An Affidavit of Residency is a sworn or affirmed written statement in which a person formally confirms their residential address under oath. In Australia, it is made under the Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) or the equivalent state or territory evidence legislation and must be witnessed by an authorised person such as a Justice of the Peace (JP), solicitor, or barrister. The affidavit has the force of sworn evidence, and making a false affidavit constitutes perjury, a serious criminal offence.

An Affidavit of Residency is distinct from a proof of address document such as a utility bill or bank statement. While those documents show that correspondence is sent to a particular address, they do not carry the legal weight of a sworn statement. An affidavit goes further: the deponent declares under oath that the stated address is their current principal place of residence and that the facts stated in the affidavit are true. This makes it significantly more persuasive to government agencies, financial institutions, courts, and other bodies that require formal confirmation of residency.

This document typically sets out: the deponent's full legal name, date of birth, occupation, and current residential address; the date from which the deponent has lived at the address; the evidence supporting the claim of residency (utility accounts, lease agreement, government correspondence, bank statements); and, where relevant, the deponent's previous residential address and history. Supporting documents are attached as annexures and referred to in the body of the affidavit.

The Affidavit of Residency is used across a wide range of purposes in Australia: visa applications and immigration matters with the Department of Home Affairs; Australian tax residency confirmation with the ATO; proof of address for Centrelink (Services Australia) applications; court proceedings where residency is relevant; real estate and conveyancing matters; applications for the First Home Owner Grant; and banking and financial institution onboarding. It is particularly valuable in circumstances where standard proof of address documents (utility bills, bank statements) are not in the applicant's name or do not clearly establish their residency.

An Affidavit of Residency is needed whenever a government agency, financial institution, court, or other official body requires formal sworn confirmation of a person's residential address.

Visa and immigration applications are a primary use. The Department of Home Affairs requires evidence of residency in connection with a range of visa applications, citizenship applications, and residence determinations. In some cases, an Affidavit of Residency is accepted as primary or supporting evidence of an applicant's address in Australia, particularly where the applicant's name does not appear on standard proof of address documents (for example, because they live with family or in share accommodation).

Australian tax residency is determined partly by reference to a person's place of residence. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) may require an Affidavit of Residency as part of an enquiry into a taxpayer's residency status, particularly for taxpayers who have recently arrived in or departed from Australia, or who have connections to multiple countries. The ATO's residency tests under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) consider, among other things, a person's usual place of abode.

First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) applications require the applicant to occupy the property as their principal place of residence. State revenue offices (Revenue NSW, the State Revenue Office of Victoria, the Queensland Office of State Revenue, and others) may require an Affidavit of Residency confirming that the applicant has moved into the property and is using it as their principal place of residence.

Centrelink (Services Australia) applications for various payments — including the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, and JobSeeker Payment — require confirmation of residential address. Where standard address verification documents are not in the applicant's name, an Affidavit of Residency may be accepted as an alternative.

Banking and financial institution account opening, particularly for customers who are new to Australia or who do not have utility accounts in their name, may require an Affidavit of Residency as proof of address under the AML/CTF Act 2006 (Cth).

Court proceedings may require formal confirmation of a party's residential address, particularly in proceedings involving service of documents, enforcement of orders, or where residency is itself in dispute (as in some family law matters).

Probate and estate administration may require an Affidavit of Residency confirming the residence of a deceased person or a beneficiary, particularly in connection with the distribution of assets or the administration of real property.

A valid Australian Affidavit of Residency must contain specific essential elements to be accepted by government agencies, courts, and financial institutions.

The deponent's identifying information must be provided at the start of the affidavit: full legal name, date of birth, occupation, and contact details. These details establish the identity of the person making the sworn statement.

The current residential address must be stated in full: street number and name, suburb, state or territory, and postcode. The affidavit must confirm that this is the deponent's current principal place of residence, not a temporary address, PO Box, or business address.

The date of commencement of residence at the stated address must be given. This establishes how long the deponent has lived at the address and may be relevant to government agencies assessing residency for eligibility purposes.

The evidence of residency should be set out clearly. This typically includes: a lease or tenancy agreement showing the deponent's name and the address; utility bills (electricity, gas, water) addressed to the deponent at the current address; bank statements or financial institution correspondence addressed to the deponent at the address; government correspondence (ATO, Centrelink, Medicare) addressed to the deponent at the address; and any other relevant documents. These documents should be attached as signed and marked annexures.

A previous address history may be required depending on the purpose of the affidavit. For visa applications and tax residency determinations, the deponent's residential history (including previous Australian addresses and any overseas residences) may be relevant. This information should be set out clearly in the affidavit.

The purpose of the affidavit and the identity of the receiving authority should be stated. This contextualises the document and confirms that the deponent understands the purpose for which the sworn statement is being made.

The jurat must confirm the place and date of signing, the deponent's signature, and the witness's name, qualification, address, and signature. Annexures must be signed by the witness and marked with the standard annexure identification words.