Statutory Declaration Letter Writing Guidance for ACS Skills Assessment
Get clear guidance on preparing a statutory declaration to support your ACS RPL evidence, correctly structured and ready for signing.
- Understand when ACS RPL applicants need a statutory declaration.
- Structure the content so it supports your other evidence.
- Get guidance before it is signed and witnessed.
- Avoid relying on a declaration alone for your claims.
Disclaimer: We do not provide legal advice or draft legal declarations. Your statutory declaration must be signed before an authorised person in your country; we guide the content only.
What is a statutory declaration for ACS RPL?
A statutory declaration is a written statement that you sign in the presence of an authorised person, declaring the contents to be true.
ACS RPL applicants sometimes use one to support their evidence when a standard document, such as an employment reference letter, is not available.
Who may need statutory declaration guidance?
- Your employer cannot or will not issue a formal reference letter.
- You need to confirm a change of name for your application.
- You need to explain a detail your other documents do not cover.
- You are not sure what a statutory declaration should include.
- You want the content checked before it is signed and witnessed.
What a statutory declaration should include
A clear, factual declaration is easier for an authorised witness to sign and for ACS to consider.
Your full name and details
Your full legal name, address, and occupation as the declarant.
A clear statement of facts
The specific facts you are declaring, written clearly and without exaggeration.
Why the declaration is needed
A brief explanation of what the declaration supports, such as a missing reference.
Supporting facts, not new claims
Details that align with your other evidence, not new claims that evidence cannot support.
Date and place of signing
The date and location where you sign the declaration.
Authorised witness details
The name, qualification, and signature of the authorised person who witnesses it.
Correct legal format for your country
The accepted format and authorised witnesses vary by country. Confirm the current requirements where you sign.
What our statutory declaration guidance covers
These checks help you arrive at signing with a clear, consistent declaration.
Content Structure
Help structuring the facts your declaration should cover.
Evidence Alignment
Check the declaration supports, rather than contradicts, your other evidence.
Clarity Review
Review the wording for clarity before you take it to be witnessed.
Witnessing Requirements
General guidance on the kind of authorised person who can witness it.
Consistency Check
Check names, dates, and details match the rest of your application.
Final Review
A final look at the content before you have it signed.
Our statutory declaration guidance process
The process gets your content ready before you take it to be signed and witnessed.
Share Your Situation
Tell us why you need a statutory declaration and what it should cover.
Draft Content Guidance
We help you structure the facts clearly and in the right order.
Your Review
You confirm every detail is accurate before signing.
Sign and Witness
You have the declaration signed before an authorised person in your country.
What we do and what we do not do
What We Do
- Explain what a statutory declaration should include.
- Help structure the facts clearly.
- Check consistency with your other evidence.
- Explain general witnessing requirements.
- Review wording before signing.
- Point you to alternative evidence options.
What We Do Not Do
- Draft or write legal declarations for you.
- Witness or notarise your declaration.
- Provide legal advice.
- Guarantee ACS acceptance.
- Replace required formal documents.
- Provide migration advice.
Service disclaimer
We provide general guidance on the content and structure of a statutory declaration only; we do not provide legal advice, draft legal declarations, or witness documents. Your declaration must be prepared and signed before a person qualified to witness it in your country. A statutory declaration supports your evidence; it does not replace required formal documents. We are not affiliated with ACS and do not provide migration advice or guarantee assessment outcomes.
Official sources used for this page
Get your statutory declaration content right before signing
Get clear guidance on structure and content before you have it witnessed.
Prepare with confidence
Frequently asked questions
A written statement that you sign in front of an authorised person, declaring the contents to be true.
No. We guide the content and structure. You write and sign it yourself before an authorised witness.
No. It must be signed before a person authorised to witness such documents in your country, such as a solicitor, notary, or Justice of the Peace.
Common situations include a missing employer reference, a change of name, or a detail your other documents do not fully cover.
Not entirely. It can support your evidence, but ACS still expects formal employment documents wherever they are available.
This depends on your country. Common examples include a solicitor, notary public, or Justice of the Peace. Confirm the accepted options where you sign.
Yes. The exact wording and authorised witnesses accepted vary by country, so confirm current requirements before you sign.
No. We provide statutory declaration content guidance only. Contact a registered migration agent for migration or visa advice.