI requirements.
After visa lodgement, Home Affairs’ “After you apply” page, updated 21 September 2026, says requests appear in ImmiAccount messages and under “Actions required”. If an authorised recipient is appointed, the request goes to them. Without authorisation for electronic communication, messages about the application cannot be seen in ImmiAccount.
The invitation and decision notices matter because they identify time-sensitive steps. Home Affairs’ EOI “After submission” page states that the application window is 60 days from the invitation date, with no extension. For an eligible refusal review, section 347 of the Migration Act 1958 sets 28 days after notification, or 14 days in immigration detention, and the ART cannot extend that period. The review period is not a deadline triggered by every decision letter.
Form 956A download and PDF
The current supplied version is Home Affairs’ Form 956A PDF, with design date 03/21. This site does not host a copy; use the Department’s PDF rather than relying on a file-sharing copy that may be old.
Home Affairs’ authorised recipients page, updated 23 September 2024, also explains appointment and withdrawal. You do not need a separate PDF to name a recipient when you use the relevant section of your ImmiAccount application.
Common questions about Form 956A
What is the 956A form for?
Home Affairs’ Form 956A is used to name, change or withdraw the one person who receives your visa correspondence.
What is the difference between Form 956 and 956A?
Home Affairs’ Form 956 appoints someone to act for you; Form 956A appoints only a recipient of correspondence.
How do I fill out Form 956A online?
Home Affairs’ authorised recipients guidance allows you to name the person in the relevant section of your ImmiAccount application instead of lodging a separate Form 956A.
Can my authorised recipient talk to Home Affairs about my case?
No—not under the recipient appointment alone. Home Affairs’ Form 956A requires them also to be your representative, or for you to give separate consent.
Will I still get a copy of letters sent to my authorised recipient?
Usually not. Home Affairs’ Form 956A says that in most circumstances the applicant receives no separate copy.
Authorised recipients and your 858 visa lawyer
Under Home Affairs’ Form 956A and authorised recipients guidance, a recipient-only appointment lets someone receive a section 56 request, but does not authorise them to discuss your case or give immigration assistance unless they separately qualify to do so.
Appointing your 858 visa lawyer as both representative and authorised recipient on Home Affairs’ Form 956 puts receipt of the letter and preparation of the response in the same hands.
For your 858 visa, an Australian migration lawyer can check the recipient details and whether a change of representative also requires a change of recipient.
Ask an Australian migration lawyer to check who is named as authorised recipient on Form 956A, because section 494D of the Migration Act 1958 treats notice to that person as notice to you.