Form 956 (Appointment of a migration agent or exempt agent or other authorised recipient) states that you should use this form to advise the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (the department) that you have appointed a migration agent or exempt agent or authorised recipient;

Question: What is the implication if my agent did not submit Form 956? Is she recognized by DIAC as "authorized" recipient as defined in the following?

MIGRATION ACT 1958 - SECT 494D

Authorised recipient (1) If a person (the first person ) gives the Minister written notice of the name and address of another person (the authorised recipient ) authorised by the first person to do things on behalf of the first person that consist of, or include, receiving documents in connection with matters arising under this Act or the regulations, the Minister must give the authorised recipient, instead of the first person, any documents that the Minister would otherwise have given to the first person.

Your replies may be crucial to my case. Thank you.

If the form has not been submitted then DIAC will be dealing directly with you, the applicant, as they will not know you have appointed an agent and they will not have your authority to deal with that agent.

If you think the form hasn't been submitted, send it in now. Same if you want to remove your agent, submit the form saying you will now deal with yoru case yourself.

Thanks Pollyana for the reply. If Form 956 was not submitted (according to my agent) but in Form 1276, Question #19 - Address for Correspondence, indicated my agent's address and contact details, will that suffice to meet the requirement of advising DIAC of the authorized recipient? Or, on top of that, the Migration Regulation Sec 494D still requires the Form 956?

Btw, I am paper based and it was the agent who forwarded all documents to ASPC with a covering letter.

TIA.

If you examine form 1276 part O - 98 you will find that it is required to fill form 956 (since you have an agent). So as Pollyana said you need to fill form 956 and send it to DIAC and may be call them to make sure.

Thank you mavios for pointing that out. If i am right in my understanding, without the 956, my agent is not the authorized recipient.

Thanks again....

I don't think the authorized recipient can only be an agent, if you see what I mean. You can nominate another recipient for a variety of reasons.

DIAC need to know if you are using an agent or not, they may not know that your nominated recipient is an agent - that is why they have the additional form as it asks for more information like MARA registration no. etc.

Your agent should have sent the form, if not why not.

You should also have a record of everything they sent - at least a list if not copies. Do you remember what you signed?